The Best Architects in Seattle, Washington
We’re excited to be named one of The Best Architects in Seattle, Washington by Home Builder Digest.
Market: Consumer Experiences
What to Watch: Retailers Guarded, Prudent and Primed
There are a lot of expectations about what 2024 could bring, and at the top of many people’s minds is technology and AI integration into retail.
“There’s the continuous impact of AI, from pre-purchase to post-purchase. This will evolve how brands and retailers understand and interact with consumers,” Melissa Gonzalez said to David Moin of WWD.
Discover more strategies that retailers are taking this year in Yahoo News.
6 Trends Driving Store Design Innovation in 2024
After years of lockdowns and digital-driven behaviors, consumers’ actions have shown how crucial the store experience is to how they shop and interact with brands.
But underneath this positive blanket statement are a lot of nuances. Consumers’ standards of what makes a “superior” brick-and-mortar experience have changed, and to make things even more complicated, these standards vary based on shoppers’ unique preferences, their needs at a specific point and time, the role that technology plays in their daily lives and, of course, how they live, work and interact in their everyday lives.
Retail TouchPoints asked experts across the store design, experience and technology realms to share the trends they believe will drive brick-and-mortar innovation.
Melissa Gonzalez named one of 2023 Women of Excellence, Industry Impact
Gonzalez continually pushes the boundaries of experiential retail and has pioneered the integration of physical environments and cutting-edge technologies, helping established brands such as Nordstrom and Victoria’s Secret, and digital-first natives such as Burrow and Kizik.
Melissa Gonzalez Joins Crave Retail’s Advisory Board, Spearheading Digital Transformation in Physical Retail
Amid the bustling holiday season, Crave Retail, a global customer experience and insights platform, today proudly announced the appointment of Melissa Gonzalez to its advisory board.
Mitch Smith’s Philosophy of Transparency and Authenticity
“It’s incredibly important to our organization that we are very open about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, what our strategy is, our finances, how we’re performing, and really promoting a mindset of radical transparency. What I’ve found is that it builds a tremendous amount of trust with our employees in the organization. It’s when they don’t know that there are issues.” Mitch Smith said to John Stearns of 425 Business.
A Run With Melissa Gonzalez
Melissa Gonzalez describes herself as “an intellectually curious, innovator, strategist and storyteller at heart.” Prior to becoming a principal at MG2 and founding The Lionesque Group, which was acquired by MG2, she worked in Institutional Equities where she ferociously studied company business models and stories to advise on investment ideas
MG2’s Joe Schafran Named 40 Under 40
Joe Schafran, Senior Project Manager and Studio Lead at architecture and design firm MG2, was honored with the Retail TouchPoints 40 Under 40 Award at a reception during the 2023 Retail Innovation Conference that took place in Chicago in May.
Today’s customers want everything, everywhere, and all the time. And, while they still desire a balanced mix of traditional, remote, and self-service channels, they are becoming channel agnostic and increasingly tech savvy. In this report, we examine how brands and retailers can benefit from understanding their consumers’ technology needs and preferences, giving them the opportunity to serve their audience through phygital experiences that deliver value.
Our full deck is available for download at the bottom of this preview. Take me there now!
Consumer Adoption of Technology Has Evolved and So Has Their Baseline Expectation
Over the years we have investigated consumers’ awareness and appetite for in-store technology and have witnessed adoption trends rise with both operational and experiential technologies. As consumer engagement across various technologies in store has become more habitual, consumer perception has evolved. An augmented reality experience in store may appear incredibly fun and immersive, but is it easy to use and navigate? A self check out offering may appear to save time, but was it seamless as promised? Consumers are looking to brands and retailers to apply technology in store that is rooted in intentionality and purpose, delivering something new while meeting baseline needs and expectations.
In our comprehensive investigation, we take a deeper dive into understanding what technology can solve for and we examine consumer perception as it relates to the value technology delivers, as well as the opportunities these findings illuminate for creating experiences in store that both attract new consumers and maintain the loyalty of existing ones.
Key Takeaway
In order for retailers and brands to engage in a successful in store digital experience, they must first understand what matters most to their audience. Consumer expectations are at an all time high and they do not understand, nor do they care about a technology’s limitations. If something is implemented that promises to enhance the experience and it under performs, retailers run the risk of losing consumer trust and loyalty. Prior to implementation, brands need to strategically assess where to lean in and how best to make good on delivering value.
By making strategic and purposeful technology integration decisions, retailers can deliver a transformative experience. But without purpose behind it, these integrations will fall flat.
Interested in More? Download the Full Deck!
Consumer Experiences
SOREL
SOREL, a renowned brand, opened a pop-up shop in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood in 2023 as part of its strategy to expand its brand presence. To achieve this, the company partnered with MG2 to create a pop-up shop that will help drive awareness, customer engagement, sales, and marketing integration data for future strategies. This pop-up shop also marks the brand’s 50th anniversary of the iconic Caribou silhouette.
The bold storefront features full saturation of the brand’s signature color – “Optimized Orange” – a life-size polar bear featuring local art, and illuminated custom signage that provides a peek into the pop-up experience. The team leveraged augmented reality tech to enhance the in-store experience, including a full-body mirror-sized screen that customers can stand in front of to interact with various weather effects. This innovative approach to retail design showcases SOREL’s commitment to providing customers with an immersive and memorable shopping experience.
Video provided by SOREL.
