DDi - January/February 2010 - (Page 18)

18 | Design Snapshot Simplified & amplified A new signage and décor package gives Cost Plus World Market spiced-up appeal By Jessie Bove, Managing Editor ith aisle upon aisle of unique, exotic merchandise, it’s easy to see how shoppers can spend hours perusing the shelves at Cost Plus World Market. But while getting lost in a bazaar-like atmosphere may appeal to some consumers, Oakland, Calif.-based Cost Plus World Market also wanted to attract task-oriented shoppers looking to make a quick stop for a bottle of wine or last-minute gift. In order to accomplish this without having to completely remodel its stores, the retailer teamed up with San Francisco-based TESSER to launch a new signage and interior graphics system in its Bay Area locations. Essentially, the goal was to simplify and amplify, “making it easier to navigate the store in order to build frequency among task-oriented shoppers, while making the shopping experience more compelling,” explains Tré Musco, CEO and chief creative officer for TESSER. To simplify things, adjacent merchandise zones were grouped together to form new departments, with a unified wayfinding system that more clearly delineates departments, categories and product sets. “Because the World Market environment is W already visually complex, we were keenly aware that our new signage and graphics needed to help reduce the visual clutter rather than adding to the problem,” Musco says. “Accordingly, signage design is artfully restrained, using a visual language of simple, but exotic shapes and a clean typeface.” Evoking the feeling of an outdoor market bazaar, the décor theme uses subtle visual cues and an exotic color palette of warm earth tones and cool jewel hues drawn from Morocco, India and Indonesia. A wine-colored cloth valance “top wrap” conceals surplus stock to further de-clutter the space. The new signage and décor package combines simplified departmental and shelf signage with lifestyle graphics that communicate the brand story and help shoppers envision how World Market’s eclectic merchandise will fit into their homes and lives. “Authenticity is a key dimension of the World Market brand positioning, but it’s not always the primary purchase driver,” Musco says. “By providing decorating and usage suggestions, we created a more engaging retail environment designed to get more merchandise into carts.” www.ddimagazine.com | January/February 2010 Photos: Courtesy of TESSER http://www.ddimagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - January/February 2010

DDi - January/February 2010
Contents
From the Editor
Newsworthy
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
DDI’s Winning Windows
United Nude
Global Retail Report
Channel Focus: Hardware
Right Light: Pop-up lighting
Product Spotlight
GlobalShop Show Preview
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - January/February 2010