When in New York, I couldn’t imagine trying to count the amount of adverts that were being shown. Shows to cars, Doughnuts to films, there were so many and using their shops as a way to increase footfall becomes a new and interesting way they can develop stores to gain consumer mind space.
Our hotel was on Time Square, there were so many lights and ways to grab consumers attention. Over 47 million tourists from around the globe visited New York City in 2008. An estimated 80% of visitors to New York City (37.6 million in 2008) come to the neighbourhood to see the bright lights of the big city. Times Square’s 40 hotels house 25% of Manhattan’s hotel rooms and generate over $1.6 billion in annual revenue (Source: Times Square Alliance, http://www.timessquarenyc.org/facts/hotels_tourism.html).Each store wants to stand out, one being completely different from the next.
Here shows and image of the Disney Store and Forever 21. Two completely different types of stores but both using large screens to attract consumers, Disney play different clips of favourite characters like Buzz and Woody, show new trailers for films about to be realised as well as show you different parts of the Disney Magic like their parks and cruise line. These clips are only short but consumer’s will stand and watch to see what is coming next. Forever 21 show its clothes, fashion shows and takes photos of people in Times Square and place it on the big screen. A different approach but perfect for their target audience!
Toy R Us has a slightly different approach; they have a screen out the front but also have a very interactive store unlike Disney. Toy R Us have a Ferris wheel in the centre of the store, with each pod having a different type of design from old toys, My little Pony and Et, to new ones, Toy story and Scooby doo. This means that when consumers walk into the store, of any age, they will be able to engage with the brand and its products. Interacting with the consumers is important whether it be with staff or one of the many different products they have around the store, Iron man and Spiderman where you have a photo done with them, a large T-Rex promoting Jurassic park Lego or King Kong up the Empire State Building. Within this store there is so much to see let alone buy!
From just walking around the streets of NY, enjoying the sites seeing and shopping, These are my three favourite adverts:
1 – Dunking Doughnuts – Up the side of Walgreens was a tilted interactive billboard. These change every few minutes to a different ad. The dunking doughnuts one was of human characters walking from the bottom of it to the top just to get their dunking doughnuts. It was bright and interesting, showing what some consumer will do to get the brand they want. Once seeing this My Mum then turns around and said ‘You wouldn’t catch me climbing up there for a dunking doughnut!’ This shows that although she found the ad interesting, it wasn’t a brand that she would do something to ensure she had it.
2 – BMW Mini – Due to it snowing while in New York I believe this is one of the reasons this ad stood out to me. With a 3D car on its side coming out of the advert, this was intriguing of how that actually managed to do it and keep it there. Going all the way around the front of this building the car has left tracking of where it has been within the snow. Using snow shows consumers that the car can work its best in any type of weather or condition. I have no emotional attachment to Mini and not a big fan of the cars so for this advert to stand out to me is a great surprise. The feel of the advert and due to the cold weather within the state, feels like you could be in that image and seeing this car drive past of the street. I don’t think this would work within the summer months, due to the change in weather.
3 – Mary Poppins on Broadway – As if she is really flying over Times Square, this poster is large and purposely placed. Although away from many over adverts it stands above all the rest, helping to relate back to the story. How it looks like she is really flying attracted me, making this one of the many messages I remember.
Doing an advertising course has given me a greater understanding of why businesses market the way they do. Looking throughout Time Square and many over cities, their marketing has reason behind every aspect. Whatever the business objectives are they need to be met no matter how big or small the actual billboard, but obviously within budget. Seeing these adverts and how they attracted consumers enables me to put my lecture work into a real life scenario. It would be interesting to see how many of these adverts other visitors to this city actually remember?
