Flooring The Consumer

Friday, November 02, 2007

Bathroom Blogfest Brings It Home to Retail

Day 5 of the Bathroom Blogfest and it's time to bring it home. In this instance, home to retail.

To address that with expert perspective, I'm delighted to welcome back to the Bathroom Blogfest my friend Lisa A. Contreras, Senior Associate, Retail Group Resource Director at MANCINI DUFFY ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, located in New York City.

Lisa specializes in retail design. She contributed Bloomingdales Bathroom Makeover to the 2006 Bathroom Blogfest. Here she focuses on bathrooms from the design perspective.

Bathrooms are the most intimate of spaces.

We feel that bathrooms are an important part of the selling experience for all retailers. These often viewed as "back of the house" areas should always be considered an opportunity for the retailer to reinforce the brand and identity of the store.

This can be accomplished by creating an environment that reflects the beliefs of the retailer. It goes without saying that all toilets should be clean, functional, well lit and safe, but if retailers don't take the opportunity to go beyond function, the customer will be disappointed. The overall look of the bathrooms should reflect that of the retailer.

As an example, our Bloomingdales client reinforces brand identity by carrying their signature black elements and level of style into the restrooms. Bloomingdales also understands what their customer needs and offers seating lounge areas for easy waiting, baby changing areas and, most recently, family restrooms with easy chairs for nursing mothers.

Beyond the obvious decisions that reflect the environment -- like is it marble or ceramic tile? painted or wallcovered? -- I believe that how the customer views the experience guides the choices of amenities and toilet functions.

There are many schools of thought regarding amenities of all toilets. Just consider the sink area...... Are there paper towels or just airdry? Are the towels in plain view or retrieved from a dispenser? Is the garbage visible or is it a simple cut out in the counter top? Are the faucets automatic or do they need a personal touch? What type of soap dispenser is used? Is it visible? Are the sinks undermounted or top mounted? Is the counter granite, plastic laminate, or something else? How is the lighting? Does it highlight the person as they stand at each sink or is it general lighting? The questions are endless, but each decision represents how the the retailer has viewed the customer and in turn how the customer has viewed the retailer, even sub-consciously.

What about the toilet stalls? Are the toilets separated by laminated partitions that you can see feet under? Are the toilets individual compartments with floor to ceiling drywall partitions? Are there hooks for shopping bags and purses? Are the toilets self-flush or automatic? Is there a seat guard dispenser or automatic or none at all? What does the toilet paper dispenser look like? Is it positioned comfortably? Is the door hardware polished metal or satin? Are the doors louvered, or solid...full height or shorter to view feet?

What about the men's room? Are the urinals separated by a partition or is it open? Are the urinals automatic flush or self flush? Most men's rooms stalls have doors which stop short of the floor to help ensure the safety of all customers....has the consumer ever thought about that?

Is there a lounge area? Is there a make-up area? Is there baby change? Is there a family toilet room?

There are many decisions that a designer must assess when continuing the client's brand identity and how the retailer reflects the needs of the customer and of the brand. The customer comes in contact with each element and their expectations should be matched.

In my experience, "Stalls of Shame" are typically ones that are not clean and not functional. Every retailer should keep whatever environment that they have created in the most "tiptop" clean shape. If extra staff is required, then that is the attention to detail that the retailer should be reminded of. No matter how beautiful the space, if it's not kept clean, then the retailer has wasted money!!!

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Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Bathroom Blogfest and Measurement

Measurement originally uploaded by thespacesuitcatalyst.

Day 4 of the Bathroom Blogfest. The focus today is on Measurement.

After all, it's important to understand how strongly people feel about the bathroom experience as well as evaluate how well the bathroom itself measures up to expectations.

Let's start with America's Best Restroom Award from Cintas. In describing the award, Cintas says:

"The reality is that public restrooms matter to the public. The way a business or building treats its facilities is a reflection of its operating standards.

In one recent survey, more than 75% of respondents said they would not return to a restaurant if the restrooms were not well kept."

Powerful words!

The award has been in place since 2002. You can view the Best Restroom Hall of Fame and also take the Cintas survey to contribute your view on the bathroom experience!

