Branding and Retail Trends for 2016

As retail designers working across a number of sectors, we usually respond to very specific briefs when designing a store. However, the objective of our work is always the same: to provide a unique and magical experience that exceeds expectations, making advocates of our client’s customers and keeping them coming back for more. As well as conducting our own in-depth research programmes in order to ensure that we’re designing for the consumer’s needs and wishes, we’re also very mindful of current trends that resonate well with consumers. Here we have collated our observations of the most recent trends in retail design and branding: Offer an experience    Online sales in the UK grew by an impressive 16% in 2013, taking the total revenue generated to £107bn. A further 17% growth is expected for 2014. To combat this, physical stores are pulling out all the stops to design experiences that cannot be replicated online. Queue the renaissance of the pop-up. These stores off

At I-AM we’re very mindful of current trends that resonate well with consumers. Food trends, like fashion, come and go and now faster than ever. Everything goes and the offer is vast. Here, we have rounded up some of the most recent trends in hospitality design:   When designing a space, keep in mind the 3 EX’s: Experience, Experimentation and Excitement These days, dining out is about offering an experience. Before we start designing a restaurant or a bar space we need to storyboard the customer experience like a film and think about the key touch-points within that space. Designing a restaurant is all about creating a holistic experience to capture the senses. Cultural influences in food and drink are reflected in design   Overly-themed design concepts are becoming dated. The recent trend is all about using an eclectic approach to design and subtle references. Andean and Asian cuisine are currently at the forefront of this trend. Therefore interesting patterns,