Glasgow School of Art Enterprises
Glasgow School of Art boasts a world-famous archive of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s unmistakable designs and is one of the creative industries’ richest sources of new talent. Yet little on sale in its retail space reflected this heritage or vibrancy. Poorly displayed, generic and uninspiring, the merchandise for this small shop was separated into no less than 32 categories.
With a new retail manager appointed for a newly refurbished shop, our six-month task was to develop a retail strategy that clearly articulated the brand. Our recommendation was to build on the palpable sense of creativity that makes the GSA special – a place where you can ‘smell the paint’. The customer must encounter strong, dramatic merchandising that celebrates innovation past and present, achieved by a retail experience that feels simple yet special.
Poor quality, clichéd photographs of the school have been replaced by Ella Doran’s cropped, abstract images of unexpected parts of the building. These are used (along with other quirky and playful illustrations which re-interpret Mackintosh for the 21st century), on one of the eight new product categories – art materials – aimed at encouraging everyone to spark their creativity.
The other core product category is the new GSA collection, which showcases the work of former and current students. Each piece makes clear the link between the shop’s merchandise and the entrepreneurial ingenuity which has made the school world-famous.
Despite the economic downturn, the shop achieved record sales in the first three months of sales, up 14% from the previous year and 27% up against budget.