Coach, the American luxury fashion label, recently unfolded its wings with the launch of an air travel-inspired boutique, “Coach Airways,” at the Freeport A’Famosa Outlet in Malacca. The aircraft-themed pop-up shop, decorated with Coach’s vintage aesthetics and located within a real airplane, houses a wide selection of the brand’s apparel and bags.
This adventurous marketing move is not an isolated experiment for Coach. The brand has consistently engaged in creative promotions and campaigns, such as its bespoke concept store cum café in Singapore, and the highly successful ‘Coach on the Move’ campaign that swept across four Malaysian cities last December.
This ongoing exploration of unique activations not only creates a buzz on social media but also injects freshness into Coach’s brand identity, appealing particularly to the Gen Z audience, noted Joey Gan, the Country Manager of PRecious Comms Malaysia. The visually enticing concepts of these pop-ups make the perfect backdrop for social media content, adding to the brand’s visibility and popularity.
Aaron Lim, the Creative Director of Physical Experience at Design Bridge and Partners, sees Coach Airways as an intriguing and engaging way to create memorable experiences for customers. The boutique, he argues, establishes an emotional connection with customers by linking the brand and its products to air travel. What particularly impressed Lim was the attention to detail and commitment to creating an immersive experience, making anyone who “takes the flight” with Coach a part of a memorable journey.
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But how do pop-ups translate into success?
Gan perceives pop-ups as an effective way to diversify the brand’s presence across different channels. She is impressed with Coach’s ability to create distinctive environments that deviate from the conventional shopping mall experience. The “plane on the ground” experience is more than a gimmick; it’s a sensory indulgence, making the brand more relatable and accessible to a wider audience.
In Gan’s view, to thrive in the dynamic retail market, brands need to captivate their customers through visually appealing displays, immersive sensory experiences, and irresistible benefits. The strategic location of the pop-up, like the tourist-friendly Melaka, adds to its appeal.
Echoing Gan’s sentiments, Lim believes pop-ups provide brands an excellent platform to convey meaningful messages and present their brands as living entities rather than just logos or names. He sees pop-ups as an opportunity for brands to diversify, explore different facets, and establish a deeper connection with the audience for long-term success.
In Lim’s perspective, a successful pop-up involves three key steps: translating the brand identity into tangible experiences, ensuring the experience is unique and ownable to the brand, and bridging the physical and digital experiences to keep the audience engaged with the brand both in and outside the physical space.
News source: Marketing Interactive.
