w.illi.am/ creates enhanced shopping experiences to increase traffic to shopping centres over the Holidays.
MONTREAL, Dec. 15, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - With the Holidays approaching, w.illi.am/Valtech Group is launching two connected-environment concepts for real estate company Ivanhoé Cambridge, at Guildford Town Centre (One Stop Gift Shop) and Montreal Eaton Centre shopping centres to stimulate traffic to stores. Located in Vancouver and Montreal respectively, these properties are the first two shopping centres to run these pilot projects.
The initiatives were created to improve the purchasing experience in shopping centres over the Holidays and to make them new and attractive destinations for consumers, thereby generating more in-store traffic and conversions. This is an innovative and fun marketing campaign for consumers who are looking for original gift ideas for the people in their lives.
"Our marketing approach is evolving to keep pace with the shift in consumer trends," said Tracy Smith, Vice President, Digital Marketing and Solutions, for Ivanhoé Cambridge. "We need to converge online and offline solutions, using an omni-channel approach and marketing campaigns. Through these pilot projects, we offer a seamless shopping experience before, during and after consumers visit our centres."
From the consumer's point of view, One Stop Gift Shop, the initiative developed in co-operation with Guildford Town Centre, streamlines the online pre-shopping experience with a site specially designed to support the initiative. Once the purchase is made, consumers can pick up their already wrapped gifts at a pop-up shop at the shopping centre.
"Shopping as the Holidays approach is a particularly stressful and time-consuming obligation for consumers," said Jennifer Dunn, Director of Digital Marketing at Ivanhoé Cambridge. "By developing a simplified shopping experience that is a bridge between all the digital channels and improving customer service, we hope to significantly reduce frustrations at this time of year. A gift- wrapping service, picking up gifts at the store and valet service are available as part of the initiative."
These two experiences are enhanced by having connected store display windows in the heart of the shopping centres. Measuring 140 cm (55 in) by 38 cm (15 in) deep, the store windows were created specifically for the initiative using Android technology. From a conceptual point of view, they offer a visual and interactive way to select gifts for five different types of people: the brother-in-law, the mother-in-law, the colleague, the student friend and the hostess. Consumers can watch the person's reaction to the gift selected, and if they are satisfied, they can buy the gift directly from the store.
"This multiplatform project, including using connected store display windows, is the first of its kind in Canada," said Ludovic Maire, Retail Digital Strategy, at w.illi.am/Valtech Group. "It redefines the shopping experience for consumers, by combining the physical space of shopping centres with the intelligent use of digital platforms."
"We would like to congratulate Ivanhoé Cambridge, which is working with its retail partners to reinvent the shopping experience and develop an inspiring vision of what shopping centres will become in the next 10 years." said Damien Lefebvre, Co-president at w.illi.am/Valtech Group.
These pilot projects will run for one month and could lead to new connected-environment projects in 2016. Its success will be evaluated based on the number of visits online and to the pop-up stores, sales, interactions with store windows and consumer-generated content. But it has already demonstrated that the retail market can create new sales opportunities through a complete ecosystem that seamlessly combines the physical and digital worlds.
- Discover Eaton Experience: https://youtu.be/48K38LzESrc
- Explore the Guildford Town Centre online store:
https://www.guildfordtowncentre.com/one-stop-gift-shop/
Credits:
- Client: Ivanhoé Cambridge
- Tracy Smith, Vice President, Digital Marketing and Solutions, and Jennifer Dunn, Director, Digital Marketing
- Caroline Panneton, Project Manager
- Montreal Eaton Centre: Mélanie Castonguay, Marketing Director
- Guildford Town Centre; Rosavel Scott, Marketing Director
- w.illi.am/
- Strategy
- Anastasia Simitsis, Vice-President, Strategy & Experience Design
- Sylvain Letellier, Digital Strategy
- Technology
- Simon Bélanger, Vice-President, Technology
- Benoit Liard, Developer
- Matthieu Billard, Developer
- Design
- Anne Marie Brouillette
- Louis Paquet
- User Experience Design: Marion-Isabelle Muszynski
- QA: Antonin Dufresne
- Account Manager: Ludovic Maire
- Project Manager: Alexandre Yvergneaux
- Strategy
About w.illi.am/Valtech Group
A recognized leader in designing and developing digital and connected experiences in Quebec and Canada, w.illi.am/ guides its clients, particularly retailers, in finding digital innovation strategies. The agency has 70 experts, a varied portfolio of clients, a research and testing lab for emerging technologies (VR, AR, iBeacon, etc.) and a number of projects that have received industry awards, such as the OFF project and Bu Bottle for technological creativity. For more information: www.w.illi.am/
SOURCE w.illi.am/Valtech Group
Image with caption: "Connected Glass Walls - Guildford Shopping Center, Vancouver (CNW Group/w.illi.am/)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151215_C8840_PHOTO_EN_564722.jpg
Image with caption: "The One Stop Gift Shop for the Christmas Season (pop-up shop) - Guildford Shopping Center (CNW Group/w.illi.am/)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151215_C8840_PHOTO_EN_564720.jpg
Video with caption: "Video: Discover Eaton Experience". Video available at: https://youtu.be/48K38LzESrc
Image with caption: "Interaction with the connected glass walls at Eaton Centre - Montreal (CNW Group/w.illi.am/)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151215_C8840_PHOTO_EN_564718.jpg
Image with caption: "Connected glass walls - Eaton Centre, Montreal (CNW Group/w.illi.am/)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151215_C8840_PHOTO_EN_564716.jpg
Image with caption: "Logo: w.illi.am (CNW Group/w.illi.am/)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151215_C8840_PHOTO_EN_564724.jpg
Fanny Poveda, Marketing Manager, w.illi.am/Valtech Group, C.: 514 993-0163, [email protected]; Ludovic Maire, Project lead, w.illi.am/Valtech Group, C.: 514.651.1671, [email protected]
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