In the United Kingdom, it's the Loo of the Year Award. [Also check out the Wikipedia entry for Loo of the Year Award.] Introduced in 1987, its goal is to "focus the spotlight on 'away from home' toilets throughout the UK.... to encourage the highest possible standards in all types of 'away from home' or public toilets. ...Everyone has a shared responsibility to make this happen - toilet providers, managers, washroom suppliers, contractors, staff, visitors and customers - all toilet users."

With fifty seven separate Awards categories, bathrooms from anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are eligible. The award received 1500 entries for 2007; winners will be announced in December.

I'm grateful to Joe Moran and his 3/12/07 article The secrets of indoor shopping for the lead. By the way, his article offers a fascinating view on the evolution of malls in the UK with the largest growth in retail construction since 1991 taking place in urban centers. Interestingly, loitering in the new malls is purposely discouraged simply by offering no seats. Seems counterintuitive to me, especially in a world gravitating toward lifestyle centers. You'll note interesting contrasts between British and U.S. retail habits, and references to Paco Underhill.

About the ladiesrooms, he says: "The toilets in the new malls seem intentionally out of the way, forcing you to pass as many window displays as possible. The signs steer you subtly around corners and into less accessible areas.... (Arndale's new loos are all chrome and marble surrounds - worthy winners at the Loo of the Year Awards 2006.) Essential bodily functions are well catered for in the modern mall; inessential ones, like having to sit down, less so."

Take the notion of measuring and evaluation the bathroom experience in a city and place it into a mobile context. The result? MizPee. "MizPee finds the closest, cleanest toilet and gives you entertaining reading material once you get there. Since the service is cell phone-based, it's always with you, when you really need it." Start with San Francisco, though. Anywhere else and you're on your own for now. [Thank you David Polinchock!]

The experience is just as important to university students. Writing on 5/2/05, in Wash U. bathrooms: a hidden science, Sarah Ulrey describes the WU Bathrooms website which evaluates campus bathrooms. You'll notice rankings for ambiance, cleanliness and facilities.

Finally, I spoke last week with George Badner, Sales Manager, from Downtown Carpet One Floor & Home located at 720 East Sprague Ave in Spokane, WA. He described a wonderful promotion his flooring store did this past summer called "The Ugly Bathroom Contest."

Summertime being such a slow time, it's perfect for experimenting, especially with something that the store owner had tried approx. 15 years ago - with success.

Downtown Carpet One Floor & Home is conveniently located next to Lite Rock KISS 98.1 FM which promoted the contest on its morning radio show this past June for approximately two weeks. July 2nd, George says, they picked a winner on the air. It was fantastic!

In the process, listeners sent in photos and emails, they dropped by the store, they stopped to talk about their projects, their bathrooms and their dreams. Kitchens and bathrooms get used everyday, says George. Converting these spaces into beautiful, user-friendly spaces radically improves someone's standard of living.

These photos are some of the uglier entries sent in. Oh, my!

I couldn't help but ask George about his store bathrooms. They sound beautiful with radiant heat - slate in the mensroom; off white floor and wall tiles in the ladiesrooms. They help generate conversation and ideas.

Do yours measure up? I hope so.

From Kate Rutter: Why I love my completely inefficient bathroom
From Sandy Renshaw: Wordless Wednesday: Hotel Bathroom in Chennai, India
From Katia Adams: The Bathroom Experience
From Kate Rutter: Office Bathrooms as key indicators of team culture
From Becky Carroll: Bathroom Blogfest: Luxury Disney
From Stephanie Weaver: Bathroom Blogfest: Special touches and attention to detail
From Anna Farmery: Bathroom Blogfest - Loo Must Be Joking!

Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:

Underground Potters 2007 Show and Sale

For those of you in the New York City area, especially in New Jersey, I invite you to visit the....

Underground Potters

Show & Sale

It takes place in 2 locations in Bergen County, NJ:

The Art School at Old Church located at 561 Piermont Road in Demarest, NJ from 11/3 through 11/17/2007

The Glen Rock Library located at 315 Rock Road in Glen Rock, NJ from 11/1 through 11/30/2007.

Come to the official reception

at The Art School at Old Church

on Saturday, 11/3, 2007 from 1pm to 3pm.

It's a fun time to meet the potters and ask them questions about their work.

