Can shopping really make you happy?

Take a retail safari with Insider Trends, it’ll be emotional.

Ok, confession - I’m no retail expert. Before last month my post-pandemic shopping habits were mainly online. Brands such as &Sons, Mr Marvis and Hebtro where Brant + Ed bluntly declare we sell clothes & other stuff. So, in a way, I’m the perfect candidate for an Insider Trends retail safari.  

Invited to partner Jack Stratton from Insider Trends and Advantage Austria of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber my mission was to discover if modern retail could be an emotional experience. Was shopping a subconscious way to purchase happiness, or is there more to understand ftom modern retail? 

I knew, having spent a lifetime studying audiences and their emotional connections and work with D&AD Masterclasses science proves humans feel first and think second. So how does that apply to shopping?

Uniqlo has the answer.

Preserving rather than demolishing a historic Covent Garden location has created a whole new narrative and tea shop sanctuary – clever way to encourage top floor traffic. While just around the corner, Glossier, Inc. have created the ultimate try-before-you-buy socially sharable experience complete with a giant mirror that'll “make you look good”. Regent Street's Gymshark takes all-inclusive fitness to another level. Michael Dobersberger from Advantage Austria bought me a power shake - don’t know if he was being kind, or saving me from the workout.

Worked out and made up it was time for a classic - Selfridges. As the infamous song lyrics remind us “the minute you walk through the door…” they’ve got you, but again the emotional impact is subtler than you’d imagine. Unlike other large stores Selfridges feels open and inviting – there’s even a cinema on the lower ground to keep you involved for longer. No wonder Liberties pouched the ex-head of retail to revamp their institution. I know similar budgets aren’t available in most high streets but hybrid shops are surely what we all need?

Lastly a masterclass in modern diversification. Pop-ups are not new, but Souk takes it to a whole new level. Rentable by the hour of by the day it’s the perfect solution to cash strapped times flor brands who want instant mainstream exposure. A recent “event” by Jagermeister `shows how pop can really make an impact with audiences and keep them connected.

I may be bias, having partnered with Jack + the team to create a bespoke workshop, but I have to say, if you’re a brand looking for inspiration, a new pop-up venue, or the inside track on which retail trends are lighting up the high street, take a retail safari, but be warned – you’ll feel goooooood!