The Retail Industry watches with interest how the brands and product distributors in general are reacting to the slow recovery.
As the world went into the recession - after the banks, Retail was the first to react. It’s abundantly clear that the banks are not going to lead the way to recovery- so the next logical place to look to the Retail sector to rebuild consumer confidence.
Impulse’s specialism in Retail Display, is intrinsically focussed on this evolving trend, and we’re experiencing an interesting (and somewhat predictable) pattern appearing.
In the same way it seems that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer brands seem to be falling into this trap also.

Budget
Some of the design briefs we are engaged in seem to focus more on the cost (and short term gain) rather than the performance (and long term potential) in store.
This means that rather than the "mid-weight" brands experimenting with more design led, innovative in store displays- the tendency is to revert to short run temporary units. This is fine by us- we will make whatever works for the client.
In terms of strategy- you take a risk with temporary as it gains easier access to the shop floor, but may only last a week or two - OR as we’ve seen in the case of Water Bobble in BHS the unit can still be there in a year!
What everyone wants is to gain a permanent space- give it over to a well designed FSDU ( Free Standing Display Unit) and get store commitment to a longer term, add regular merchandising visits so the unit stays full, happy days.
This has been more difficult as retailers run scared from commitment, so what do you do?

Innovation
We find that innovation is the only constant investment that works.
We are always looking at new ways to engage clients - one of our latest briefs which is being prototyped as i write, is an underwater display to demonstrate waterproof iPad cases. Its proving fun, trying to get pumped bubbles to look right against the product! The final effect is an engaging, attractive piece - it beats the digital medium in this instance as the demonstration is "real", promoting comments and discussion when seen in store.

Sustainability
Any POP Agency wanting to be taken seriously must consider sustainability throughout the creative process, to delivery. As a generation we are way past the early principle that sustainability costs. As a business, Impulse adopt common sense to all aspects of our activity - and surely isn’t that what should be expected?
At a recent POPAI meeting, it was interesting to see some data comparing Temporary to Permanent POP Roll-outs, and overall you could see the Temporary offer losing out on CO2 overall emissions.
Again, apply common sense - you make 200 Displays, and these are individually shipped to store, then in 4-6 weeks you are repeating the process - would you have considered this issue 10 years ago?

Shopper Marketing / Research
Finally - it has been made clear to us that researching your market has become much more important over the last 2 years. I’m referring to Shopper Marketing / Research - which in the past was considered by many to be only something that was done to mop up budgets. Whereas we recommend that this now should be a fundamental part of the Marketing Mix.
We have seen some fantastic insight into Retail Environments, that would not have been highlighted without carrying out some simple shopper research.

The recent collapse of another couple of high street heavyweights, HMV and Blockbuster, some would say has been a long time coming.
It has been reported this evening that the debt of HMV has been bought by Hilco, a restructuring specialist - lets hope they get it right this time.




Impulse are one of the top suppliers to Retail for Displays of DVD and CD’s, so the evolution of this sector is of great interest to us.

It was interesting to read that the various studios, including Universal , Warner and Sony are set to to cut the prices of CD’s and DVD’s, and give the retailer more generous credit terms.
The landscape is continuing to change - and it is obvious that the likes of HMV and Blockbuster have not changed with the times.
The Retail Business Models in store work around a mix of temporary and permanent Displays - How will the recent news change this mix?

Impulse have designed a range of Permanent Displays which can be modular HERE and individual multi-access HERE
We utilise a mix of Metal, Injection moulded plastic, and Print to create the Entertainment Area in store. Heavy discounting of titles results in wider choice, and the necessity to display more facings. This is leading to a more "Consignment" approach - retailers creating their own Entertainment Departments, and attracting the Impulse Purchaser who prefers physical product - maybe less inclined to shop via the internet.

Personally speaking, i am more of a Digital buyer - yet am pleased to see the re-invention of the independant stores promoting the old fashioned browsing approach to CD and DVD - with an ever growing Vinyl emergence - nothing wrong with that!
This, in my opinion, is where HMV have lost their way - bring back the listening points, embrace shopper interactivity via not just sampling the music (or film) but through smartphone technology too.
A real pioneer of this format is Rough Trade in Brick Lane - a real treat to the music lover, where you can listen, mix and record.... really get involved!
Display in store is retro, and minimal - you get the feeling of being in someones front room (albeit 5000 sq ft) - worth a visit.
Lastly, and by no means least, is the Rental Market.
People forget this market, and it is written off due to the emerging streaming market.
Impulse are currently developing an instore display for a major grocer who are committed to a streaming offer.
The idea of physical rental (being able to browse films via case, and collect from the store) is not quite as antiquated as you would think.
Only 35% of consumers own a smartphone - and with the internet only being embraced by 65% of us - this sector is still evolving.
The demise of the big stores puts the focus on smaller outlets - enter the Symbol Groups (Londis, Nisa, Spar, Mace etc)
Impulse have developed a new in store system (funded by a large distributor) which gives a flexible and universal solution, designed to fit within the various shelving systems used in the Independant Stores.
So, 2013 looks to be a really exciting and changeable year. If you want confidence in creativity and delivery - contact us here.