The Underground Potters consist of 7 very talented potters who have been exhibiting together for the past four years:

Susan Bogen-Zarrabi

Allan Drossman

Itsuko Ishiguro

Ellen Mulligan

Sandy Pancrazi

Cynthia Shevelew

Ted Whittemore

They got their name from the location of the pottery studio at The Art School at Old Church [hint: it's underground] and have each refined an unique approach to clay.

You'll see a wide range of vessels, glazes, design effects and end use.

Disclaimer: my husband is an Underground Potter, and mighty talented if you ask me! These are some of his pieces.

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Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Bathroom Blogfest - More Extreme Solutions

Although we've already touched on some interesting Bathroom Blogfest 2007 - Extreme Solutions, I had a few more to share....

First, my absolute drop-dead favorite ladiesrooms experience ever took place this past May in Chicago during the Come Decorate From The Floor Up With Thom Filicia event.

The Field Museum bathroom redefines the bathroom experience. It welcomes visitors, immediately putting them at ease, surrounding them with convenience and culture. I have never encountered such zen-like calm in a public bathroom. My one regret is that there weren't nooks and crannies for sitting and relaxing in.

Look at the soothing aqua green/sky blue color scheme. Doesn't that dome capture the illusion of daylight sky and clouds?

When I took the photo above, I had this lovely exhibit to my back.

Doesn't it make tremendous sense to showcase artwork in the bathroom of a museum? And what a great choice of items [colors, shapes and media]. That plus the lighting really catches the eye.

Going back to the sink, water and soap dispense automatically.

Notice the hand drying section, a special alcove where several people can stand side by side.

Again, painted in that beautiful deep cerulean blue with great lighting.

The flooring material echoes the wall color scheme as well as the architectural elements [e.g., the dome above].

Now, notice the sign in the right hand side photo. By creating a Tot Area bathroom section - complete with child sized automatic sinks, dryers and toilets, the Field Museum communicates to its visitors - regardless of size - that they are important. How thoughtful and clued in to their customer base.

Extreme? Yes... Extremely well executed for moms with kids and women in general.

This next example also comes from Chicago [different trip]: Billy Goat Tavern

. You may remember it from the old Saturday Night Live Days with John Belushi. Or, perhaps you remember the infamous words "Cheezeborger, Cheezeborger, Coke no Pepsi, Cheeps no Fries"....

In any case, this was the real deal down to the fine historical patina covering walls and memorabilia.

In this extreme tavern, I loved that the Billy Goat theme was reinforced so consistently, even when it came to indicating where the bathrooms were.

Definitely in character. The bathrooms were nothing special, but they worked.

This last image comes from a bathroom in the Dallas airport. Although this may not fit your definition of 'extreme', it does mine as it represents extreme thoughtfulness and convenience. My reaction? Extreme

appreciation for not being forced to use the floor...

As you think through your retail experience, how does it match up? Are your bathrooms examples of extreme solutions? Or are they sources of extreme embarrassment?

Don't let a frightful Hallowe'en bathroom ruin your experience! Ubereye says it best: Don't forget the bathroom.

In recent Bathroom Blogfest posts, Maria Palma discusses The Toilet Paper Dilemma, Stephanie Weaver addresses Thoughtful Bathrooms, Susan Abbott takes us into Dining upscale casual and how this has improved the ladiesroom, and Kate Rutter issues her Bathroom Blogfest plan of attack in Blogging About Bathrooms.

Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:

Kate Rutter—Adaptive Path
Laurence Helene Borel—Blog Till You Drop
Iris Shreve Garrott—checking out and checking in
Susan Abbott—Customer Experience Crossroads
Maria Palma—Customers Are Always
Becky Carroll—Customers Rock!
Toby Bloomberg—Diva Marketing
Stephanie Weaver—Experienceology
Linda Tischler—Fast Company Now
C.B. Whittemore—Flooring the Consumer
Ed Pell—K+B DeltaVee
Helene Blowers—Library Bytes
Claudia Schiepers—Life and its little pleasures
Katie Clark—Practical Katie
Sandra Renshaw—Purple Wren
Reshma Anand—Qualitative Research
Marianna Hayes—Results Revolution
Carolyn Townes—Spirit Women
Sara Cantor—The Curious Shopper
Anna Farmery—The Engaging Brand
Dee McCrorey—The Ultimate Corporate Entrepreneur
Katia S. Adams—Transcultural

Don't forget to check the Bathroom Blogfest group site.

