[SYD14]

2014 Sydney Design Awards

Optus Sydney Flagship Store



Website

Winner 

Project Overview

As part of a national rebrand designed to celebrate the best of the past by redefining it for the future, Optus Singtel embarked on a redesign of their retail store experience to create the new YES concept.
The second-ranked mobile carrier worked with greater group to redefine the customer experience, introducing innovative design, interactive selling tools and communications to deliver an experiential store.
As part of a 300 store rollout, George Street is the premier flagship in Sydney.

Project Commissioner

Optus Singtel

Project Creator

greater group

Team

GREATER GROUP
Global CEO: Neil Arrowsmith
Creative Director: Bob Angley
General Manager - Design: Chris Ballard
General Manager - Design Production: Max Durack
CEO Asia: Ryan Arrowsmith

OPTUS SINGTEL
Managing Director: Rohan Ganeson
VP Retail Transition: Phillip Wise
VP Retail Sales: Michele Garra
National Retail Development Manager: Adam Morris

Project Brief

Optus launched a different look in the market with a new logo, a new feel and a new way of speaking to customers in July 2013. This was the beginning of something big to deliver on the promise of yes – the very commitment their business was built on.
greater group's challenge was to redefine the customer experience in the retail stores, bringing to life the new brand identity and showcasing the improved customer experience.
The brief was to create an open smart and innovative store design where customers could experience the product through a series of zones.
We conducted a series of site visits to observe and analyse the existing store experience and design, mapping the customer journey, zoning and category management. In addition we commissioned market research where customers and staff were interviewed to gain additional insights into perceptions, experience and how people shop.

Project Innovation/Need

With the launch of the new brand we made the bold move to brand the store YES rather than the traditional Optus, leading with the attitude of the brand and promise to its customers first.
With key brand principles of warm, simple and new, we created a design which was a quantum shift from the previous design and signified the changes inside and out.
SPACE: A simple and open design enabling both self navigation and consultation
TOUCH: Live product featured on all display tables and wall displays to encourage interaction
COMMUNICATIONS: Bold entry signage and lightboxes used to highlight brand messages which flow to digital screens throughout the zones to promote offers
MODULARITY: We created a modular wall merchandising system which reduced wet trades onsite during the fitout process and delivered full flexibility for merchandising changeout.
INTERACTIVITY: A series of interactive zones have been created to showcase live devices and digital signage.
SPEED: The success of a retail rollout is reducing downtime and loss of sales experienced during the fitout process. We have been able to achieve a significantly reduced onsite fitout time of just 14 days, saving 10 days from the previous design.

Design Challenge

The new brand was lighter and brighter and we wanted to replicate this in the look and feel of the store so all tables appear to float in the space through the use of clear glass bases and bold blue circular ceiling light features have been introduced to draw people through the space.
Flexibility was key to enable Optus to keep the store experience fresh, we designed a flexible wall display system to enable change of product, communications and merchandising including use of magnetic graphics and clip frame and signage systems.
With a national rollout, modularity is key to our design solutions, all joinery created is designed to work across all 5 formats in the Optus network.

Sustainability

greater group specialise in smart retail design which flows from concept to prototype, build and rollout seamlessly. As part of this project we produced a full prototype store in a factory for review and amendments. We focussed on ensuring 90% of this prototype was able to be reused in a site in NSW, reducing waste.
In addition building in flexibility and using durable materials like steel and corian has ensured the life of the stores is extended.
Where possible we worked our design around existing airconditioning units and sprinkler systems to reduce rework on site.
Overall wet trades like plastering and painting was reduced through in the introduction of our smart, modular wall system, delivering an overall fitout time of just 14 days.
LED lighting has been used throughout both the shopfront and interior lighting.




This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes and aesthetic presentation. Consideration given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.  


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