32 CHRISTMAS most popular choice, along with reds, greens, golds, purples and pinks.”
James Glancy of James Glancy Design is a stickler for bespoke. His company introduced at least 10 distinct new designs last year, all created specifically to match the marketing goals of clients. “We don’t do mass-market, off the shelf designs that are
available in three colours and three sizes,” says Glancy. “People want individuality and originality. They don’t want to drive to a centre five miles away and see the same decorations.” He gave examples of recent projects that were unique and
traditional as well as being innovative, including sound and light displays in Carnaby Street and at Cabot Circus, huge reflective-gold inflatable baubles, pendants and stars at the Peacocks in Woking, what Glancy describes as a “chic, vegetative” design at Grand Arcade in Cambridge with a canopy of vegetation swooping over key parts of the centre, and a ‘mirror ball explosion’ at London’s One New Change.
The Seasonal Group’s Bontoft has seen a rise in fantasy and Disney film themes like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Aladdin and Snow White. In one centre, The Seasonal Group created a Narnia display based on The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,
where children could step through the magical wardrobe and move from scene to scene complete with polar bears and the Ice Queen. These kinds of displays can be used to draw footfall into under-
used parts of the mall. In one centre a series of displays were placed throughout the mall with a character in each section telling parts of a story linked to a competition. Children answered questions based on the story and were entered into a prize draw if they got the answers right, encouraging them to visit all 13 displays. In this instance, Christmas was used as a means to utilise space and improve footfall in quieter areas, in-turn keeping retailers happy. Bontoft describes toys as another fail-safe option. One Middle
East centre commissioned an oversized toy display for its atrium including giant chess pieces, dominos and alphabet blocks. And more and more centres are choosing their theme based on the pantomime at the local theatre, for cross-promotion purposes. With a team of qualified engineers, sculptors, joiners and
electricians, The Seasonal Group can bring to life almost any design, having recently made bespoke models of the Grinch and a full-sized Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car. Of course there will be demand for a certain palette of
colours, styles and themes this year, as dictated by shows like Christmasworld, but the centres that do their own thing, tasking suppliers with bespoke solutions, could come out on top. Off-the- shelf options that can be seen on every high street won’t create a point of difference or add to the excitement of children who are often the ones to get the most out of Christmas. Manufacturers and suppliers are striving to offer value, and according to the experts, tradition is back to stay.
Find out more: For more information, please contact the author:
mia.hunt@
jldmedia.com
SHOPPING CENTRE February 2012
www.shopping-centre.co.uk
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