We are looking forward to meeting with various European countries tomorrow at the ExploreExport Convention. This is a medium to introduce products and services through one to one meetings with country representatives. It will be interesting to evaluate potential opportunities and to promote our global presence.

The UK prospects are getting better for Manufacturing here, as rising costs in Asia are forcing businesses to rethink sourcing strategy. Companies across the country have already taken the decision to move some or all manufacturing operations back to Britain as wages and transportation costs have risen across Asia. Goods as diverse as toys, high-end textiles and washing machines are being made in bulk here again as higher costs have tipped the balance in favour of local markets.

The move to bring manufacturing back onshore is still a trickle rather than a trend, but it is one the government will be keen to harness as it seeks to rebalance the economy away from the services sector.

Philip Green has ambitions to make 20% more clothing in the UK - if he can find the factories.



Rob Law who set up Trunki, the children’s ride-on suitcase maker, after being rejected on the TV show Dragons Den, has recently moved his production from China to his own Factory in Plymouth. He (like us) is passionate about the importance of home grown manufacturers.

"This is where the UK can really stand head and shoulders above China: creating innovative and well-engineered products that are more sustainable, drive better business performance and build stronger brand value. I’m thrilled to have brought the Trunki back home"






When Impulse was conceived in 2005, the China supply chain option was in its ascendency, and we are living proof that there is consistent demand for a UK manufacturing.
Timescales and costs are especially challenging now, and retail display businesses in the UK are in high demand.
We are finding that whilst we still offer the longer lead-time, Far East build option, the cost differential is so small now that brands are questioning the risks associated with this option.

Transport costs are now proving to seal the fate of the Asian option, and whilst there will always be a place for certain products to be made in China, we are proud to promote "Buy British".

Lack of government funding has got to come under closer scrutiny - the half hearted attempt by Vince Cable and the coalition will need reviewing, and coupled with the advantage of weak sterling, means that UK business should be working hard to promote Export, and the advantages of local manufacturing.

Brands are right to prefer to consult UK based Retail Creative Agencies, given the enviable quality of talent and the great work that is coming onto the high street.

For a consultation on your next in store display solution please contact us on sales@impulsepop.co.uk or by phone +44 (0)1767 682756

We hope you’ve all had a good summer - weathers been poor, but we here have thoroughly enjoyed the Olympics - and the "great to be British" feeling hasn’t quite worn off yet.

Speaking to colleagues in the industry, i think all agree that 2012 has been quite a tricky year.

Impulse is flat out on the build up for Christmas, with a diverse order book across a few sectors.

We have had an exciting range of briefs through our Design studio, that we are now producing batches for Q4 - examples include Heated Clothing Displays, Laser Measuring device displays, Ski Helmet Displays, DVD Christmas Displays, DIY Units across a few Brands.
The IPAD Displays are still proving successful, overseas interest in particular.
With the general feeling of "unknown" - this has had a negative impact on decision making, which is affecting lead-times when the go ahead is finally given.
Impulse can fortunately manage these situations easier as we have our own Design / Production and Delivery resource, therefore able to offer quick and flexible turnaround.
We are currently reviewing our website - which will give improved navigation, and an overall more informative resource for those of you that may need our service.
Recent investment includes CNC Router and other Acrylic Fabrication equipment, which enhances our existing Acrylic offer. Injection Moulding has been busy, with the development of new DVD shelves for one of the new roll-outs we are in the middle of - will update images on the website soon.
Point of Purchase or Point of Sale Displays (whichever phrase works for you) seems to continually reinvent their purpose within the Retail Environment. We are approached more regularly by Brands, directly through our website, and the briefs tend to be less specific - relying on our expertise to provide a solution fit for purpose.
Fortunately we can offer value engineered solutions as we understand material types and yields available - all part of the service.

