Planning starts early for the critical Christmas season. Here's what landlords were working on last spring and summer.
A new Christmas story
PREIT worked with Parker 3D and Warner Bros. to develop a holiday set based on the movie classic A Christmas Story at the Cherry Hill (N.J.) Mall. Under the title “A Christmas Story Experience,” the set offered consumers a nostalgic environment that combined physical re-creations of the sets and locations from the film with an interactive, augmented-reality mobile app.
Christmas in the 'wizarding' world
At the Shops at South Town, in Sandy, Utah, Pacific Retail Capital Partners conjured up the Harry Potter phenomenon to stir holiday excitement. In partnership with Warner Bros., events-marketing company GES helped create Wizarding World, an exhibit reminiscent of the setting and atmosphere of a wintry Hogsmeade Village, complete with dramatic displays, animated window features and interactive elements.
Choosing cheer
Peterson Cos. decided to get proactive with its holiday marketing campaign and invited consumers to “Choose Cheer,” at its Downtown Silver Spring (Md.); its Fairfax (Va.) Corner South; and its Rio Washingtonian Center, in Gaithersburg, Md. The campaign aimed to provide a positive message that everyone could get behind for the holidays.
A winter castle
In the midst of a massive renovation to invigorate the shopping experience, Rosedale Center, in Roseville, Minn., decided to double down on its investment — allocating some $500,000 in renovation funds toward a winter-themed holiday installation designed to engage and excite shoppers. The resulting holiday set boosted sales, drew additional foot traffic and garnered tremendous publicity.
White Christmas
The managers of the Oculus, at New York City's Westfield World Trade Center, wanted to create an unprecedented holiday experience that would further establish the Westfield brand within this market, showcase its partners, create new revenue streams and support the local community. Through thoughtful retail selection and partner integration, Westfield World Trade Center's holiday market environment was curated to maximize revenue and engagement.
By Brannon Boswell
Executive Editor, Commerce + Communities Today
