Westfield Wake-up

My measure of success for the stores in Westfield (many of them new concepts) is how much they can generate a ‘Wake-up’ effect in the shoppers who pass through them.

Westfield is a glittering, shining shopping beacon - as I stepped inside I audibly gasped and simultaneously overheard the girl next to me exclaim to her friend ‘this is mental!’

Inevitably however, as you journey deeper into the centre (or center), one is in danger of falling prey to Mall Fatigue. This can hit at any point in your visit without warning - symptoms include inertia, a glazed expression and a feeling of ‘it’s all blurring into one’ and ‘I need a sit down’.

Which is why for me, it is the stores and brands that manage to Wake-up customers that really stand out. The following stores/brands are highlights of ones that fit the Wake-up measure of success:

Neals Yard. A small store with big impact. The tree right in the centre of the entrance gives the space an organic heart and emphasises Proactive Wellness brand values, with seating and books placed around it where customers can sit and browse, test products or read and learn about keeping well.

Timberland. The store oozes authenticity, from its community ‘totem’ highlighting Timberland’s eco credentials to the materials palette titled ‘store content’. The store is as much a brand communication tool as a transactional environment, Timberland’s voice is loud, clear and green.

Playstation. A pop up Sing Star space was attracting big crowds (including us) keen to watch people make fools of themselves or make themselves the fools. With four rooms, each dressed as a different retro living room and with dress up boxes, Playstation brought a bit of personal home the enormous Westfield. We had a sing-a-long to Take That and got really into it, not realising everyone could watch us on a screen outside. Humiliation and happiness in equal measure, this was a real Playstation coup.

As we left, we got stuck in the crowd of screaming girls watching Lemar croon, the final very loud Wake-up of the day.

By Zoë Daniels