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If your presence is what you plan to give loved ones this holiday season, then you don’t need to make any trips to the mall. But that kind of gifting is what Lululemon Athletica hopes will drive traffic to its Present Space pop-up oasis at Canada’s Uptown outdoor shopping center.
“Initially we had a traditional pop-up retail location in mind but the #GivePresence campaign got us excited, so we changed our concept to focus on free meditation, yoga classes and community talks,” said Paula Monks, manager of the Johnson Street store.
“We’ve included a small retail component to attract interest to Present Space, but word is getting out now and we’re seeing more people come in because they’ve heard about the meditation experience.”
The pop-up is equipped with mats, stools and cushions to make visitors comfortable when they drop in for yoga sessions. There are also color-coded iPod Shuffles that customers use to listen to pre-recorded meditations: purple for a seven-minute “I Am Here” meditation focused on being present, green for a nine-minute one to clear the mind, and grey for the 15-minute “Awakening the Loving Heart” meditation. All three of them are by Vancouver-based yoga teacher Carolyn Anne Budgell, whose meditations can also be accessed for free online.
“Our visitors have been pleasantly surprised to learn about Present Space, and the idea that it’s okay to slow down for a few minutes is catching on,” said Kristy Lowes, Uptown’s marketing director.
“It’s a great reminder that we often forget to find a little time for ourselves during the busy holiday season and throughout the year.”
Besides a well-crafted initiative that supports a growing movement to get people to slow down and live more in the moment, Present Space fits right into what has been a highly successful marketing strategy for Lululemon Athletica, namely creating a sub-culture and becoming its go-to resource for everything from community hubs to spiritual centers to stores selling a plethora of yoga-inspired goods. The oasis might not be primarily about selling stuff, but that vocation will only add another layer to the Lululemon brand story, increase the inherent value of its merchandise, and likely drive more shoppers to both the pop-up’s retail counter and the main Lululemon Athletica store. And if customers are so wrapped up in the moment that they’re at a loss as to what to buy, there are handy gift guides for him and her on the retailer’s Give Presence blog.
Present Space is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekends.
Jan.
2015
2015
Posted in Seasonal Programs
