Where your Brand Matters Most

by Salim Bueno
About this author

Your brand extends everywhere, especially at the point of purchase. If you have your own retail space make sure your store says, looks, and feels what your brand is trying to communicate.

The luxury brand Coach sets up their merchandise as if they were unique art pieces.

Coach is a leading designer and maker of luxury lifestyle handbags and accessories, so they make their store space feel luxurious and unique. By displaying their merchandise like art they allow consumers to immerse themselves in the world of Coach.

But what if your brand doesn’t have its own retail space and it has to play in someone else’s playground?

American Greetings cards makes sure their brand stays powerful and relevant no matter where it is being experienced.

If you have never been to the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart, this is how it looks when you walk through the isles.

As you walk through isle after isle of everything you can imagine everything begins to look the same. Everything from toys to cleaning supplies are racked up with their low price guarantee sticker everywhere you look.

How does any one brand even pop out and get recognition in a world with infinite options for consumers to choose from?

The only way to reach your consumer with so many competitors surrounding you is to be true to your brand and allow it to be reflected in the marketplace.

American Greetings takes care of their personal space and allows their customers to get a unique experience. If greeting cards isn’t a personal category, what is?

Understanding this principle, American Greetings makes their selling space a personal experience. Notice American Greetings’s space is organized as well as the beautiful signage to represent the different genres of cards. To top it off, they even have a beautiful light fixture that completely brings in an atmosphere ideal for selecting and purchasing greeting cards. American Greetings can’t force people to buy their greetings cards, but they set great conditions for the consumer to want to look, touch, and read their cards.

What can you do to make your space better reflect your brand identity?

Happy Brand Building.