Lush: bringing activism to the high street
Lush’s SpyCops campaign was held up as a botched example of brand purpose. But perhaps it was misunderstood. We talk to Ethics Director Hilary Jones about Lush’s radical approach to activism
The joys of the corner shop experience
Felt artist Lucy Sparrow makes entire supermarkets full of fluffy ketchup fruit and fuzzy fruit. We speak to her about why the corner shop has become a recurrent theme in her work, and what makes the UK corner shop experience unique
What retailers can learn from the luxury store experience
Luxury brands have long been skilled at turning retail spaces into sensory experiences. Other retailers must now follow suit
Can music and radio tempt shoppers into stores?
JD Sports has launched a new “content streaming service”, while Ikea, Superdrug and Asda are using in-store radio to engage with consumers and promote offers. We take a look at how branded broadcasting can benefit shops
The CR podcast episode 12: Can creativity save the British high street?
For this podcast, Fortnum & Mason’s Customer Experience Director Zia Zareem-Slade and Yard Creative co-founder Steve James-Royle join Eliza Williams to look at the problem’s facing Britain’s high streets and whether design and creativity can help
Heist has a lot to say about tights
In 2015, Heist introduced us to tights that are actually comfortable to wear (according to its customers). We take a look at the brand’s approach to marketing and the unusual service offered in its first London store
Join our club: how to keep customers returning online
Online, retail brands need to build communities to keep audiences coming back, argues Lily Fletcher, Strategy Director at Accept & Proceed. And that means creating entertaining, personalised experiences that reward shoppers for their custom
The dos and don’ts of collabs
We are firmly in the age of the collab, with everyone from Lidl to Ikea launching limited edition product ranges with designers and celebrities. But do people still care about these link-ups? And what separates the good from the bad?