The Brand Home Is the Flagship Store's Next Evolution

Brand experiences go through hype cycles like any other marketing strategy. There was the era of the flagship store, when the likes of Nike, Apple and Topshop blazed a trail of destinations that heightened the shopping experience. Then the pop-up merged brand and retail to provide entertaining, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it occasions to wow customers. Now, we have the metaverse, with all the freedom and creativity of figuring out how to show up in the virtual world. All these brand experiences still have their roles to play and are continuing to evolve to meet new consumer needs. But alongside them, there’s a new trend emerging that should be given more consideration: the brand home. These are spaces not purely about the transaction, product or service, or the fleeting Insta Story, but about lifting the hood to show the inner workings of a brand and what it stands for. They offer the chance for the makers of a product and their customers to come together, for a brand to share its stories and values to create deeper connections and loyalty. Why Your Story Shouldn’t Be What Gets Cut In a world where consumers are increasingly wary of brands, and they gravitate to those that represent their own values, brand homes offer a unique opportunity for storytelling and connecting with people in an inherently authentic way. They’re more than retail spaces; they’re destinations that offer social and cultural value. Take the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a French art museum and cultural center sponsored by LVMH with the mission of making art and culture accessible to all. People are increasingly craving something more from experiences. B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore’s seminal work on the experience economy—the sale of memorable experiences to customers—has shifted to a transformation economy, in which people are looking to spend time in pursuits that enrich their lives. Meeting this demand and offering consumers something beyond a cool photo op should be a priority for brands looking to inspire lifelong loyalty that goes beyond surface-level appreciation of a product. At the luxury end of the scale, this can look like the full immersion of Hotel Chocolat’s Rabot Hotel in St. Lucia. Its “tree to bar” experience—for example, taking guests on a rainforest tour of its cacao groves—provides guests with full insight into its brand story. Another example is Jaguar Land Rover’s Ice Academy in Sweden, which embraced the country’s frozen lakes to allow visitors to test its cars at their full potential. But inviting people in doesn’t have to focus on the exclusive. Many brand experiences recognize the importance of being community-first and giving back. This resonates especially with younger generations that are increasingly suspicious of marketing communications. For example, Nike’s Pigalle Duperré basketball court has turned an unassuming patch of Paris into a vibrant, ever-changing community hub. Body Shop’s new Battersea store in London offers a community space and workshops, teaching visitors about the brand’s activist heritage. Brand experiences that give back, connect people or offer an opportunity to learn create a deeper loyalty and affinity. The brand homes of old were often mere museum spaces with facts stuck to the wall and dusty timelines. The brand homes that understand their unique role, on the other hand, offer a deeper level of transparency and authenticity. House of Vans doesn’t tell visitors of its provenance but invites them to experience the culture the streetwear brand helped create. Car manufacturer Rivian’s collection of spaces houses resources like libraries and playgrounds to create a community around the electric car brand. These brand homes offer entertainment in a world wracked with challenges, and the opportunity to co-create in an era hungry for content. They use digital tools to enable and enhance, not to merely dig for data. And, done right, they get people to return again and again, forging a lifelong link. It’s this vision that’s needed to connect with today’s consumers in a more meaningful way. It’s time that marketers recognize this shift and put the brand home at the heart of their strategy rather than treating it like an optional add-on.