There are an infinite number of approaches to discovery moments within retail and hospitality. It could be a moment of theatre, a visual spectacle or an entertaining experience. But it could also be much more subtle, such as a retail environment that elicits a gentle feeling of relaxation, a seamless piece of service that delights customers, or the sharing of some helpful information that improves a customer’s day. Whichever approach they take, they are at their best when they are sensorial, immersive, and emotional.
Starbucks’s tasting experiences are a prime example of the discovery moment in action in how it transforms the mundane high-street coffee purchase into an immersive bar-tasting event that brings customers closer to the brand and re-excites them about the product. In a similar way, we worked with a world-renowned skincare brand to create a new store for the next generation of beauty customers which prioritised satisfaction and experience. It featured installations that invited free play, experimentation and interactivity with the products, as well as moments of personalisation, all designed to be shareable on social media. Following the launch of the store, overall customer satisfaction increased by 46% compared to the previous store, with 85% of customers feeling like the store offered a unique experience, up from 47%.
At the more subtle end of the spectrum is the way that new hotel concepts, such as Birch Community Hotel, offers activities like foraging, composting, beekeeping, and baking to transform the generic hotel-stay into a gentle immersion into the local environment and community. Another example is the work we’ve been doing with a major supermarket chain recently to spark curiosity amongst time-poor grocery shoppers about new cuisines and diets without interrupting their shop.