Brands Drive Progress

Here we welcome festival season, where brands are driving the catalyst for change. We’re sipping on creativity. Design must inspire questions and confront societal challenges of our time. This was most prominent in our retail safari in Amsterdam.

Festivals are by nature, empathy driven environments that foster intimate moments between people. New ideas are born here. Retail is no different.

Festivals are also places of ephemeral moments. Similarly some of the best retail concepts are the ones that enable consumers to fully experience a brand.

As consequence, time is one the greatest commodities a consumer has. Whether they are rich or poor in this currency, this intangible construct can inspire the design of brand moments and stores environments. That said, we have been studying the transient nature of time and how its passing can be a muse for visual direction and creativity.

Do consumers want the same experience that another person had an hour before in the same store? No. They want something special and unique. By designing with time in mind, we can cater to this need.

Retail is taking the time to slow down. Through design, brands are encouraging consumers to press pause. This sentiment is vital for retail designers, who must use emotion as a design tool to create meaningful consumer journeys.

Showing no sign of slowing down, the freelance economy continues to grow. As such, co-working is retail’s sweet spot. The opportunities for brands to innovate here is boundless.

So as brands drive the forefront of progress, the manifesto for design will consist of collaboration, community and creativity.