In the Philippines, not many are familiar with the idea of a pop-up event or store. It is a little known concept that is becoming popular in some parts of the world, particularly in the US and the UK. Filipino businessmen can make use of this idea for marketing. Yes, a pop-up event or shop can be an effective way to promote a business.
Pop-up Event/Shop Overview
Trendwatching.com claims to be the one responsible for coining the terms “pop-up retail” and “pop-up shop” more than a decade ago. Since pop-up retail stores were created, there have been no signs of the trend slowing down. Many are using the idea in lieu of traditional marketing.
The main idea of a pop-up store is to pop up at some unexpected venue one day and disappear a day or weeks later. A space may become a store that offers samples one day and transform into a cocktail party venue the next day. It’s like a retail store version of a flash mob. The term pop-up event, on the other hand, involves more than just the sale of items. It includes other activities like a yoga class, an art workshop, mini-seminar, or tutorials.
Pop-up stores and events are a great way to sell or market seasonal products such as costumes for Halloween, Christmas decorations, and fireworks. Even major brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Colette, and Kate Spade have used pop-up stores for some of their campaigns.
In the Philippines, perhaps the most prominent example of a pop-up store type of marketing is the one conducted by online retailer Zalora Philippines. Just a few months ago, Zalora opened a pop-up store in EDSA Shangri-La Mall.
Proof of Success with a Pop-up Event
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a prominent Filipino entrepreneur’s example of finding success with a pop-up event – yet. However, an American, Alex Estrada, has a great story worth sharing. Her story may not be Filipino but there is essentially no difference in what she has achieved in the US and what can be similarly achieved in the Philippines.
Alex Estrada has a passion for terrariums and she wanted to turn this passion into a business venture. Her plan: helping others in creating their own home gardens. Estrada decided to have a blog and an online store through which she can connect with her followers and potential customers. To launch her business, she thought of making things less conventional. She turned to doing a pop-event consisting of a yoga class and a workshop on succulent plants and building terrariums.
The event became a complete success. It did not only serve as a launching date for her business and blog, she also automatically elevated her brand awareness. She did not expect that she would already start getting online orders after the event. She also enjoyed generous amounts of social media love.
It would be very easy to duplicate this kind of success in the Philippines. It’s just important to pick the right timing and the right venue.
Preferred Venues for Holding a Pop-up Event
A pop-up event is preferably held in places that are easily accessible to people. Empty spaces in malls, temporarily closed shops, vacant spots in some stores, and even abandoned buildings would be great options. With the help of the Internet, finding a great spot shouldn’t be difficult. If you are looking for high quality rental spaces, FlySpaces offers a great range of choices.
If you are involved in the business of selling musical instruments and offering music lessons, for example, you can organize a music workshop where you can introduce your services while providing participants free lessons and the opportunity to examine the range of musical instruments you have available. You can rent a contemporary function room in Makati or find other spaces more accessible for your target clients in other convenient locations.
Even without a well-documented pop-up event in the Philippines, it’s easy to see the point of using one for business promotions. Carefully thought out pop-up events and stores can quickly raise brand awareness especially among the target customers. They may entail some expenditures but the results are usually very favorable.