12 days of Visual Display Trends - Trend No.5 Social Media !

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 I have been like an excited child waiting to explore this trend, the past few months and how excited I am to see how far it goes. 

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

This holiday season- Canadian Tire featured an entire tree composed of lights that twinkle certian colours when someone sends a message to the site, or mentions it on-line. When the lights would flash white, social networks like Twitter & Facebook are buzzing over the words Christmas, green meant Christmas is being mentioned in the news, red meant blogs and forums had a Christmas theme, topics or key words. Blue with flashing strobe lights meant people were posting messages on their site www.Christmasspirittree.ca  You are unable to post now as the tree has been dismantled ( unlike mine... stylist faux pas?)

The giant tree measuring 30 feet and decorated with 3,100 lights that twinkled took the media by storm, where the store not only created a unique experience with social media connecting them to the store and the brand- they would be able to watch the stream and send a message; essentially watch your message light up the tree almost the instant you sent it. 

There is an incredible video going viral that is entitled `The Joy of Books`, where Type owners ( a book store in toronto ) basically transform their adorable shop and edit the video so exquisitely wherein the books spring to life at night, play and re merchandise themselves. While the video is certainly art in its own right, the point is to raise awareness of how incredible books feel   - the smell, the sound of a book shut.... Its a lovely viral video, reminding us of how special books can be- definitely no competition for the e-readers around.
This video has gone completely viral all around the globe. Great campaign, awareness, media... the editing is artwork. incredible! 

Most of us have a Facebook account- and are a part of a group- or asked to like.... something. From Uncle Ricky`s movember page - or your favorite boutique letting you know wha'ts new, whats on sale and some exciting new display. This is the most incredible thing about social media, as a single user, a person.. you! that`s right- whatever you like on Facebook, you choose to obtain certain information on your feed, un-liking as much as you need to. The most fascinating thing is that we have created a personal mailbox for information we choose to get.  A fabulous vintage store in Toronto, PrettyFreedom has mastered this Facebook to friends marketing. Using Facebook & Twitter, the shop highlights new garments, fun accessories, photo shoot's and their amazing displays on-line. 

PrettyFreedom posts pricing comparable's, fun images and videos on their Facebook site & Twitter

For someone like myself who has 'liked' PrettyFreedom on Facebook- I get access to their new arrivals and what I like I can click and they get the info as well, creating relationships with consumers from far and wide.

Another PrettyFreedom display, found on their Facebook page. Consider this more like visual display porn simply for the sake of gorgeousness. Check out more of the brilliance here. 

 People generally browse on-line first, see what a store has to offer and comparison shop, then head in store. In fact- you can comment and like the garment and have a personal relationship with the brand is some way. Facebook and Twitter are dominating the internet and social sphere, so much so that small companies, boutiques won`t require a website.com, wherein Facebook is where the business happens, and the sale completed via paypal or another on-line transaction. 


This- I know from personal experience. My partner in crime ( romantical crime) Runs a business entirely online, all from paypal and ebay. He sculpts & paints horror props and special fx masks- which when I met him thought it was a riot, but now realize it is a real business with enough buyers online to set up a salary from it. His business is exclusively run on-line. We do conventions and such- but again, simply because we had enough of the clientèle asking us to attend these mega conventions. Yes - we have a website, But its old, outdated and it works for us, as The Devils Latex Facebook site keeps sales alive, and it provides a great way for these horror peeps to gush over each other's horror related stuff. ( Hey now, I just paint and help sculpt..... the Fans are on another level here )


Now how about this-- MINI Getaway Stockholm created the most amazing online game. I could go on about its radness, and how it has almost changed the face of contests, gaming and customer interaction. The concept is fascinating and the results speak for themselves. 

How incredible is this?! An exciting concept, and I would love to see a visual scavenger hunt in window displays and store interiors -- and you know-- I think that might be a new little thang Displayology does over the next few months. Interested? 

We talked about semacodes in the last post- and I think thats also an incredible step for social shopping, scanning the bar codes of brands, stores, sales- anything and you create open doors for information to the people most interested in what it is. 

Foursquare is a networking site that hinges on Twitter's heals, a virtual location tag that allows you to tag where you are and then your network, followers, in whatever way you are connected; which means anyone who walks into your store and is connected via twitter/facebook can tag the location, so evvvvveeerybody can see where they are- Ie: your shop. Not only do you tag your location, but you play little games with people who also visit locations a lot, you can call people the mayor or a particular gym.. or something. 

Participating store fronts, cafes, anywhere can obtain cling vinyl that show users that their location is on foursquare ( register for an easy find ) and they participate in the game! Want to learn more on how foursquare can work for you? head to Foursquare for Business. 

The social media landscape is iso vast, and there is so much possibility ; including window displays. which is ideally, what we really love to see. so! Enough with the gab and the pillow talk between me and the social media landscape and lets see some "social media" inspired window displays! 

Caruso Caruso in the uk placed QR codes ( semacoding ) in their window display 

Kenneth Cole is known for having cheeky anecdotes and blurbs as a fundamental marketing  strategy. Here, they go one step further into using vinyl cling as KC tweets are presented on the windows, and still. very, very cheeky. 

Stating the obvious here - this bookstore uses Facebook and all of its tabs + buttons to  feature  a book about, well, Facebook. 

Louis Vuitton plays off of 'social media' and how individuals  take pictures of themselves, and others.. taking pictures. The social media landscape as made almost nothing intimate- yet everything is personalized. Great work from Louis Vuitton in creating a bit of a stir.