Aventura looks beyond retail in post-renovation rebrand

February 20, 2018

Aventura Mall's new campaign is running on digital signs. Image courtesy of King & Partners

After expanding its shopping center to include more hospitality, Florida’s Aventura Mall is rolling out a new marketing look that focuses first on experience.

The mall’s “A World to Discover” campaign presents itself as a place for more than shopping, highlighting dining and culture. Conceived by agency King & Partners, the effort reflects the future of retail, where the store and the shopping center offer more than commercial appeal.

"Aventura is embracing the shift from a retail centric environment to experience centric," said Tony King, CEO and creative director of King & Partners, New York.

"You don’t just go to the mall to buy products anymore," he said. "You can go to look at art, to eat, to relax."

New look
Aventura Mall, located in a suburb of Miami, recently constructed a 315,000-square-foot addition.

Creating a social and cultural environment, the new three-floor wing includes areas for art installations and events in a design that intends to blend the indoors and outdoors. As malls struggle to attract foot traffic, developers are thinking beyond retail to differentiate themselves as a destination (see story).

Aventura's expansion includes a slide. Image credit: Aventura Mall

Among the features of the new wing are art pieces such as a 93-foot-tall slide by artist Carsten Höller and a sculpture by the Haas Brothers. There are also new dining options in the wing’s Treats Food Hall, including pizzeria Figs by Todd English, burger joint Shake Shack, Luke’s Lobster, Häagen Dazs and Hawaiian-style eatery Poké 305.

"Aventura wanted to signal change to the consumer around what was happening at the mall," Mr. King said.

"The new wing is designed by renowned architect Carlos Zapata, and features an 84-foot by 50-foot glass wall at the entrance," he said. "A 350-foot skylight runs the length of the wing, providing natural lighting and stunning views.

"Part of the expansion is a new level of dining. They wanted to communicate all of those things."

After discussing Aventura’s customer base, competitors and vision for the future, King & Partners developed a new brand identity for the mall.

A new logo, typeface and colors will be seen on everything from valet uniforms to the property itself and marketing collateral. These brand guidelines will also be carried over to Aventura’s magazines and stationery.

Aventura's rebrand includes new guidelines. Image courtesy of King & Partners

As part of the rebrand, King & Partners renamed Aventura’s new more than 7,000-square-foot VIP lounge Level Three. This space provides areas for television viewing and dining, as well as places for valued patrons to host meetings or private events.

Aventura is also debuting a new advertising campaign, which depicts some of the experiences consumers can have at its property. This will run in print, on billboards, as well as on digital and social media, inviting consumers to come explore its pillars of "culture, style, taste."

Aventura's A World to Discover campaign. Image courtesy of King & Partners

Rethinking retail
As ecommerce's popularity rises, the future of bricks-and-mortar luxury retail appears to lie in spaces that blend elements of shopping and experience to surpass the transaction.

Italian fashion house Gucci is embracing the growing trend of blending retail and hospitality with an upcoming opening.

The Gucci Garden opened from Jan. 9 in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria, inviting consumers to shop, dine and view installations. As retailers look to differentiate online and offline shopping, bringing in experiences that go beyond the commercial can help immerse consumers in a brand (see story).

Japanese beauty marketer Shiseido has opened its newly expanded store in Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood, which includes spaces for both cosmetic sales and brand experiences.

Newly rebranded Shiseido the Store, the boutique reopened Jan. 19 allows visitors to take part in workshops, seminars and photo shoots. Along with offering a central place for consumers to explore its products, Shiseido's flagship added more square footage to cater to consumers' increasingly diverse needs (see story).

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