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Bathroom Blogfest 2007 - Extreme Solutions

Happy Hallowe'en!

Day 3 of the Bathroom Blogfest. Today, it's about Extreme Solutions.

Kelly Mooney introduces us to Kohler's Sexy Toilet Test-Drive and Jo the plumber who will show you how to flush just about anything... What a fun way to demonstrate the Kohler Class Five Flushing Technology! Go on, give it a try.

[When it comes to extreme bathroom technology, I can't help but think back fondly on Home Improvement. Remember the Binford series of products? What about the Man's Bathroom, complete with beer fridge, surround-sound TV, automated mouthwash dispenser, and 3000 watt mirror lights? Arghhhh.]

Holly Buchanan refers in This is why we love guys to a short film titled "Fast Crapper". No clip of the film, but the photo is extreme enough to have you howling.

Stephanie Weaver mentioned in Bathroom Blogfest Starts Today these two extreme solutions:
+ The House at "Poo" Corner, the Korean toilet-shaped house, built in support of a very serious organization.
+ Robyn McMaster from Brain Based Biz describes toilets in Chongqing, China in Creativity Stirs the Unexpected in Toilets. Her photos supplement Stephanie's, and her perspective after 6 weeks in Chongqing definitely highlights extremes.

From the 07/13/07 Wall Street Journal comes China, Newly Fastidious, Spiffs Up Public Restrooms by Mei Fong. It's a fascinating description of plumbing, conservation, social mores, and modernization. And don't forget numbers. We forget how many people live in China. [By the way, the Chongqing toilets described above reside in a four-story building: "a public porcelain palace, complete with soothing music and more than 1,000 toilets and urinals spread out over 30,000 feet." Wow!] How's this for a quote: "Ultimately, toilets are a competitive edge of a nation." Imagine, then, what they are for a retailer?

From Kris Hoet of 'Cross The Breeze comes I need to go. Imagine a virtual ladiesrooms experience... to sell internet banking. [Bedankt, Kris. This is pricelessly extreme! The French version captures the humour, too.]

Rivkin & Associates' The Naming Newsletter lists in Naming Portable Toilets: Tanks a Lot the top names. New Jersey's seems pretty tame compared to Louisiana's or Florida's.

If you're not sure how carefully to monitor your bathrooms, Jonathan Trivers in the 02/19/2007 issue of FCW describes in "Home Depot: Stop completing the dream" a reason to make it a priority:

"Bob had to use the restroom at Home Depot. However, someone had smeared the toilet seat with glue and Bob got stuck on the seat, on the toilet, in the men's restroom in Home Depot in Boulder, Colo. He cried for help for 15 minutes, and employees did not respond. Bob is not taking this sitting down; he is suing Home Depot."

Finally, from Cool Hunting, check out how a company promotes its laxatives in a bus shelter in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Extreme solutions. Extreme examples. They capture the imagination and get one thinking about bathrooms as a competitive edge.

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Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:
Kate Rutter—Adaptive Path
Laurence Helene Borel—Blog Till You Drop
Iris Shreve Garrott—checking out and checking in
Susan Abbott—Customer Experience Crossroads
Maria Palma—Customers Are Always
Becky Carroll—Customers Rock!
Toby Bloomberg—Diva Marketing
Stephanie Weaver—Experienceology
Linda Tischler—Fast Company Now
C.B. Whittemore—Flooring the Consumer
Ed Pell—K+B DeltaVee
Helene Blowers—Library Bytes
Claudia Schiepers—Life and its little pleasures
Katie Clark—Practical Katie
Sandra Renshaw—Purple Wren
Reshma Anand—Qualitative Research
Marianna Hayes—Results Revolution
Carolyn Townes—Spirit Women
Sara Cantor—The Curious Shopper
Anna Farmery—The Engaging Brand
Dee McCrorey—The Ultimate Corporate Entrepreneur
Katia S. Adams—Transcultural

Don't forget to check the Bathroom Blogfest group site.

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Brand Manifestations In The Bathroom: Advertising

Up to this point, we've looked at deliberately manifesting one's own brand within the bathroom, to reinforce a branded retail experience or brand expression.

