Category
Business
Assisted Conversion
Trend cluster
Category
Retail
Play
Brick & Mortar stores adopt fun, playful experiences for kids and those young at heart.
6.0
Trend score
Trend
What is the Retail Play trend?
Retail Play: As the retail landscape continues to adapt, experiential in-store engagements are on the rise, and with that we’re seeing a move towards elevated aspects of play and interaction to engage much younger audiences. More than just being able to touch and interact with products, these retail experiences are creating hyper-immersive environments by tapping into nostalgic themes around aspects like camping, games and comfort foods. These playful environments help set the stage for more fun, nostalgic experiences for both kids and adults.
Trend themes
Themes within the Retail Play trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Experiential Retail
Retail spaces are turning towards playful and interactive environments to engage not only kids but adults as well.
02
Integration of Play in Retail
Retail spaces are incorporating play elements in their interior design to create a unique and immersive shopping experience for children and parents.
03
Pop-Up Playgrounds
Companies are creating playful pop-ups where consumers can test out and engage with their products in unique and highly interactive ways.
Industry implications
What the Retail Play trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Retail Industry
The trend towards experiential and playful environments calls for the retail industry to rethink traditional store layouts and incorporate more interactive elements.
For
Toy Industry
The integration of play in retail spaces and the rise of kid-focused experiential retail highlights the importance of creating innovative and highly engaging toys for children.
For
Event Industry
The creation of pop-up playgrounds and interactive music events opens up opportunities for the event industry to create immersive and engaging experiences for consumers.
Workshop question
What elements of play could you adapt into your retail or product experiences to evoke elements of nostalgia?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Retail Play
Trend score 6.0 out of 10, from popularity 86%, activity 86%, freshness 8%.
Popularity86%
Activity86%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Evidence
Examples of the Retail Play trend
5 featured examples from Mar 5, 2018 to Mar 12, 2019CategoryMarketing
Kid-Focused Experiential Retail
Camp is a Highly Active and Immersive Retail Experience for Kids
Toy retailers can leverage experiential and collaborative approaches to attract and retain customers in a competitive market.
CategoryMarketing
Cosmetic Brand Arcades
Chanel's 'Coco Game Center' in Tokyo Pairs Retro Games and Makeup Tables
Developing innovative ways to showcase and engage customers with cosmetic products through interactive and game-like experiences.
CategoryLifestyle
Play-Integrated Retail Spaces
Supermoments' Retail Space Has Climbing Structures and Video Games
Retailers can explore the integration of play elements to enhance the shopping experience and attract families.
CategoryArt & Design
Playfully Interactive Music Pop-Ups
The Moog House of Electronicus Temporarily Opened in LA
Music retailers may benefit from the creation of interactive pop-ups and limited-release high-end music equipment that encourage experimentation and showcase products to a wider a…
CategoryMarketing
Donut Playground Pop-Ups
Krispy Kreme is Opening a Sweet New Destination in London
Krispy Kreme's pop-up event showcases how food and beverage companies can generate buzz and excitement for new product launches through experiential marketing.
