adidas_LDN: All Change Please
Last October adidas opened its flagship store 'adidas_LDN', "a creative hub, providing London with a new canvas for creativity and innovation". Based next door to the previous iteration it is a significant upgrade on it, with two striking differences. Firstly, there was a lot more to do on-site, making it an inherently experiential destination. Secondly, the aesthetic of this version has a fashion-first lilt rather than a sporting one: this is a space that revels in the modern-day culture that sneaker brands have helped established. The shop has three levels for customers to explore. The basement was dominated by footwear with a dedicated ‘Sneaker Services’ desk (alongside a ping pong table!) where people could customize and clean their shoes. There were some nice localized touches too, such as the ‘Three Lions’ wall and a Tube-inspired showpiece. These felt 'Instagrammable' in nature, and reaffirm a growing belief that physical retail should look to drive media value (alongside traditional metrics) via installations that can be shared on social channels. The ground floor was heavily focused on activations: ‘Goodbye Gravity’ was December's theme, which celebrated the latest 'Boost' shoe. Sadly, the product was underwhelming and the main attraction – a running machine that encased customers in a waist-height capsule to feel like they were running ‘without gravity’ – was too slow to set-up, unreliable, and boring for spectators. Whilst this might not have hit the mark, the effort reveals a commitment to thinking about floorspace as a way to create a connection, not just convert. The second floor was the best of all, with a lovely, tactile corridor of soccer shirts hanging inside metal outlines of their club crest. Alongside it were cleats with key attributes listed – power, speed, dribbling – and the players that wear them. (All very shareable content.) Also, full customization was on offer, from regular apparel to names and numbers on team shirts. Significantly, there was a large table with stickers and badges where people could design their own swag. This approach echoes the brand’s ‘Creator’ tagline, and literally allows the customer to immerse themselves in the mantra. adidas_LDN is a far cry from the sterile stores of the past with rotating showcases alongside enticing permanent features. There are definitely aspects that must improve and it is not as slick as many of Nike's outlets. However, it is another example of a retailer reacting to the shifting role of brick and mortar, recognizing its role in building long-term brand-affinity with consumers.