Gift Wrapped Experiences
Product: Gift Experiences
Brand: Activity Superstore
Retailer: Boots
Type: Drug
Location: London, England
Experiences have long been the perfect gift, although they are not quite as exciting to unwrap. Activity Superstore in London and several competitors, such as SmartBox, have taken on this challenge and offer a choice of experiences ranging from riding in a Ferrari, skydiving, driving a tank, a day at the spa, a theatre package, etc. Each experience is thus transformed into a product bearing an SKU and shelf space! Each experience also comes in a nice gift box, including a DVD to showcase the experience and other literature to help the recipient plan their adventure.This picture was shot inside of a Boots Drug store on the outskirts of London. More than 25 different experiences were offered.
What I find very interesting about this innovation example is that the marketers made the associated experience (of gift giving/receiving) much more exciting. They focused on the gift giver as their consumer, instead of the actual consumer. They also “productized” services. You could also do the reverse and “servicize” a product. Regardless there is a lot going on in this case study that can be leveraged to create new product ideas.
Innovation Pattern: Productize or Servicize It
Sparks: (Ideas for how to reapply this pattern in another product category)
- How can you make the associated experience of giving your product/service as as a gift more exciting?
- How can you find new “shelf space” for your product by productizing or servicizing it?
- How can you get consumers to purchase your product in advance?
- What associated services could you bundle with your product to make it an experience?
- How would you market your product if you focused on the gift giver vs. the end consumer?
