Jony Ive is Apple's Chief Design Officer, responsible for the iconic, often-emulated designs behind the limitless range of i-products -- and now, the first Jony Ive Apple Store has opened its doors in Brussels.
The new store was greeted with much surprise and attention when it was first revealed in the Belgian capital, and for good reason. The Jony Ive Apple Store is a significant departure from the electronics giant's previous brand-exclusive tech shops. The Apple Store that consumers are familiar with is full of sleek white surfaces covered in well-spaced samples for shoppers to play with and explore. Its design echoes the ultra-cool space age image of its retailer.
The Jony Ive Apple Store, in comparison, looks organic and human. It incorporates wood, clay and earth tones and a row of pleasant potted trees. It bursts at the seams with multiple products of same model, so that customers can take an iPad or set of headphones off the shelf and go home with that very item. It's an interesting indication of the direction Apple is taking with its brand identity.
Organic Tech Shops
This Jony Ive Apple Store Represents a Shift in Tech Retail Decor
Trend Themes
1. Human-tech Hybrid Design - As more tech companies seek to create welcoming retail atmospheres, human-friendly tech design innovations that incorporate natural and organic elements will attract customers.
2. Product Clustering - Displaying multiple products of the same model at once not only benefits customers' onsite shopping experiences, but also enhances inventory management and personnel efficiency.
3. Brand Identity Evolution - The Jony Ive Apple Store represents a significant departure in the Apple brand experience, and similar shifts may be seen across the tech industry in response to changing customer preferences.
Industry Implications
1. Technology Retail - Tech retailers can benefit from human-tech hybrid design innovations that create unique shopping atmospheres and attract customers.
2. Inventory Management - Product clustering can not only benefit the onsite shopping experience, but also improve inventory management and personnel efficiency in many industries beyond technology retail.
3. Brand Strategy - The shift in the Apple brand experience represented by the Jony Ive Apple Store may signal an evolution in branding and marketing strategies, which could be adopted by companies across a range of industries.