MOËT & CHANDON AWARD-WINNING GROCERY RETAIL DESIGN

Luxury Data Capture Technology in Sainsburys

A luxury retail display that showcases Moët & Chandon champagne and reflects the theatre such a luxury brand demands, Impact designed and produced an award-winning Sainsburys merchandising unit that offers interactive technology.

Objectives of the project were to bring together the brand’s product offering, elevate its presence in flagship Sainsburys supermarket stores amongst alcoholic beverage competition and encourage prosecco customers to ‘upgrade’ to champagne.

With prosecco increasingly taking market share, a key objective was to make champagne stand out. Previously the product offering had been simply merchandised with a wooden header to separate the sparkling category from other wines. A challenge this environment presented was to get the balance of welcoming luxury right without alienating the grocery shopper.

Moët & Chandon asked us to achieve this by highlighting the choice selection of their products and communicating each product’s benefits within the point of sale. The display needed to engage with shoppers to increase dwell time whilst also offering an elevated experience.

An innovation for the grocery environment, the unit blends luxury indicators with data capture technology while simultaneously not seeming out of place in the Sainsburys aisles. The results were a display fixture which had a fantastic return on investment (ROI) and an industry-leading design that was awarded gold at the POPAI awards.

'The total Moët & Chandon portfolio increased by +28% in volume, significantly outperforming the control stores.'

‘Upgrade The Moment’ Theme

Following consumer research into the targeted shopper desires, ‘Upgrade the moment’ was the theme chosen for the project with everything from materials to experience reflecting this.

Celebration and occasion were important for all consumer types and we explored different design concepts elevating different aspects of the brand, such as heritage and luxury. Design concepts experimented with different styles ranging from those inspired by the contemporary bar to the classic wine cellar. Each concept explored different levels of theatre and interactivity in the retail experience using various screens and sensory touchpoints to engage the shopper.

The final concept interplayed experience and functionality, offering an impactful design that elevated the brand instore, suggesting luxury and occasion, while still allowing the display to be stock intensive and suitable for its grocery environment.

Early in the research process the foil top of the champagne bottle was highlighted as a key sensory part of the customer experience: the tactile nature of peeling the foil back and opening the cork elevates a champagne experience over a prosecco one.

With this in mind, a theme of texture can be seen within the retail experience to replicate this pleasure of champagne and indulge customers sensory perception. The smooth matte frame finish contrasts with the brushed metallic backdrop, reflecting the golds of the bottles and complementing their semi-matt nature which is set against the glossy dark glass of the bottle. Lighting is also used to highlight the texture of the foil in the display.

The interactive screen within the display also reads ‘touch’ to entice customers when not in use, primarily signalling to the consumer that it is an interactive display, but also reinforcing this tactile brand story.

‘The retail display gives the brand the capability to […] create localised marketing campaigns that are tailored to local preferences which can be rolled out remotely.'

Not forgetting the luxurious textured gift boxes and gift bags, which as well as complementing the theme, have space in the display to enhance the giftability of the products.

As well as the beautiful and traditional presentation of product on shelving, we were able to add an unexpected upgrade that fitted the impulse-purchase nature fostered by the grocery environment. Appealing to the modern consumer who demands convenience on their own time schedule and those on the commute home, we were able to include a space-efficient refrigerator unit within the design.

Setting the product above competition with its convenience and last-minute giftability, this feature provides a pre-chilled product to convert customers who are searching for a purchase they can take home and enjoy straight away, to celebrate spontaneously or to surprise a friend or loved one.

Interactive Data Capture Technology

To innovate in the communication of product benefits and choice selection, we recommended a focus on technology and included the interactive touch screen feature in the design, which also attracts the shopper eye with its moving visuals. Within this technology, customers are invited to select choices including ‘What’s the occasion’ and ‘Inspire me’.

After selecting an option or having the technology randomly select a product (perfect for those with decision fatigue!), the customer is presented with product pages which include engaging and valuable content such as cocktail suggestions and food pairings.

The accessibility of this content looks to acquire new mainstream customers who may have previously felt barriers of knowledge in the way of making such perceived luxurious purchases. The unit overcomes this challenge of including the excluded by connecting customers’ needs and their known likes with the champagne products, making the products and the choice more accessible to your average consumer and, again, enticing them to ‘upgrade’.

‘The unit overcomes this challenge of including the excluded by connecting customers’ needs and their known likes with the champagne products, making the products and the choice more accessible to your average consumer’

Customers also have the option to go direct to product information of a champagne that may have caught their eye in the display and provide more information to help the customer feel confident in finishing the path to purchase. The interface also includes QR codes that take the customer to external Moët & Chandon platforms to provide more information on their brands and products.

A fluid marketing technology, the screen is updateable and allows data capture, tracking customer decisions and providing this data remotely to the brand for each individual store. This means the retail display gives the brand the capability to use this data and create localised marketing campaigns that are tailored to local preferences which can be rolled out remotely.

The design entices consumers with the brand’s prestige, while using interactivity to communicate product information in an accessible and engaging way, empowering customers to upgrade to champagne.

Unique Supermarket Luxury

The retail unit interplays experience and functionality, offering an impactful design that elevates the brand instore, suggesting luxury and occasion with themes of texture and a beautifully lit gold interior, while still allowing the display to be stock intensive and suitable for its grocery environment.

Materials had to be robust as well as reflect a luxury experience and so a soft-touch, matte black material was chosen for the frame. As well as providing a sophisticated look, the POS frame is durable and resists marks and scratches that would usually come within a busy retail environment.

The configuration of the display is manufactured as a full drop-in unit, where shelves can be removed and the unit can simply be dropped into the space, making the installation easy and time efficient.

A challenge this environment presented was to get the balance of luxury right without alienating the grocery shopper. The understated luxury of the design elevates the products without seeming out of place, while the interactive display offers the consumer the education to make the right choice for them.

Another challenge within a supermarket where customers tend to be on their daily shops is a busy and fast-paced environment where luxury can be overlooked, but a fun shopping experience can be a welcome relief. The touch screen invites customers to take a moment, consider their purchases and enjoy the choice journey.

'Touch screen interactions for the brand average 1500 page views each week.'

ROI & Award-Winning Design

This luxury display achieved a fantastic ROI and proved to be an industry-leading design, winning a gold award at the POPAI retail industry awards.

Encouraging shoppers to ‘upgrade’, the use of the screen in the display provides accessibility and educates the consumer on the product connected to their needs, while the fridge and inclusion of gift bags drives impulse purchases. Results showed the total Moët & Chandon portfolio increased in +28% in volume, significantly outperforming the control stores.

This display elevates the brand and sets it above competitors in the Sainsburys wine aisle, with its sleek black and luxurious metallic aesthetic, and the additional use of technology all contributing an impressive brand space. Limited edition bottles included in the display outsold the standard Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial 75cl bottle off promotion, indicating that shoppers were persuaded to spend more thanks to the experience.

The easy-to-navigate touch screen includes valuable content built around consumer interests and occasions: food-pairings and cocktail recipe suggestions to take home, plus QR codes enhance product information available for the shopper. Touch screen interactions for the brand average 1500 page views each week.

We love that this retail project is a visually exciting, interactive, effective marketing technology that has inspired the retail industry with its innovative design. The successful blend of luxury into the grocery environment is an exciting hybrid solution and demonstrates our passion for creating the perfect space for brands, wherever it needs to be.