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Project Details
- Brooklyn, New York
- SOREL
- Experiential Retail
- 900 SF
- Architecture, Program Services, Strategy & Insights
Press Coverage
Tiktok and Instagram Are the Choice of Gen Z for Shopping and Product Discovery
Nike, Forever 21, Lululemon, Urban Outfitters, and Sephora are some retailers that Gen Zers prefer visiting in person to shop at, owing to their use of social media in interesting ways, a study by MG2 and Berns Communications Group found.
What Does Gen Z Really Want from Stores
Gen Z’s spending power is growing. That’s why brands are focused on uncovering their behaviors and preferences across all channels. During this Retail Remix episode, Alicia Esposito chats with Melissa Gonzalez, Principal at MG2, to dig into some of the key findings and takeaways that design executives can apply.
Sorel Footwear Pops-up All Aglow in Orange in NYC
The vibrant color scheme carries throughout the space, which was designed by MG2/The Lionesque Group to engage and inspire both long-time Sorel fans as well as new passers-by. The design also highlights Sorel’s Caribou silhouette. A 5’x10’ foot polar bear is painted on the store’s orange-painted exterior.
Inside the opening party for Sorel’s pop-up store in Brooklyn
It had “a very New York bodega feel,” Melissa Gonzalez said of the store, whose showroom is just 950 square feet. “And we could take over the whole exterior, which was super important, so we really had a brand moment starting from the outside in.”
Sorel Paints Brooklyn Orange with New Pop-up
Footwear brand Sorel has collaborated with MG2 and The Lionesque Group on a Brooklyn-based pop-up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its. The anniversary celebration coincides with the release of a celebrity design collaboration with musician and actress Chloe Bailey.
Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Gardens named Retail Design Institute Class of 2022
We’re honored to see Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Gardens named in Retail Design Institute’s Class of 2022, representing the best of the best in retail stores and experiences.
What Gen Z Expects from In-Store Experiences: Shared Values and Community Connections
New research from MG2 confirms that Gen Z is looking for curated visual merchandising experiences and for brand values to shine through in these physical environments, along with a focus on wellbeing and community connections.
How the US Navy is redesigning its 300+ retail stores on bases worldwide
The Lionesque Group was tapped to pilot redesigns at the Oceana base store in Virginia Beach, and then roll out changes across the system.
Check Out Costco’s New HQ Addition — Contours, Cafeterias, Cubicles, and Cardio
This is about pictures — a visual tour in and around the finished product, which 3,700-plus employees moved into over the summer.
5 DTCs and Consumer Brands to Open Up Shop
Kizik, a hands-free footwear brand, based in Lindon, Utah, opened its first retail doors in Fashion Place Mall near Salt Lake City.
As consumers become more aware of the importance of sustainability and are more actively engaging in sustainable practices at home as well as investing in sustainable businesses, we examine how this increase in consumer awareness brings opportunities for brands and retailers to better understand consumer motivations and where they crave demystification, paving the way for a more thoughtful retail store experience that is in the service of facilitating change.
Our full deck is available for download at the bottom of this preview. Take me there now!
Consumers are looking to retailers to lean into sustainability beyond the products they sell
Consumers are becoming increasingly informed about the benefits of sustainability and are experimenting with sustainable products and practices more than ever before. From using LED light bulbs, to reusable shopping bags and bottles, to eating locally grown foods, consumers everywhere are engaging in sustainable practices even when they don’t realize they are. Even the smallest change has the ability to drive long term benefits, and the same can be said of the actions brands and retailers can take in stores.
In this survey, we investigate consumer awareness when it comes to the wide spectrum of sustainable initiatives available to them and how that awareness informs their motivations and prioritization when shopping in-store, facilitating opportunities for retailers to design store environments that are not only a place for procuring goods, but rather a place that drives education, enacts thoughtful and purposeful change and keeps sustainability and a sense of community at the core of all they do.
Key Takeaway
As consumers continue to embrace sustainable practices at home, they are looking to the brands they follow and admire to do the same in-store. Consumers view their relationships with brands like a partnership, wherein retailers are not only a provider of goods, but a provider of education and inspiration, serving as a real time resource into the products worth investing in, and the practices worth pursuing.
As they evolve and their awareness expands, consumers are also becoming more clear about their motivations and level of prioritization when it comes to sustainability in retail. We see this evidenced through their desire for signage in-store that conveys a brand’s commitment to positive change in the environment and surrounding communities, through their interest in modular fixtures as a waste reduction effort, through their interest in recycling receptacles in-store for repurposing products and materials, as well as wanting messaging that communicates tips and guidance for product care throughout the product’s lifespan.
Consumers want to feel good about the brands they invest in and more so than ever, they are wanting to know that their investment is in service of the greater good. Consumers are thinking beyond today, and when they look at the impact of their decisions upon the generation of tomorrow, they expect brands, retailers and developers to be right there with them, building a brighter future together.
Interested in More? Download the Full Deck!
Melissa Gonzalez named one of Path to Purchase Institute’s 2023 Women of Excellence Winners
The program recognizes female brand marketers, retailers, agency executives and solution providers for their achievements in influencing shoppers along the path to purchase.
MG2 Listed in the Top 50 of BD+C’s Top 130 Hospitality Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
We’re excited to be listed as number 47 in BD+C’s Top 130 Hospitality Facility Architecture Firms for 2023.
10 Restaurant Design Mistakes to Avoid
“But it’s hard to nail that correct ambiance,” says Joy Dayaw, associate, MG2 Design, Seattle. “The last thing you need is a silent restaurant, but you also need some soft surfaces so the noise isn’t so active.”
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