First, with M&Ms, then Bass Pro Shop, and Mickey Mouse.

In this post, I flip the mirror around and examine Advertising manifestations in bathrooms - in other words promoting someone else's brand in ladiesrooms.

The first example - Addirect - originally comes from a December 2006 article in POP Times by Tim Sprinkle titled "Wash and Watch. A new technology flashes a series of ads on nightclub bathroom mirrors." Unfortunately, I couldn't locate a digital copy of the article, but if you visit Addirect's website you can experience the AddMirror effect yourself.

Managing director, Ben Grant, explains: "... because the product is a much higher-end washroom advertising tool, we're now taking on brands who wouldn't normally advertise in a washroom.... It paints a much prettier image of an advertisement when it's in a very high-tech mirror..."

According to the article, New York City can expect up to 300 AddMirror venues by the end of 2007... "Ads can be set to appear at random, in a storyboard sequence or in a mix with several different brand messages. Up to six images can be stored in the mirror at one time...."

Luckily, there's still enough free space on the mirror to see yourself.

David Polinchock comes through again with adfreak: Piss-Screen debuts, sadly lacks multiplayer. This particular concept [a game called "Peed For Speed" represents an ad for a taxi service. You can view the YouTube below or click Piss-Screen video. I wonder how effective it's been!

Now, I realize that Charmin's Times Square Toilets, Open for Flushing from 11/20/06 represents a dated story. However, it happened AFTER the 2006 Bathroom Blogfest and captures an amazing Brand Manifestation. Plunging into Experiential Marketing from 05/27/07 recounts the experience as does Cha-cha-Cha Charmin which even details the lyrics of the very catchy cha cha cha...Charmin on YouTube or click below.

Finally, consider Branded Restrooms: What's Next for Virginia's Rest Stops? for an overview of the advertising experiments and possibilities to manifest brands within the nation's bathrooms.

The lesson here is hurry up and manifest your brand in your bathrooms, otherwise someone else will and you'll no longer own your bathroom space!
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The latest Bathroom Blogfest posts include:
+ Bathroom Blogfest Stall of Shame
+ Don't Miss Bathroom Blogfest
+ Taking the brand into the bathroom, and other blogfest items
+ A family bathroom for a family restaurant

Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:

Don't forget to check the Bathroom Blogfest group site.

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Bathroom Brand Manifestations: Mickey Mouse

No discussion of brand manifestations - especially in a Bathroom Blogfest - can be complete without Mickey Mouse.

After all, I Have Met The Mouse and I see the Mouse everywhere. Don't you think that I have signs of Bathroom Brand Manifestations relating to Mickey Mouse?

I do.

And, having addressed Bathroom Brand Manifestations involving M&M's and Bass Pro Shop, it's definitely time to turn to the Disney Yacht Club Resort in Orlando to visit with Mickey Mouse.

Lovely bathroom, isn't it? I thought so. I thought the grey striped wallpaper worked well with the marble counter top and the white sink bowl.

In the bath area, I immediately saw this bath stuff 'arrangement.' I particularly like the strong Mickey Welcome message with the playful graphic of Mickey's eyes, nose and partial ear.

Hard to see, but the soap has Mickey embossed on it and the bottles have a white Mickey outline.

Interestingly, if it weren't for the bold, contrasting Mickey welcome sign, the effect wouldn't be as noticeable or as welcoming.

Although the tub display above is what caught

my eye initially, when I washed my hands, I saw this other Mickey Welcome sign and two
fantastic coasters.

Aren't they engaging? No surprise, they came home with me.

As you've seen with M&M's and Bass Pro Shop, Bathroom Brand Manifestations are powerful. Take your brand and make sure that you express it even in the bathrooms. Not only will you convey that you pay strong attention to details, but also that your brand never stops making an impression and creating an experience.

Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:

Bathroom Brand Manifestations: Bass Pro Shops

Earlier this year, when I spent ten days in Dallas, I visited the Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine, Texas.

What an amazing outdoor emporium, filled with animal dioramas, fish tanks, boats, a snack bar, a fly shop, golf driving range, hunting paraphernalia, sports gear or anything else you might need. No wonder it has a hotel connected to it!

