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It’s that time of year again, retailers everywhere are pulling out all the stops to entice shoppers into their stores. Wherever we look in December, we'll see hundreds of shops trying to outcompete each other with their Christmas displays.
One thing is for sure, having a seasonal theme and fun décor can bring positive attention to any store. If you’re looking to help your business stand out from the crowd during the holidays, retail display props are one of the most effective ways to do so.
From toy soldiers to snowmen and reindeers, there are many popular Christmas props around, the only limit is your imagination.
Why Christmas Display is Important
Retail displays and mannequins play a major role in inspiring customers to buy, even if they’re not exactly sure what they want. Christmas props help make the customers more in a holiday-like state of mind when shopping, thus engaging them emotionally. These props can come in many forms, from deers and snowmen to festive signs or giant baubles. However, you need to be careful with the festive cheer. Your holiday-themed decorations should never be overpowering or tacky. When planning your Christmas display, you need to make sure that it's aligned with your shop aesthetics and brand personality. Ralph Lauren's Christmas shop window display (below) is a great example of this harmony between the festive elements and the brand positioning.
The Use of Scented Candles and Essential Oils
Once, you've planned your Christmas display, you can complement the visual appeal by using festive scents. Diffusing strategically chosen fragrances at customer touchpoints is called ‘scent marketing’. The right fragrance will increase sales by creating a unique customer experience. Utilising scents is particularly useful during the festive season. Retailers have become well-versed in how well-placed scented candles or essential oils can help shoppers relax and enjoy their festive shopping experience.
You can use either aroma diffuser or scented candles. If you choose to use candles, consider placing them on a stand that complements their colour.
Delivery Truck Decorations
Although it’s not very common in the UK, US retailers traditionally deck out their delivery trucks with festive lights to get shoppers excited about Black Friday. Why not use Christmas decorations to deck out your own delivery truck as a clever way to advertise your retail store? Your customers will see you’re serious about holiday sales and are ready for business.
Christmas Display Prop Examples
We at Spur Creative have created props for various brands’ Christmas displays and promotions over the years. One of our most recent works was making 100 cork and wax seal Christmas decoration props for Moet & Chandon.
These were to be hung from the stunning Christmas tree at Somerset House (picture below).
Another Christmas display prop we made this year was this stack of giant Christmas presents for our client Selfie Factory. The gift boxes have been designed to provide a selfie opportunity for bypassers.
Utilising props as a photo opportunity has become increasingly popular since the advance of social media marketing. This is because consumers posting their selfies on social media can help the brand go viral by 'word of mouse'.
Another Christmas display we have recently worked on was the aforementioned Ralph Lauren's Christmas window display. We have sculpted a variety of giant Christmas sweets and glitter lollipops to create a sleek festive look for our high-end client.