We were pleasantly surprised with the show this year. Its the fourth year that Impulse Have exhibited, and with each year, numbers of exhibitors have been declining.
This, in my opinion, is the only Point of Purchase relevant exhibition to attend in the UK calendar.
Impulse were well placed, as we were the only Creative Agency exhibiting with on -site manufacturing. Its always interesting to see which of the larger agencies exhibit, and Impulse took advantage of the fact that only 3 of the larger competitors were present
The quality of visitors were better this year, with the likes of Disney, HMV and P&G coming on to our stand on Day 1!
With the current climate, and budget decisions being particularly long winded - it was enthusing to speak to so many Brands wanting to discuss new briefs and talking about spending money again.

So, the question which we all ask, is "Whats New?"

In terms of new ideas and solutions to engage In Store - we loved the Augmented Reality (AR) prospect which will change the way we present to brands, and enables you to visualise in 3D, in situe. This emerging technology needs further explanation, email me HERE if you would like more information.

The POPAI Award nominations were announced - and as much as we are proud to have won the award in previous years, i just dont understand the thinking behind some of the nominations.

Everyone looks to this event to showcase new innovation, and ideas that can enhance the shopping experience - we struggled to get excited by many of the nominations. I personally look for innovation and clever brief interpretation, and generally there is always some good quality coming out of the British Creative Agencies - so lets see more of it!

We attracted interest in our IPAD Display - it seems that there is still a lack of choice for retailers who wish to use IPad in store, to house the unit in an accessible yet secure way.
Griffin are now offering an option HERE which is something close, but not as cost effective as ours.

Interactive is now more affordable, which is great as this does bring units to life - our GORE-TEX unit utilises a touch screen display attached to the mannequin, allowing the consumer to see how the clothing is tested and constructed.

There were some nice Interactive screen options being showcased - but i couldn’t yet see larger format screens that offer the same functionality as the smaller screened IPAD and Android equivalents. it wont be long, i’m sure!

i have to mention H Squared - their stand was fun, and Interactive - well done! It lightened up the 2 days, with crowd style giveaways, i hope they retain plenty of business from the experience. They blew away the competition, and i got the feeling from Philip and his team that they just wanted to have some fun - and we seem to have lost that vision with all the doom and gloom in portrayed in the media.

Sustainability is now one of the most important factors influencing our sector, and use of recycled materials will soon be a pre-requisite. The POPAI Awards dealt well with this, and also there were many Temporary POS / POP suppliers exhibiting. Sustainability in Permanent POP is more difficult to achieve, something we at Impulse are constantly evaluating.
The difficult aspect is the importance of cost against doing what is right. In the current economic climate we experience a pure cost issue, and therefore the cheapest price wins the work, rather than the most environmentally friendly. This is definately "Work in Progress".

I came away from the Exhibition considering what people would have expected from the exhibition - and writing this, i have decided that sharing innovative ideas and showcasing not only what we do, but others in the High Street, is what you really want to see.

So, on our travels we will share our experiences via the Website. We will soon incorporate our Twitter feed on the site, and invite comments and sharing of similar experiences from around the world. We welcome your contact via email mark@impulsepop.co.uk or via twitter @impulsepop, please hit the buttons at the top of this text, your feedback is crucial.

As this proves to be one of the most challenging periods for Retailers, its also a fantastic opportunity to produce innovative solutions for brands.
Q2 has been our busied ever for Development and Prototyping.
As Brands are pushing to gain attention in store, we have found Lighting to have been a recurring innovative solution.
During 2011 we introduced LED options on the Rent It Here" unit (see it also HERE.) which proved extremely successful in getting the brand messaging across. This year we recently introduced Pulsing Lights, which are an inexpensive method of getting a degree of animation to a display.
The products we have been displaying are Heated Clothing ( unit pulses to demonstrate heat )
and also behind branding on another product to attract attention.
We will publish further images of the units in store once we have permission.
What we find so interesting about the POP industry is that we are forced to Innovate.
There are too many Businesses relying on old technology and old ideas - and this is not the time to stand still. We are exhibiting at the In Store Show next week, and i hope that we will be met by exciting new ideas. One i know will be shown is the alternative to QR which is AR - adding 3D and countless new visualisation opportunities.