What impressed me was the attention paid to details throughout the store - starting in the parking lot - to reinforce the Bass Pro Shop brand and the impressive commitment to all things outdoor. Coyotes, rabbits, cougars and armadillos carved out of wood grace the front entrance. Within, a three-dimensional lake still-life greets visitors.

The details abound. Even in the bathrooms!

Continuing, then, with M&M Bathroom Brand Manifestations, let's explore how Bass Pro Shop manifests its brand in the ladiesrooms.

Look at the handle to the ladiesrooms door. Note the door plate and animal motif. Notice the rough hewn door - appropriate for an outdoorsy themed place.

Step inside the bathroom.

Not only are there plenty of sinks and stalls, but the overall effect is quite elegant, with individual white pedestal sinks. Note that the rough hewn wood detail gets repeated in the [plentiful] trash receptacles conveniently placed under the paper towel dispensers.

The stall doors echo the trash bin details, with the wonderful addition of hammered tin inserts. This creates a color contrast with the wood as well as textural contrast for the eyes and the hands.

Note the flooring and wall tile details, too.

The walls are particularly enchanting as they include these special fish details: peacock bass and a grouping of sunfish and walleye [yes, a little crooked] by the diaper deck sign.

Someone put thought, humour and care into all of these details, not only creating a more fun bathroom experience, but also bringing the adventure and learning within the store to a space that otherwise gets ignored.

To highlight how smart this is, note this wonderful wall painting in the fishing area with the caption "Free the Fighter." Can you feel the strong emotions of the scene? A kid with his or her grandfather, learning about fishing responsibly. Sharing a tradition.

This area also features an elaborate aquarium where many of the fish featured in the ladiesrooms can be seen swimming. Doesn't it make you want to go fishing and experience it all firsthand?

I was impressed with this store, with the number of interactive displays capturing the attention and curiosity not just of the avid sportsperson, but of accompanying children and less engaged adults. Details, down to a 'gone fishing' sign to indicate that a checkout lane was closed, delight and bring the brand to life.

As you see in the bathrooms, Bass Pro Shops wastes no opportunity to engage its visitors in its brand and in its experience.

Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:

Bathroom Brand Manifestations:M&Ms

Day Two of the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest.

Yesterday, it was about Taking Bathrooms To The Next Level with Kohler, and into flight, in support of conservation and into the future, and then to new flooring levels...

Today, it's about Brand Manifestations in bathrooms -- a very rich topic!

To start the day, Marianne Cone, Marketing Director for Wear-Dated and Ultron, contributes the following:

When C.B. invited me to participate in this year's Bathroom Blogfest I was skeptical. I was a little like the men Stephanie Weaver referred to in her October 29, 2006 posting, “Bathroom Blogfest Begins" with their “you’re a weirdo” looks.

I also wondered where I might find inspiration as public restrooms are definitely not places I like to visit. I’ve been known to walk blocks, or drive miles out of the way to find a bathroom to my liking! But, I thought, what the heck – I travel nearly every week so surely there would be inspiration out there somewhere.

Sure enough my first stop was the ‘Big Apple’ where I ventured into the M&M store at Times Square. Immediately, upon entering the store, I was bombarded with sensory overload: a riot of color at every turn – plain and peanut M&M’s in

every conceivable color stored in six foot clear glass cylinders. Branded merchandise available in every form you can think of, and then some. Music…..loud music. And did I mention the aroma of chocolate wafting throughout the store? Ahhhh, the sweet scent of indulgence.

The M&M brand is everywhere – from book bags to pencils, clothes to coffee cups, and everything in between, including the M&M “brand” of Lady Liberty. There is even a race car with an outstanding example of co-branding: M&M’s and NASCAR! Indeed, had I wanted to purchase something other than M&M’s as a reminder of my trip to the Times Square M&M store, I simply needed to reach out an arm.

In this bastion of branding it suddenly struck me that I would surely find a wonderful example for the Bathroom Blogfest. There was no doubt in my mind this retailer would reach beyond the retail sales floor to take advantage of the few minutes spent in the bathroom to connect the M&M brand with shoppers. So I set about finding the bathroom - three flights of escalators past even more branded merchandise - and I see a small sign in the shape of a brown M&M pointing to the restrooms.

