HMV’s name jumped out at us during a trawl through the music headlines a week or so back. If you didn’t see it the entertainment retailer announced it would be taking advantage of empty real-estate in the recession-hit high street to open temporary pop-up stores in some of the UK’s mid-sized towns. Hats off to this great idea to cope with Christmas demand.
But there’s no reason should this type of initiative should be confined to traditional retailers. While the concept of pop-up stores is not new, taking this principle and applying it to the world of music and brands might have some interesting consequences. What better way to drive awareness and engagement than by making a splash on the nation’s high street? Don’t wait for the customers to come to you, go and find them.
Take a music service rollout that is struggling to gain traction. A simple pop-up demonstration store with some smart incentives and maybe a few bands would almost certainly draw a crowd. Alternatively a clothing brand with a music campaign in full swing could easily replicate the HMV model and establish a physical presence nationwide to support its core activity. There would be space for live music, unique dressing of the location and bespoke promotions that might not be feasible in the permanent stores. Flexibility has to be the key advantage here.
Maybe we’re too focused on the virtual world and not enough on the real world on our doorstep. There must be logic in trading the social network site that’s attract a handful of would-be customers, for a pop-up store that brings your brand activity to life on the high street.
Is this reality of a pop-up music brand experiences viable? As with anything it would depend on a lot of factors to consider – location, budgets, proximity of your target audience – but there’s no reason to think it won’t happen on a high street near you soon. Watch that empty space
