Design Dialogue about 360° Brand Experiences
Two of our visionary designers, Clara Mahler and Jonas Danielsen, got together for a creative conversation about the effects of designing a 360-degree brand experience. In the sections below, they share their perspectives and strategies to elevate your branding concept.
What is a 360-degree brand experience, and what makes it truly memorable?
Jonas: Have you ever walked into a store and felt like you were stepping into a whole new world? That’s what a 360-degree brand experience is all about. From the moment you see the storefront, experience the inside atmosphere, reach out for the hanger to feel the product, or look at the hangtag, everything is tailored to make an unforgettable shopping and seamless experience.
Clara: Our focus is not just on selling products – it’s just as much on creating brand experiences that connect brands with their customers. It’s essential that all elements are in harmony with the brand story and make the products look their best. This feeling you get in a physical store can also be wrapped up in an online shopping experience, where the packaging, poly bag, tissue paper, and trims all reflect the essence of the brand.
What do you mean when referring to ‘retail branding concepts’?
Clara: Some stores just feel different. It’s not only about what’s on the shelves – It’s the whole vibe of the brand that fills the room. We analyse a brand’s universe down to the core values, visions, and target audience to understand how we can create a retail branding concept that sparks curiosity for shoppers. Whether our clients are beginning with a blank canvas or just seeking the finishing touches for the design, we can join the process whenever it’s needed. We are here to bring our customers’ story to life by turning branded in-store elements like mannequins, hangers, and fixtures into a complete concept.
What advantages come with a complete retail concept?
Jonas: Branding in any form always adds value, but it’s when you go all in and develop a complete concept that you truly make a statement. Imagine everything in perfect harmony – colours, materials, messages – all working together seamlessly. The behind-the-scenes efforts make it all possible and avoid inconsistencies that may appear from using different suppliers. Additionally, the flexibility to introduce new in-store elements or update existing fixtures is convenient as we ensure that it aligns with the current elements.
Clara: Another advantage is that we bring together experts from all corners of our business to ensure that every product is not just visually pleasing but also practical. In addition to our design department, we have experts in sustainability, compliance, sourcing, development, and logistics. We collaborate throughout the design process to optimise the concept for production and transportation, so we can maximise efficiency.
What challenges do you face when conceptualising a 360-degree brand experience?
Jonas: It can be a challenge to find the sweet spot between designing a concept that surprises while it still feels comfortable for our clients to approve. We are all about pushing boundaries with unexpected designs, but never too far. It’s important that shoppers feel comfortable exploring a new and exciting brand experience that they can see themselves in.
Clara: I have experienced that sometimes, having too many choices can make it hard for a client to decide. That’s why we try to keep things simple when we present our design ideas. We explore several combinations and options and narrow them down to the best solutions. We will usually present 3-4 design proposals to visualise the possibilities, but we make sure to guide our clients in the choices based on what’s important to them.
How do you integrate sustainability into your design and product development processes?
Jonas: Development and sustainability go hand in hand. It’s never an afterthought or something that we attempt to integrate into a design afterwards. Through an open dialogue with the client, we align our understanding of their values to ensure we meet their goals. We act as trusted advisors who think ahead of how the concept can evolve with the retail store or trim and packaging solutions.
Clara: We also recognise that consumers most likely discard, for example, hangtags as soon as they unwrap the product. Therefore, we advocate for low material consumption, mono-materials, and design for disassembly when it comes to single-use products. For long-lasting products, we will focus on designing for longevity, using durable materials, and multifunctional solutions. This is part of our 12 unique design principles that guide our work.
How do you create consistency and ensure that every detail is a sentence in the same story?
Clara: We strongly believe that every detail matters. That said, we know that a rivet, a hook, or a care label in itself is not what excites the consumers about the product they buy. Yet, unconsciously, it adds to the perception of the brand and is prioritised. It communicates an indirect message about the brand’s choices. Details add recognition and complete the feeling, the essence, and the final touch of the product and the shopping experience as a whole.
Jonas: On the other hand, even the smallest detail can diminish a product’s perceived luxury if it doesn’t align with the overall expression of the surrounding elements. We focus on maintaining this coherence to prevent any confusion or mixed messages. We keep the full overview of the concept throughout the process so our clients can let the ideas fly while we ensure coherence in the final result.
What do you find to be particularly rewarding about your job as a designer?
Clara: Being a designer means that no days will look the same. My job is full of new projects, different product categories, and collaborations with our clients from various industries. It keeps the inspiration and creativity flowing as we work together to make ideas come alive.
Jonas: I am very proud to be part of shaping unique shopping experiences and setting the direction in cooperation with the brands that we work with. It’s an inspiring journey.
