Chapter 13: The Interlink between Sensorial and Meaning Properties of a Retail Design and Brand Assets: A Comparison of Three Grocery Store Designs

In order to design a commercially effective store, an understanding of the retailer and brand is necessary. Van Tongeren [1] confirms this by describing the design of a store as: ‘a creative representation of the interplay of the rational and emotional elements of the brand and its formula’ (p. 12). Van Tongeren further continues that a deep understanding of how the brand works and what consumers expect from a brand is required from designers.

To be able to create such an effective design, however, this challenge does not solely lie with designers. More and Lochhead [2] stated that the parties involved in the design of a retail environment (i.e. retailers, marketers and designers) should bring their specific point-of-views and expertise to the table and should work together in interpreting, translating and transforming the needs of the market into a retail design. More recently, Quartier [3] reaffirmed the task of retailers, marketers, retail designers, communication designers and all others involved to work together in an effort to create a congruent translation of the retailers' unique identity into the physical store.