Take a stroll down your local high street or shopping centre and you’d think you’ve walked in to a scene from the Dawn of the Dead.
There’s no illusion that footfall to physical retail stores over the last decade have declined drastically. Of course, the main reason is the growth and ease of online shopping and e-commerce that we’ve become accustom to. Having a world of shopping directly at our fingertips, with the ability to shop 24/7 is too tempting for some (not to mention the often lower prices shopping online).
But it’s not all doom and gloom as retailers have found the secret to retaining – and growing – their store footfall is pivoting towards retail marketing experience. Let’s talk about why this trend has grown, some of our favourite examples and how if you have a bricks & mortar store, we can help build an experience for your audience.
Why customers engage with experience marketing
Recent research conducted by Censuswide shows that 45% of Brits are visiting their high street at least once a week. The expectations of those visiting the high street however, has changed, similar to what we as consumers now engage with has changed. Social media has made us a society that thrives on the presence of a community, giving us the desire to want to share our lives with others instantly.
This is where experience marketing comes in. No longer can retail stores rely solely on the product (this can be obtained much quicker online), stores have predominately become a vehicle of building brand awareness more than selling the product itself. Through experience marketing, stores that deliver memorable experiences that are worth sharing are being awarded with brand traction and engagement online.
Some of our favourite in-store experiences
Ikea Bingo
No, we couldn’t believe this one either, but it is real! After the pandemic, Ikea understood they needed to entice customers back into their retail stores (apparently the phenomenal meatballs and ice creams weren’t enough). So whilst you wouldn’t necessarily put Ikea and bingo together, Ikea saw the trend that more people play bingo in person than online. Through this research, their team foresaw that people would probably (and rightfully so) see the novelty of playing a game within an Ikea after hours.
Not only did they take advantage of the bingo in-person trend, they equally exposed their brand to a new audience, creating a new generation of Ikea ambassadors. With 44% of new bingo players being millennials and Gen Z, the initiative has been part of an overall strategy that’s seen Ikea’s footfall increase by 1.9% in 2025 vs 2024.
Fenwick x Greggs
How do you increase the footfall and brand presence of a department store in Newcastle city centre? By teaming up with one of the city’s most iconic brands, of course! First there was the Greggs Bistro, then a champagne bar and now, the Greggs Golden Flake Tavern Pub. Featuring pub lunch twists on some of the bakery chains iconic menu items like a steak bake mixed grill, exclusive Gregg’s inspired beers and even quiz nights.
Fenwick’s launched an in-store experience that relied on local heritage, creating a community hub where people would definitely want to share their food and experiences. The last Fenwick’s x Greggs experience collaboration attracted an additional 8,000 people to the Fenwick’s store across just 9 weeks.
Lego Lates
Traditionally seen as a children’s toy brand, Lego has seen a resurgence over the years thanks to simple – yet clever – marketing strategies. Through this strategy, the brand has focused on realigning itself with an older demographic. Why? Because they know that adults have the purchasing power, not children. One of their recent in-store campaigns saw stores open after hours exclusively for adults, an event coined Lego Lates. Focusing on wellness and the rise in mental health diagnoses, Lego cleverly promote the events adults-only events as a place for attendees to relax and unwind whilst building Lego. The events also feature talks from celebrity designers, making the experiences a moment worth sharing and adding even more value for attendees.
What about online experience?
The potential resurgence of the high street doesn’t mean we abandon online experience entirely. In fact, the brands that are pioneering experiences between reality and online are usually brands with a significant competitive advantage. This blurring of the lines goes far beyond offering options on retail websites to click & collect or delivery in-store. In the world of same day delivery, this usually isn’t what cuts it. Amazon in particular have utilised AR for shopping experiences, where consumers can see what an item will look like in their own home, or test how clothes fit will on their body. It’s almost making your own home a high street store, where you can try products before you commit to purchase.
How Kensa can help with your retail experience
There’s a multitude of ways we can help support your retail marketing experience if you’re looking to shake up your strategy customer journey.
Through our team of brand specialists, they can help research and develop bespoke, on brand experiences that entice and engage your audience. Once the right idea for your campaign has been developed, we can get to work developing messaging, designing in-store POS and digital assets to promote your initiatives. Need something a little more out the box? Our in-house 3D animation team can create realistic 3D renders and models for AR experiences, digital media and much more.
Want to see what we can do? Start a project with us.
