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# Robotic Campus Retailers
The AVE Used SoftBank's Pepper Robot to Drive Foot Traffic

By Joey Haar | Published 2017-01-10 | Tech
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-ave
References: [adweek](http://www.adweek.com/agencyspy/midnight-oil-takes-robot-to-college-for-softbank/123148) & [meetpepper](https://meetpepper.com/)

The AVE is a clothing retailer on the [University of Southern California's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-one-arcade) Los Angeles campus. While being located in the center of a hub of young consumers certainly has benefits, The AVE's specific location causes challenges for driving foot traffic; the store is in the USC Bookstore, which causes many students to simply walk by it rather than entering. That's where [Pepper](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ferraro-foods), a robot designed by [SoftBank](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chord-signalling), helped.

The AVE partnered with SoftBank to create a case study for the efficacy of the Pepper robot in driving foot traffic and social media engagement. The AVE had Pepper roam the USC store, welcoming customers and engaging with them freely. Over the three days that Pepper was at The AVE, foot traffic increased 20 percent, customer interactions on social media nearly doubled, and revenue tripled.

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 4.0/10
- Popularity: 32% | Activity: 81% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Millennial
- Top markets: North America

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/robots)

## Key Themes

### Key Themes Behind This Trend

- **Robotic Retail Assistants:** The use of humanoid robots, such as SoftBank's Pepper, to assist with customer engagement and interaction in physical retail spaces.
- **Campus Retail Marketing:** Retailers strategically targeting college campuses to increase brand awareness and loyalty among young consumers.
- **Social Media Interaction:** Retailers leveraging social media platforms to increase customer engagement, enhance brand reputation, and drive revenue growth.

### Where This Applies

- **Retail Industry:** The use of robotics, social media, and new marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement and drive revenue growth in physical retail spaces.
- **Higher Education Industry:** Colleges and universities serving as a target market for retailers looking to increase brand awareness and loyalty among young consumers.
- **Robotics Industry:** The development of humanoid robots, like SoftBank's Pepper, that can assist with customer engagement and interaction, allowing retailers to drive foot traffic and enhance brand reputation.

## Related on Trend Hunter

- [AI-Powered Retail Assistance Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lg-cloi-guidebot.md)
- [GenAI Virtual Shoppers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-shopper.md)
- [AI-Assisted Aisles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cantaloupe-smart-aisle.md)
- [Adaptable Four-Wheeled Delivery Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/avride-robot.md)
- [Strategic Humanoid Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/humanoid-robot-uri.md)
- [AI-Powered Digital Employees](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/product-genius.md)
- [Anti-Automated Software Retail Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/no-bot-shop.md)
- [Robot Vending Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tortoise-smart-stores.md)
- [Virtual Shopping Assistants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-shopping-assistant.md)