A feast for the senses this Christmas

If you’re currently putting the finishing touches to your Christmas display thinking, “something is missing”, could it be that your sixth sense is kicking in?

A study by Rockefeller University in New York suggested that customers remember 1% of what we touch, 2% of what we hear, 5% of what we see, 15% of what we taste and 35% of what we smell. In our view there’s a sixth sense: the feeling customers get when the whole experience delivers the brand promise. We call this ambience. Does your Christmas display deliver it? Here’s some inspiration from some that do.

Our very own Jane Le Bon has been designing the annual Christmas display at Waddesdon Manor for years. With an array of sumptuous textures, classical themes reflective of the venue, and elegant compositions, Jane’s visual merchandising prowess is a feast for the senses.

It’s all in the detail. Fellow Associate Danny McLean-Low has been producing a nautical Christmas theme for Historic Dockyard Chatham. Every product has been carefully selected and displayed to reflect the story and immerse shoppers in the heritage of this very special visitor attraction.

Design agency Formroom have teamed up with Propstudios to create John Lewis’ rainbow room, decorated with over 400 metres of velvety ribbon cascading from the central tree and drawing the eye from floor to ceiling. The satisfying grid system of baubles seems to be inspired by paint sample cards, inviting the shopper to choose the exact colour for their own unique Christmas aligining with the John Lewis brand value: Be yourself, always.

Okla is a sister company to the famous Oklahoma Gift Shop located in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. With an emphasis on seeking out more unusual products & working with smaller independent makers & designers, they aim to bring customers an eclectic and unparalleled collection of products. Okla’s Christmas displays are completely on brand both in-store and online, on both their website and social media channels (check it out), immersing shoppers in a completely joined-up festive brand experience.