Alison Clegg, Director, Asset Management at Liverpool One, talks their Enlivenment Programme
What is the Enlivenment Programme?
Grosvenor’s Liverpool One Enlivenment Programme is a dedicated calendar of events, immersive activations, and interactive campaigns designed to engage Liverpool One’s visitors and attract people to the destination.
By investing in such activities, we’re able to ensure that Liverpool One is more than just a destination for retail, but an exciting, evolving hub for the community to revisit again and again.
What activations have been a part of it and how did they come about?
This year we have welcomed a vast and ambitious array of activations, catering to all our visitor demographics. Activities such as the innovative augmented reality campaign, Dinosaurs Unleashed, the ‘Summer of Champions’ grassroots sporting activities, and a giant slide connecting Liverpool One’s ground and first floors, are designed to effectively engage families visiting the destination.
Others have been developed as place-marking Instagrammable moments, including the picturesque In Bloom seating installation, and the ever-popular ‘Tickle the Ivories’ busking festival.
Activations as part of the Enlivenment Programme are always developed with the customer in mind, as well the latest social and cultural trends, and cutting-edge technologies.
Often, our activation plans also stem from our close and integrated relationship with the rest of the city. For example, this year, we hosted Liverpool’s Netball Fan Park, creating a hive of activity for those wishing to soak up the World Cup atmosphere. Held at Chavasse Park, games were publicly screened alongside a programme of live music, elite player appearances and Q&As.
Do you have more lined up?
Christmas is always a crucial time to engage with visitors in a fresh and creative way, and will form a key part of our upcoming Enlivenment Programme. Last year we unveiled the city’s tallest illuminated tree, and this year we’ll have a new family attraction on the park with additions to our much-anticipated Christmas illuminations that will wow visitors throughout the festive season. Looking forward, we also have big plans for Halloween and will be continuing our popular, Instagram-friendly floral installations into 2020.
Where did the idea for the Dinosaurs Unleashed campaign come from? What was the main goal for the campaign?
Dinosaurs Unleashed has been our most innovative enlivenment initiative to date.
The idea stemmed from our awareness of e-sports, gaming and virtual reality as trend, and we wanted to create a custom-designed experience which would bring exciting new dimension to Liverpool One. The campaign highlights how digital technology can be effectively harnessed to enhance and transform the bricks and mortar experience, and be a tool for measurement of success as well.
Aside from engaging and entertaining young visitors and families, a key goal was to increase footfall and in-turn boost sales. We’re thrilled to say that the campaign triggered a rise in footfall at Liverpool One by 3.3 per cent, as the UK average dropped by 4.6 per cent. Similarly, sales were up 4 per cent, exceeding the national average of 0.7 per cent for the campaign’s period.
Why do you think it was so popular amongst consumers? Was it more popular in specific demographics?
When planning activities such as this, it is crucial to consider factors such as timing and usability to package up the right experience for customers. We chose to launch Dinosaurs Unleashed during the school holidays to ensure maximum activity with local families.
The nature of the campaign unsurprisingly appealed to children and families, with the App downloaded over 20,000 times during the ten-week campaign, while the average user travelled 16.7 miles to Liverpool One to take part in the activation.
Did it have an observable positive impact on the retailers in Liverpool One?
The observed jump in footfall and sales was predominantly across the café, restaurant and toys sector, showing a clear correlation with the target audience of families.
Also, retailers who participated in the activation as a ‘dinosaur feeding station’ performed better than those who were not involved, again showing the direct, positive influence of the campaign on our tenants.
Is it a campaign you would run again? Is AR something you’re planning to do more with?
Given the proven success of Dinosaurs Unleashed, we would definitely invest in and execute an immersive campaign like this again, ensuring Liverpool One remains a leader in adopting new digital experiences. The competitive nature of the app meant that users were engaged for long period of time, while features of the app also encouraged return visitation to keep the dinosaurs fed and healthy, and prompted users to explore the destination and various retailers.
The worlds of virtual and augmented reality present endless opportunities for unique and imaginative experiences, which enhance everything Liverpool One already has to offer. As well, it’s testament to the power of physical-digital integration in retail.
