Anthropologie: Using merchandising and visuals to drive sales

Philadelphia based lifestyle brand Anthropology has built a unique and almost cult like following out of their consumers.

Women who know Anthropologie often will proudly proclaim what items in their homes where purchased from this brand.  Or show off their latest diy project either directly inspired by this lifestyle giant or executed at one of the many Antro Events workshops. 

The Anthropologie phenomenon is the result of a company who used basic retail selling fundamentals in the most optimal manner to achieve the success they have today.  

Every good story needs a hook, every good retail store needs a story. 

If you ask any Anthropologie enthusiast what they love about this brand the answer will usually be in relation to their brick and mortar stores.  More specifically the elaborate layouts and seasonal visual displays that start in Anthropologie's windows and have a larger than life presentation throughout the store. 

These windows and visuals are at the heart of how selling begins for the Anthro brand, and have a more in depth rooting than meets the eye. 

In the Corporate offices, teams work to develop intricate story lines about lead characters which serve as muses' for the overall visual and merchandising executions.  For example: This holiday season, Anthropologie's employees are being introduced to Kalinka; a young girl from the Netherlands who works in the city and takes the train home through frosty wooded forests every night.  Her fascination with the snow showered pines and thoughts of warm food and drink at home build layers into the story giving a depth in character rarely seen outside of storybooks and movies.  This depth though, is the basis for the entire visual platform that will be rolled out  beginning in late October and the first weeks of November carrying the retail stores through the holidays. 

Two Secondary story lines are created in separate pockets of the store, adding depth to the space and representing the merchandise in ways relevant to its classification.  As the lead in story is carries from the windows to the center front of the store and based around apparel, the secondary stories are focused around home and lifestyle.

Hardwood Hall and the Brothers that live there are having a banquet; beautiful place settings and fanciful serving pieces are strewn between pine boughs and metal lanterns or perhaps next to etched crystal goblets. 

Each story is given to every store, relayed to new hires and handed down to visual merchandising teams who execute the written elements into large installations filled with sell able merchandise.  

Anthropologie's mantra,"A touch of home" touches the idea that home, is  where the heart is:

Ask any visual staff member is this retail giant and they will tell you that adding "a touch of home" is what keeps so many of their consumers coming back.  And if the saying "home is where the heart is" is true, adding "a touch of home" to their stores is creating an emotional connection with their consumer that will directly translate into repeat business and increased sales. 

A perspective consumer could buy a Voluspa or Capri Blue candle from a number of retailers, but why not shop at the one that smells like a warm kitchen and a cozy cabin all at the same time?  Where regularly held workshops welcome consumers into the Anthro family as they teach participants how to re create visual elements they see in the store.  

Anthropologie has successfully created a retail environment that emotionally captures its consumers; creating a sense of home away from home through warm staff and fun events to using accessible simple materials in their visual displays.  

Cardboard, glue guns, and up cycled straws, tissue, paper bags, and paint are what holds the majority of the stunning seasonal visuals together.  Mind you, most are executed at a level beyond the abilities of the average housewife or young female shopper who roam the stores but the point is, it feels familiar. It feels hand made.  It feels, like you could almost have done it yourself.  

What would happen if Quiksilver Inc. dove deeper into this visual retail model?

Building it's brands off heritage and roots, Quiksilver and it's collection of brands has a unique platform in which to tell stories.  Would tapping into these heritage tales and bringing them into vertical retail stores create for us the opportunities Anthropologies has gown so successful on? 

Why not hold events inviting consumers into our stores to make seasonal craft with staff and learn about the brands.  Why not step away from banner kits and create similar but individualized windows in top preforming stores?

Quiksilver is the Original Board short brand, and Roxy is the juniors apparel line for the Millennial generation who grew up with the inception and growth of the iconic girls brand.  How can we take our unique stories and create a sense of "home" the Quiksilver way.