Plastic fantastic – Barbie megastore opens in Shanghai
If experiential marketing is defined as creating an experience where the result is an emotional connection to a person, brand, product or idea then the new 3,500sqm six-story £20 million pink Barbie concept store in Shanghai is experiential genius.
The launch last weekend coincided with the dolls 50th birthday and is the first Barbie megastore in the world. The store includes a real fashion runway, spa, doll design center, over 1,600 Barbie products, including apparel, jewelry, skin-care products, toys, electronic products, cosmetics and games. There is also a café, ice cream parlour.
The top floor includes a restaurant run by Australian-born celebrity chef David Laris and a Barbie bar that stays open until 2am which Mattel executives hope might become a centre for Shanghai nightlife and is available for evening events!
“In the retail experience you have an aisle, your whole experience is whatever that retailer makes it. We have to rely on our product to speak for itself, and here you’re living and breathing the brand.” said Richard Dickson, who is in charge of the Barbie brand for US toy maker Mattel.
China currently only accounts for 2.5% of global sales but in a strategic move by makers Mattel, who have seen worldwide sales drop by 21% in the last quarter, it is believed that within 5-10 years time China will be the dolls number one market.
