Apple Builds Buzz, Inspires Customers on 5th Avenue

Retailers bring their A-Game to 5th Avenue, New York City’s premier retail corridor. From the timeless classic Tiffany & Co. and the dark, foreboding Abercrombie & Fitch to the chi-chi minimalism of Salvatore Farragamo and the swoosh of Nike Town—docking your flagship at 5th makes a statement to the world.

Apple knew this when it opened its underground store in front of the GM building. The store gives nerds customers, 24/7 access to the Apple experience and builds buzz.

Apple filmed its first day of existence to extend buzz online. Each hour is condensed into time-lapsed clips and made available for viewing.

PSFK points us to one savvy, romantic Apple geek fan, that staked out an hour-long spot in front of the store to propose to his then girlfriend (Lets assume she said yes). The couple gets a great story to tell to their kids and Apple gets even more buzz for its brand and its new store. Check out the 05:00 film to see the tender moment unfold.

And while I am a bit partial, BusinessWeek covers the opening, further detailing the power of the built environment to build a brand (emphasis added).

Apple is opening what's likely to be considered its flagship store on May 19, the fifth anniversary of the announcement of plans to build a retail business. The timing hits home the message that Apple's strategy -- much criticized at the outset -- has been a success. Retail stores last year accounted for about 17% of sales, and consumers picked up some 609,000 Macs at retail stores around the world, to say nothing of iPods.

My hunch is that the proportion of total sales will grow as the result of this store alone. Consider this: Apple retail stores generate about $4,000 per square foot per year, said Ron Johnson, the Apple senior vice-president in charge of the retail operation, in remarks on the morning of the opening. This new store boasts 10,000 square feet, which suggests about $40 million in sales per year is an easily attainable goal.

How do you like them apples?

tags | fifth avenue | Apple store | advertising | marketing | brand | retail | retail design

Comments

[Ed Kohler]

This is exactly the kind of thing that makes Apple users so loyal. Who else would build a store like this? It does a great job reinforcing the Apple brand, while contributing to the bottom line. Stores like this likely pay for themselves, but also reinforce the brand, thus influencing purchases from other channels as well.