Trend ALert - Pop-ups

Oct. 9, 2011 - PRLog -- If new products can come and go, then why can’t the stores that display them do the same? Well, you guessed it; retail outlets are increasingly doing so. From gallery – like shopping spaces with one – off exhibitions to mobile units bringing inner city – chic to rural areas...

This trend has been dubbed the term ‘pop-ups retail stores’ by trendwatch.com. As these initiatives have a tendency to pop-up unannounced, quickly drawing the crowds  and then disappear or morph into something else, adding to retail the fresh feel, exclusivity and surprise that galleries, theatres and cirque du solids – adepts have been using for years. (See how one store used this idea to gain more exposure -- http://www.inc.com/magazine/201110/perfecting-the-halloween-pop-up.html)

To delight of the consumers, who are increasingly used to Massclusivity ('exclusivity for the masses’) and Planned Spontaneity (offering consumers any number of instantly available options, and with cell /smart phones having created a generation who have little experience of making (or sticking to) rigid plans, 2011 will see full-on PLANNED SPONTANEITY..).

First spotted in Europe by trendwatch.com, the transient concept has become a permanent fixture in many marketing and branding strategy. A phenomenon as ephemeral as this one requires constant innovation so the pop-ups we see today are bigger, better and more extreme than even before:

May 2011, Tommy Hilfiger debut the Prep World Pop-up, a temporary structure designed to look like an authentic East Coast beach cabin. The house will be traveling to various cities across the world, with Prep World – themed events for style – conscious customers.
April 2011, Coca Cola’s pop-up store in Tel Aviv sold recycled and up cycled products made with coke bottles and cans. This is a part of its Give It Back Campaign.

Furthermore, pop-ups can also be in the form of anything. For instance, If you are tired of taking friends to the same old dining spots for the same old cuisine or looking for  fun, trendy options for evening event, then jump on your smart phone or computer and check out the pop-up restaurants scene in your city. Pop-up restaurants are the latest craze in dining and today they can be found in many cities including New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, just to name a few. Temporary restaurants that suddenly appear in unexpected places, they can disappear after a few weeks or even days. Some of them are even one night gigs, which help business/brands to get their names out there. Pop-ups have appeared in underutilized restaurants, coffee houses, art galleries, boutiques, bars, and department stores.

Due to its popularity, it is hard to score a seat at a pop-up, but once there, you can likely expect unique cuisine – the nature of the pop-ups, in addition to getting their names out there, is that it allows chefs to experiment with dishes that might not make it on a traditional menu (not saying it is bad). Menus can change on a daily or weekly basis so be prepared to be surprised.

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Philadelphia event planner/consultant, who specialize in helping individuals, families, and organization celebrate special occasions.