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A CRUISE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Italy, 2019

| CHALLENGE

A new way to revamp the on-board shopping experience starting from detailed needs-focused research made on customers. A challenging innovative project that consists of creating a space with a specific identity, well integrated with the whole ship scenario, following specific visual merchandising codes and satisfying cruisers’ needs with a related differentiated product range. The aim was to create a new identity able to embrace a multi-brand offer, new customer experience and interior design mood.

 

A retail design project realized for Costa Crociere, the greatest cruise ship Group clapper Italian flag, and Starboard Cruise Services, the premier retailer at sea providing the finest selection of covered brands and engaging experiences to global cruise vacationers, part of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton which is the world’s leading luxury provider.

INSIGHT

The new concept conceived by DINN! has been implemented on two ships of the fleet, Costa Fascinosa and Costa Deliziosa, committed to international routes (from Europe, through South America to China). The official launch was held around December 2019 and January 2020.

COSTA Crociere Group is the leading Italian tour operator and worldwide leader in the cruise sector. Part of Carnival Corporation & plc, to Costa Group belongs Costa Crociere and AIDA Cruises brands.

Costa Crociere, Headquartered in Genoa (Italy), has a total of 15 ships in service and has just launched a new vessel powered by liquefied natural gas – Costa Smeralda – and will launch the sister-ship – Costa Toscana – in 2021.

IDEA

Starting from the Costa Crociere brand positioning and specific market research on the retail on board, DINN! studied and conceived a new retail experience based on positive values such as sharing, stability balance, warmth and happiness to provide an active involvement of customers through a sensorial experience, with an easy-self approach.

DINN! has been actively involved in the whole process, with an agile approach, starting from site surveys with onboard inspections to observe the local environment and organizing workshop activities to allow unique interactive cooperation. Together with Starboard Cruise Services, we have done an analysis of every element highlighting the commercial rules of the retail world and focused on both product positioning codes and suitable lighting logics following exhibition retail characters.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: A LUNA PARK ON THE SEA

The LUNA PARK landscape design concept has been conceived to fully respect the ship environment and scenario improving the overall cruise retail experience.

This concept has been enhanced through specific design and graphic codes (such as tone of voice, typical colors, dedicated communication) used to guarantee contents and space allocation flexibility with the idea of stealing a smile to customers. DINN! decided to create and use a unique language, born from the union of “Luna park codes” and nautical alphabet inspired by the colors of the sea.

The new retail BRAND IDENTITY has been conceived by DINN! thinking of a memorable and accessible identity for all customers who will be welcomed, entertained and gratified in an emotional atmosphere. They will take advantage of the exclusive customized offers created after a deep analysis of their needs, highlighting a “value for money” perception with guaranteed price competitiveness (compared to ashore offering).

 

The tone of voice chosen for this project will increase the LunaPark identity, with a dedicated communication used to guarantee contents and space allocation flexibility and a design project to finalize the furniture in order to ensure the right product quantities.

“SHOPS GALLERIA”

The LUNA PARK of Costa Crociere, named “Shops Galleria”, offers to guests a jump in a lively land. A land made of warmth and sharing that will embrace them in a new emotional way of doing shopping.

We designed “Shops Galleria”, following the whole onboard communication in terms of visual codes and naming, as a very versatile space able to change following temporary exhibition and brand seasonality logics. To improve the retail experience onboard, we have focused on customer flows, type of brand and physical positioning of product categories.

CATEGORIZATION OF PRODUCTS

Surprise and curiosity will bring cruisers to explore the whole space through a specific categorization of products:

-Strong engagement categories with high visibility to attract the customer

-Less visited categories: place them near more attractive categories to push the customer to visit also these ones

-Categories that require more privacy could be located inside areas

Cruisers will be amazed by a lively and involving setting: shapes, communicative messages, perfumes and sounds will wrap them. The physical and digital window display will catch their attention from outside and will allow them to browse inside the store to start their emotional journey taking advantage of the exclusive dedicated offers.

By entering into each store, the wall communicative messages will help to guide customers through different product areas attracting them using an “emotional text” to explain the benefits belonging to that specific category. Thanks to screens located in each area, all could have the possibility to view emotional videos designed to give more value and share additional content about that specific product category and related offering.

Near the communication panels, through the usage of particular elements inspired by the design concept, we could catch the attention of customers with a small dedicated exhibition of selected products of the area (such as small versions of carousels). From here, the customer could start his journey by exploring the space through the wall exhibition or mobile islands and discovering the whole offering.

ZONING

One of the pillars of this retail design project has been the importance to maintain a strong internal visibility of the store, from outside. With the aim to increase customers’ attraction and involvement, this is represented by a particular system of mobile opening wall modules that allow a complete vision of the whole space, even during closure time.

All product areas show space continuity and specific design elements located among the various categories in order to ensure consistency through different zones.

Together with Starboard Cruise Services, we focused on both product positioning codes and suitable lighting logics following exhibition retail characters as the final presentation of the product represents a fundamental requirement.  We have studied and applied different lighting retail logics for each product category, using specific high-quality lighting technology (for example, we have used backlights for sunglasses and small spotlights to give importance to jewelry).

DINN! made a detailed analysis of each color and material to create an impacting environment but in continuity with the whole context, also to avoid similarities with some elements related to specific campaigns.

 

Highlighting the commercial logics of the retail world, instead of giving importance to a single brand, we’ve created simple communication panels with a black logo on a white background: in this way, colors, size and quantities are main design drivers to focus on.

All the areas are accessible to customers: only those prestigious articles, included in a “Premium Area”, are separated from the major visibility and available only after a private request to the Staff.

DESIGN CODES: THE CAROUSELS

One of the stronger and attractive codes we have realized related to the concept and reference landscape, standing out within the context, are the carousels. To emphasize the carousels we have reduced the colors of whole furniture elements by choosing a “low tone of voice” for the totality of space highlighting the accent on each designed fixed carousel.

Each Carousel, as well as living inside the store, is present also in other areas in permanent and mobile mode.

THE PERMANENT ISLAND

The “permanent island” is used for promotional purposes, such as countdown for special sales campaigns, in order to attract more clients as possible only in that specific strategic point on the ship: mainly near Grand Bar.

 

 

 

THE MOBILE ISLAND

In addition to the permanent element, we have designed a new mobile format represented by a temporary pop-up element able to go around and stop at strategic locations (f.e. near the swimming pool to expose related products such as sunglasses, cosmetics…) to connect products for sale at the surrounding space using a range of different communication and exhibition systems.

Mobile island would showcase the daily treats available at the shops onboard for the guests to indulge in, always with the special advisory of the Staff, as well as invite them to events meant to enrich their cruising experience. According to each planned itinerary, some products can change their assortment depending on the visited location to respect local habits and cultures.