Display Dynamics: Picnic Time

Summer's end is near and those who weren't able to make it leisurely and filled with wonderful events are now rushing to cram a whole summer into a few event-filled weekends or a big Labor Day bash.

Memory Recall

When most people are asked "What shall we do this beautiful summer weekend?," the first thing that usually comes to mind is "Let's have a picnic." This reaction falls into the nostalgia trend, especially for Baby Boomers. I'm a Baby Boomer and picnics bring back some wonderful memories of my younger years. Picnics were the events where many of us got our first taste of freedom when we were allowed to run wild and go exploring with our cousins, siblings, or other kids. There was always one older kid who offered to take responsibility for you. "Don't worry!" was the phrase of the day as we'd secretly run down to the river to swing 50 feet out into the air on a rope swing.

Today's picnic-bound consumers will be combing your stores for ideas and items for an easy-to-create picnic memory. Retro picnic is a good place to start since endemic to picnics are lots of aesthetics that instantly evoke memories of gone-by people and places. You might reference some of these in your displays — the smell of driftwood burning at the beach, the taste of salt on your skin, the distinctive smells of suntan lotion mixed with the fragrance of barbecued hot dogs. Colors and prints are also part of a picnic. A small print in blue on nylon reminds me of maiden aunts who wore fitted dresses and hats to picnics while we were all in petal pushers and Bermuda shorts. Summer outfits were bright primary colors and white, or patriotic colors of red, white, and blue. Bright orange still reminds me of the cumbersome orange "Mae West" life jacket I had to wear as a small child at the river.

Many of my first memories are of things I recall from family picnics. The first barbecue grill I ever saw was at a picnic as were the first long-handled grill tools and my first ice cream maker. The first time I roasted marshmallows and ate s'mores was at a picnic. The first roasted pig I saw was at a picnic. The first time I ate potato salad was at a picnic.

Picnic displays create warm spots and fond memories in most people's hearts. To most folks, picnics mean family. Much family history is recounted at reunions and family priorities are put in order. This holds true for many customers shopping in your store.

Create the Mood

The display this month features the use of patterns. The rule of thumb with colors in a display is use no more than three dominant colors, and when using patterns in a display, use no more than two colors. In both situations, black or white is a "free" color, if used in small amounts. Naturals such as wood and wicker also become freebie colors in displays. The dominant colors in this month's display are red and blue. The red-and-white checked combination screams "Picnic." The subliminal message of the red, white, and blue whispers, "Let's have a picnic." Remember, consumer responses in a retail situation are 90 percent subliminal and reactive.

Getting Started

Mistakes are sometimes easy to learn from, so this month I've created two displays with nearly the same products and props. Those of you who are regular readers may want to stop reading now and cover up the bottom photo to see if you can find the six items that need changing to make this a more successful customer-oriented display.

Oh come on try! It will be fun.

Let's check and see if we agree.

In the top display, there is no visual triangle of anchor pieces for the eye to follow. Visual clutter exists.

The blue color does not create a strong line that draws your eye through the display. It continues to draw your eye in a small circle at the left of the display.

The chrome coffee server is visually strong in drawing the eye, but is not repeated exactly or similarly by another piece within the display to move the eye on to another part of the display.

The prints of the tablecloths in the center basket are so visually strong that they draw your eye and hold it. They jump at you from against the dark backdrop and the busy pattern holds your attention. Having both the red check and the blue check creates visual overload.

The white top of the left basket also keeps your attention from going towards other products. It works much better when it is broken up by the repetitive design of the plate in the basket and repeated again at the display's front to carry your eye.

In contrast to the top display, the left picnic basket, the front blue casserole, and the wooden salad bowl in the bottom display form an anchor triangle for the display. The repetition of the small red checked cloths on both sides of the bottom display both carry your eye and balance it.

I hope we agree. If not, please let me know your thoughts.

The one area I would like to note that worked for the bottom display but could become a problem if used to extremes are the folds in the large checked cloth. The old school of visual merchandising used lots of draped fabrics in displays. What you must remember is that the folds in draped materials act as a pattern and can become visually demanding. The problem becomes even more of an issue when the draped fabric is a pattern. Fabrics work best in displays when they are kept flat and smooth. You can imagine the demand from the large checked cloth if it were draped and folded throughout the display. Good luck with your displays and keep in touch.



Renée Chappelle of Retail Projects Unlimited is a retail consultant specializing in store and fixture design and the visual merchandising of product. You may contact her at mpu@humboldt1.com or phone 707-442-0276.