I dont think we’ve been in a similar situation to this since the Autumn of 2008.
As we approach a telling week for the Eurozone, doom and gloom in the press about a Wet, disasterous spring for retail - lets look at the upside.
We’ll soon be experiencing the best August footfall in London for years (2012 Olympics) and all thats needed now is a bit of confidence within the FMCG Sector -
Impulse is fortunate to be operating in areas that have had long term investment commitment - Entertainment, Healthy Snacks, and Emerging Technologies - thats not to say that budgets are not being restricted though!
We are planning for the upcoming "In Store Show" at Earls Court in 29th/ 30th June, it will be interesting to see if attendance is affected by the current climate. Come and see us at G207! We’ll be exhibiting examples of recent projects, and looking forward to discussing any projects coming up that you may have.
Regardless of the situation with Greece (and others) in Europe, we maintain that the UK offer, if anything, is enhanced now. We can offer value for money, and add value through our expert experience.
Impulse have embarked on a Government assisted " Passport to Export" programme - which enables us to trade with local assistance in neighbouring economies. Given the climate, this should give us great opportunity to expand the business - will keep you posted.
Finally, we can also say we’ve done our first job relating to The Jubilee - some 4 ft Diamonds, soon to be seen in Jaeger.

As we approach Easter, Impulse have seen a positive start to 2012. Turnover is up at this point in 2011 by over 30%, which is encouraging. Lets not forget though, that we are only 2 months in to the year!
Briefings are at an all-time high, mainly due to our greater emphasis on sales, and targeting different sectors. Thats the great thing about Retail Point of Purchase, we are not restricted either by brand or geography. An exciting Global Project we are currently developing is destined for the Saudi Petro-chemical Market. I personally find this interesting, as it challenges our cultural creativity.i mean by this - our experience with what works from cost and visual perspective in Europe does not necessarily apply elsewhere. We are having to approach this in an entirely different way - which has opened up areas in technology and visual impact, normally disregarded in our home market (mainly due to budget!)
Generally we are finding it tougher to win work - as prices are becoming lethal.
When analysing the results - this finding is also because we are pitching for more work, so however good we are, we cannot expect to win everything!

Its good to see a positive retail mood, especially at this time of year - Easter will be the next measure, and with the level of campaigns we have ongoing - it should continue to improve.
We will have shipped Free-Standing Point of Purchase Displays to over 1000 Retail Outlets by Easter. This is across various sectors, including Cosmetics, DVD and Music Entertainment, Premium Clothing and Forecourt Brands.

I read in the press yesterday about John Lewis’s fall in profits, yet the right attitude to the longer term. JL have an admirable model, which means that through this period of "Austerity" they will have consolidated their brand position and improved customer loyalty, at the expense of a bit of profit. Others will come and go, and this is entirely evident in our part of the sector. The problem is always "how low can a price go?"

Digital POP is still an emerging turnover item for us, our IPAD Displays are proving popular as retailers run trials. Conversion to roll-out seems to take longer than you’d expect - again budget driven i think.

Back soon - Happy Easter to All.

Happy New Year! After a welcome break its great to be back and looking forward to a positive 2012.
Last year beat expectations, and with a healthy order book, insist on remaining optimistic about the year ahead. Why not? an Olympic Year, and an opportunity to prove all the sceptics wrong.
I?m excited to welcome Sean, our New Business Development Manager, to the the team.
As part of our expansion plan for 2012, we are even better set to provide the full service package in Retail Design and Build.
New Year Roll-outs include Gore-tex, Homebase, Pioneer and Champion Wipers.
We are currently recruiting, and will be back soon with more news.

I was asked recently by a Global POP Business based in the US to provide my opinion on the current market size. I obviously have my own views, so thought it best to back it up with some recent research. First stop POPAI. i?m appalled to report that there hasn?t been a study done since 2003! So rather than start a rant about the value (?) of such an association, i?d like to appeal to anyone in our industry to give their opinion.
Here goes mine - based on $17 billion in 2003, i would suggest a 40% increase taking it to approximately $23 billion. My limited research is based on conversations with FMCG brands, and has some bearing on the market value growth over this period.
i have read reports that suggest $50bn - do you think this is more accurate?
As a service provider in this industry, the overall size of the market does not affect our day to day business. Without having this information as a starting point, i?d go as far to say that you cannot really comment accurately - its all down to a matter of opinion.
i?m told a study is to be carried out soon - will be interesting to see how close i was!
This highlights to me the importance of spotting trends, and acting early enough to be in front of the rest. This is where brands can be content in knowing that UK Retail Design is second to none, and our approach is not complacent.
This year we?ve seen some of the best creative work around - from all of the key players in the industry. One of the most exciting aspects of our industry is the evolution of the POP Agency - forcing new ideas from both old and new businesses.
Impulse have enjoyed a busy 2011, and look forward to an exciting, expansive 2012.