“Pop-up retail or ‘flash retailing’ as it’s known in Europe, has many different benefits both for brands and for retail landlords,” says Deshendri Smit, Primedia Unlimited’s mall division executive head of sales. “Essentially, it’s a trend of opening short-term experiential and awareness spaces in predominantly vacant retail spaces.”

“For advertisers, pop-up shops give brands the opportunity to engage more personally and build stronger relationships with shoppers, by generating amplified brand awareness in key retail environments,” says Smit.

According to Smit, pop-up stores are also 60-80% cheaper than a traditional retail outlet and a great way for brands to test a retail market before opening a permanent outlet with costly shop fittings and monthly rentals.

Between Prime Courts, Mall Active and the Primedia Lifestyle group, the teams at Primedia Unlimited’s mall division have already had a hand in executing and marketing several successful pop-ups. “The Magnum pop up shop in the Zone @ Rosebank is a fantastic example of building high consumer interest over a short amount of time. We’ve also had great success for Oreo, Huawei and Hyundai to name a few,” says Smit.

As a relatively new retail platform, pop-ups exist anywhere from one day to on average three months, and allows a company to create a unique environment that engages with their shoppers and generates a feeling of relevance and interactivity.

“Pop-up requirements are negotiated on a tenant by tenant basis, normally starting with a shell that the brand can convert into its own requirements. They really are a fantastic means for brands to sell existing products, launch new products, test an idea or location or even just to increase its ‘cool’ factor,” says Smit.

“Research has also shown us that four in ten consumers make unintended purchases in the mall and it’s all about making an impact at the point of purchase. In a trying economy, pop-ups are a fantastic marketing platform growing in popularity and demand and we’re excited to be able to deliver more opportunities for brands to stand out and be counted among consumers.

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