As I approached I was thinking of all the ways the brand might be extended to the restrooms… I couldn’t wait to see how the M&M brand would be manifested… Large primary colored M&M’s on the walls perhaps? M&M buttons on the water fixtures? I knew it would be clever, and I was certain it would call out to the small shoppers who frequent the bathrooms of every establishment they enter.

As I turned the corner, I stopped short. There it was... Nothing. No M&M signage other than a bit of color on the stall doors – everything else was stark white. No branding whatsoever – nothing. The M&M store restroom certainly provided for basic human needs in a clean environment, but what a missed opportunity to extend the brand to all aspects of this fun retail experience!

If you’ve been to Times Square you know the Hershey Store right across the street from the M&M store. I'm not sure which store came first in that particular geography, but -I thought to myself- if M&M’s was first, Hershey most certainly would have done their retail surveillance and taken the chance to out-do the competition.

So away I went across the street in search of a retailer who had seized the opportunity to extend a well known and loved brand to the bathroom. Upon entering the store and after looking around for a few minutes to take in the essence of the store, I asked to be directed to the bathroom.

Imagine my surprise and amazement when told, “There is no public access to our restrooms.” What are they thinking at Hershey? On a hot, sticky afternoon in New York City, this store was a cool retreat from the crowded, steamy sidewalks that characterize a summer afternoon in Time Square. Access to a bathroom would most certainly prolong the stay and “extend the spend” of shoppers…especially those with children. How much revenue is lost from shoppers who hurry up the Hershey experience in order to find a restroom?

Missed opportunity? Yes. Missed revenue? Definitely.

Thanks, Marianne!

My take on this? Stay true to your brand. If you have a playful brand, be sure to extend that playfulness to every aspect of your branded store experience.

And, if you want your customers to linger and come back to visit you again [hint: that's how they will spend more money in your store], be sure to offer them a bathroom. And, then, make sure your bathroom manifests your brand!

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The latest postings on 'ladiesrooms' include:
+ Bathroom Blogfest: The Disney Experience
+ For a Better Experience, This Is the One Thing a Restroom Should Have

Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:

Dee McCrorey—The Ultimate Corporate Entrepreneur
Katia S. Adams—Transcultural

Don't forget to check the Bathroom Blogfest group site.

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Monday, October 29, 2007

Taking Bathrooms To The Next Level: Michigan Tile & Carpet

And, now, it's time to take flooring bathrooms to the next level!

Michelle Burnett, our Wear-Dated Representative in Michigan excitedly told me last week about Michigan Tile & Carpet in Battlecreek, Michigan and their bathroom which -she says - is sooooooo cool!

I love enthusiasm, especially around bathrooms and particularly around flooring bathrooms, so I followed up with Ashley Kipp at Michigan Tile & Carpet. Oh, my!

Isn't this a spectacular bathroom! Doesn't it give new meaning to ladiesrooms experience and taking that to a new level?

Here is how Ashley describes the space:

"For centuries, glass tile has been one of the prime materials that fuses art with architecture. In Michigan Tile & Carpet's Design Center Restroom, we sought to create a modern yet stately space. Classic architectural details -with a twist- are represented by the glass block column lighting fixtures.

Modern attributes consist of the Polished Porcelain floor and wall tile, along with the bright orange glass tile counter top and mirror frame.

The back lit tempered glass lavatory bowl is the finishing touch giving the total space a translucent and sparkling feeling."

Materials used:
+ Floor and Walls: 24x24" Polished Porcelain by Laufen
+ Lighting fixtures mounted inside Glass Block columns
+ Counter top and Mirror Border: Florida Tile Orange Glass tiles.

I asked Ashley what kind of response the bathroom has generated from consumers. She says:

"Christine, our customers love, love, love the bathroom. I believe that the bathroom has a big city feel, and - coming from a small town- we hope that it inspires our customers to think outside the box for their own projects.

We don't often redo our bathrooms, but we make sure that they are modern and tasteful so they don't date quickly."

Next time you are near Battle Creek, Michigan, visit Michigan Tile & Carpet at 99 E. Columbia Ave. [tel: 269-962-6227] and be inspired by a bathroom that truly takes the experience to the next level!

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The latest today, from David Polinchock: Welcome to the Bathroom Blogfest.

Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are: