Why Highlighting the Artistic Side of Luxury Fashion is the Key to Better Shopping Experiences
In November and December, U.S. retail industry sales rose 3.8 percent compared to the year before. Economists seemed surprised by retail results defying expectations throughout much of 2023. Unfortunately, 2024 didn’t start quite as well. Since then, retail sales have shrunk by 0.8 percent (worse than market forecasts of a 0.1 percent decline). U.S. retail sales are […]
Suite dreams: three areas for change for luxury hospitality in 2024
Luxury hospitality is booming once again. In the UK, luxury hotels are seeing a steep rise in room rates, with occupancy rising to 69% in 2023 compared to 62% the previous year as demand stays strong and travel increases. From free gifts provided by leading fashion brands to getting a seat at the chef’s table, […]
Unlock the power of the purple pound: why improving accessibility is a commercial decision
One in five people in the UK has an accessibility need or is living with a disability – that’s an audience of 14.1 million. What’s more, 52% of people say they prefer to spend money with businesses that are accessible to their friends and family – regardless of accessibility needs*. Is your brand meeting these […]
New Year, new you: 5 ways to successfully adopt the gym mentality for business
It’s that time of year when people and business are setting goals with the best of intentions. Whether it’s a fitness plan or the launch of a new product, the pattern is often the same – January’s ambition quickly dissipates and leaves a lingering sense of failure. Yet I’ve worked with enough gym brands to […]
The open opportunity for retailers to demonstrate brand generosity
Let’s face it: The holidays were stressful, involving significant amounts of both travel and planning — whether that be for the aforementioned travel or for shopping, gifting, entertaining or giving thanks. But add to that list one more item imparting more than its fair share of stress this year: the rising cost of living. That […]
Goalpost revolution: unveiling transformations post-FIFA Women’s World Cup
It’s been over three months since Spain defeated England to claim their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup title. Despite headlines focusing on the post-match controversy involving Luis Rubiales and Nike’s refusal to create replicas of Mary Earps’s shirt, the tournament was celebrated as a resounding success for women’s sport. Viewing and attendance figures broke […]
Come buy with me: how retailers can help transform the airport experience
Although air travel is once again booming, the entire airport retail experience is in desperate need of a redesign. A Yonder survey of 2,000 UK adults recently found that over a third (36%) think that travelling through airports is more stressful now than it was two years ago. But as the anxiety starts to be […]
Three steps to create lasting advantage through a business merger
Lessons from a lifetime career of branding excellence David Martin has been leading businesses through brand evolution for more than four decades, and much of this experience has focused on mergers and acquisitions. At a time when the vast majority of mergers do not fulfil their potential, David shares his insight into what makes for […]
Whose loyalty is it anyway?
Loyalty schemes are everywhere. From the local coffee shop offering one free for every 10, to big chains like McDonald’s offering free food on a points basis, businesses sense an opportunity to boost sales. And the way they are marketed suggests businesses also believe loyalty schemes can help forge a more personal, long-term relationship with […]
Beauty’s value in building communities and in-store experiences
When it comes to what drives us to shop, we humans have always behaved in very similar ways. This usually follows the lines from some well-trodden psychological frameworks involving security, sustenance, sex, and status. As consumers, we are arguably still driven by these factors, but there are also new drivers emerging that are increasingly relevant […]