If you’ve ever walked past an UGG window display, you may have noticed that it’s not their product that first causes you to stop and stare. It’s the feeling it evokes and the beginning of a story it’s telling that turns eyes and draws you into the store.
We’ve worked with UGG on seasonal window displays and never cease to be impressed by their vision, dedication to detail and innovative design—making them one of the most recognizable brands today.
UGG’s visual presentation coordinator, Ryan Larson, recently shared a little more with us about their display design process, why it’s so important to them, and how it builds their brand.
Start with a message, not a sale. Ryan said he and his team start by telling a story that embodies the UGG lifestyle, rather than pushing the product first. They’ll incorporate new and/or seasonal merchandise into the design, but focus on displaying the brand’s “life force.” Be it adventure or luxury, edgy or classic, comforting and familiar or sleek and modern, it pays to know who your brand is and what it’s about, and then build your displays around that story.
Keep it consistent. If you’re like UGG and have displays around the country, it may be tempting to adapt to the culture of each location, but that can actually hurt your brand recognition. UGG keeps their storefront displays consistent across the country, so if you see a pair of boots displayed while on vacation in Hawaii, you’ll see the same scene when you return home to NYC (and be more likely to buy them, according to the marketing rule of 7).
Explore new inspirations. Last year, Ryan and the team were launching their new glitter sneakers and wanted to expand on the glitter theme in their product launch window displays. So they went to Global Shop with a plan to look for all things glitter, and there they discovered a company that made fabulous glitter walls. They ended up hiring them to build their walls in custom dimensions and sizes for each store. The displays brilliantly reflected the new collection while staying true to the UGG brand.
Q3 and Q4 are where it’s at. Everyone in retail knows that the second half of the year holds the highest potential for sales. UGG plans their displays accordingly, allocating more time and resources when potential ROI is much higher.
Be choosy with your vendors. Despite planning displays up to a year in advance, designs can evolve, budgets change, and issues may arise that lead to tight turnaround times. So when Ryan finds a vendor like Xylem Design that can keep up with their pace, they hold onto them. It’s also important to UGG that vendors can stick to their quotes, even if there are minor adaptations to the design, as it helps keep the process moving without having to put things on hold for a new budget approval. And movement is life.
Let us help you step up your game (and increase your sales) with your next store display. Call us today for a custom quote.
