AO

Feels like home for AO

Household partnered AO to bring the digital brand to life as a retail brand and experience in AO’s first pilot store, connecting both Tesco and AO customers into the brand expertise, products and services, and reaching and surprising customers in Tesco stores. Our aim was to create the buzz and warmth of AO (and AO’ers!) in the real world, enhance the existing Tesco shopping journey experience, to attract new customers to the AO brand.

“Through their insightful and strategic approach, Household has designed a truly differentiated AO retail experience that really engages our target customers on both service and experience levels and connects them back to our digital world.”

Arafa Henegan, Head of Brand

We developed a retail proposition that elevated the experience of customers feeling ‘right at home’. Customers can browse and play with the best electrical products in a home like destination that builds trust and confidence, enabling them to make the right choice that fits with them.

Our experience idea ‘right at home’

A warm invitation and AO welcome

The space is designed to make customers feel at ease as soon as they enter. A ‘front door’ creates a warm invitation to the space, greeting customers with an AO welcome and a friendly smile. Soft seating, white tiles and pale timbers create a subtle warmth that evokes cues of a familiar domestic setting, whilst creating a backdrop for the playful world of AO.

The Open Kitchen welcomes customers to rest and converse, playing, perching, and browsing the AO store range in comfort. Personal and friendly AO’ers are always on-hand to brighten up customers day, building confidence by helping them with questions, sign-up and inspiring them through interactive demos – from the latest washing machine to immersive gaming consoles.

Play, perch and browse at the Open Kitchen

Interactive touchpoints continue discovery

The physical experience perfectly complements the successful digital offering through interactive touchpoints that link to the wider online offering for discovery and connectivity. Through digital touchscreens, customers can explore and purchase AO’s entire catalogue with ease, directly in store - whether it’s checking to see if a kettle is in their favourite colour or purchasing a smart fridge to be delivered right to their home.

Quick and efficient services are programmed into the journey touchpoints, so customers are able to combine their grocery and electrical shopping needs in an instant. The Mini Mart acts as a ‘Pick, Pay, Go’ zone. Customers can browse, play, and purchase popular products in an instant bringing convenience to a discovery led journey.

Bringing AO’s smile to life

Fun underpins the entire experience; the space is designed to make shopping for electronics a joy - for everyone. A three-step communications invitation is AO’s signature calls to action for discovery, creating a fun and fast way for customers to quickly orientate and engage with categories. AO’s green vans and vibrant always-on personality was brought to life instore through joyful comms, fun props and careful merchandising, bringing the brands’ smile to life.

“Household has been the perfect partner for us as we connect our digital and physical experiences for customers and have been great partners all the way through this process.”

Arafa Henegan, Head of Brand

Results

Concept rolled out in the UK to Manchester, Gatwick, Stevenage, Leeds, Liverpool.