Stockholm’s most anticipated retail event so far this year was the grand opening of MOOD Stockholm. Victoria Bengtsson, Managing Director, Toolbox Marketing Scandinavia, visited the eagerly awaited new mall to find out for herself what all the hype was about.

The developers have built MOOD Stockholm from the visitors point of view, creating a unique environment that is tailored to the shoppers individual needs. They wanted to build a mall that was totally different from any other in Stockholm by captivating beauty and excitement making an exceptional shopping experience.

The natural stone-paved floor and tactile surfaces have replaced the glossy decor more usual in Scandinavian malls, giving the wonderful illusion of being outdoors on the high street.   Each store has its individual frontage and as you walk around soaking up the ambience, there is the scent of citrus and the sound of bird song.

The concierge service is there to help customers with just about everything under the sun, including two tree houses that can be hired out for meetings.  Fantastic restaurants and shops such as Best of Brands, G-Star, Timberland – the list goes on – together with beautiful modern sculptures and ambient lighting give this mall the promise of anticipation and luxury.

The first, ever purpose-built mobile business-to-business ‘app’ enabling shopping centre management teams and retailers to communicate in real time received an incredible reception from shopping centre management companies at BCSC this week.

Called Mallcomm, and launched by specialist destination marketing company Toolbox Marketing, it is the only interactive communication tool available for shopping centres and retailers.

Management companies immediately recognised the app’s power in driving marketing success as well as supporting retailers through real-time reminders to boost sales.

David Fuller, Head of Digital Marketing at Toolbox said: “Management companies spend a lot of money on retailer relations.  All the companies we spoke to recognised that this app will achieve a much better result for less long-term cost.   Simply put, it’s cheaper and better than anything else.”

Mallcomm is free-to-download and, like consumer social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter, is updated in real time.   It will be available to participating shopping centre management and retailers.

Toolbox Marketing’s financial investment in ‘Mallcomm’ represents a significant commitment for the company but for Toolbox’s UK Managing Director, Michelle Daniels, the new communication tool is long overdue.

“Improving communication is a priority for shopping centres – but so much money is wasted trying,” she says. “Printed newsletters are one-way communication and out of date before they’re printed, e-newsletters aren’t much better, shopping centre intranets are often available only in bigger centres – and not all retailers have internet access in their stores or want their staff looking at a computer terminal when they should be selling.”

What was needed was something visual, interactive and accessible to all retail staff, not just the managers. Using Mallcomm, information can be uploaded and viewed by retailers, from head office staff to local store personnel. Each retailer within the centre receives a secure login and password, and information on day-to-day operations of the centre can be uploaded: from security and facilities information to marketing and promotional opportunities.  Retail staff can contact the management team via the app, making it the only interactive communication tool available for shopping centres and retailers.

To compete with on-line retailing, shopping centres have developed their strategies to become leisure destinations and local community hubs.   However all shopping centres need a quick and effective communication system to deal with fast-moving situations.

Michelle adds: “The app seemed obvious to us but we needed the industry to recognise the power that the app will give both retailers and management teams.  They did – we’ve never seen such a positive reaction and  I am convinced it won’t be long before Mallcomm is adopted by management companies across Europe.”

Benefits of Mallcomm

• Instant communication tool
• Accessible by all – retail head offices, retail managers and store staff
• Easily updated and managed by the CM team via a back-end website
• Free to download by retailers
• Replaces intranet, extranet, email newsletters printed newsletters
• Provides a more reliable platform for information to filter through not only to store managers, but also staff.
• Reduces admin work for CM staff

What is the Mallcomm content?

Centre management teams can upload data, alerts and information in the following areas:

• News (general points of interest, press releases etc)
• Marketing
• Footfall (PDF’s)
• Facilities
• Security
• Leasing
• Contact the Centre Manager
• Other documents of interest (PDF’s)
• Special offers for retail staff from centre retailers

Mallcomm can be branded individually for each centre, when purchased, a sales pack including posters and stickers to promote Mallcomm to retail staff is also provided.

From July 20th to August 31st Toolbox Marketing Bulgaria launched a brand campaign aiming to increase the number of Facebook fans.

By negotiating a FIAT PUNTO EVO, on 100% sponsorship, TBM BG kick started the campaign – LIKE City Center Sofia in Facebook and you can WIN FIAT PUNTO EVO!!!

Before the start of the campaign the number of fans was 1,023 but by August 31st the number had increased to over 14,000!

The idea was simple – go to the CCS page, click the Facebook “like” button, and by filling a very short survey the fan will enter the competition to win a brand new FIAT PUNTO EVO.

With a USD 250 budget, the campaign finally reach 700,699 people, 921, 909 views and 3,900 clicks.

Monthly active users on the facebook page was nearly 26,000

Toolbox marketing has finished the second Style Academy fashion and beauty event at The Whitgift Shopping Centre, Croydon.

From 22nd – 24th September, shoppers were invited into a relaxed luxurious environment to explore all elements of their personal style by taking the 5-step programme. The programme included a state of the art 3D body scanner to advise of body shape and personal one-to-one consultations with hair and make-up specialists, expert colourists and fashion stylists.  Each shopper also receive a personalised style guide to take home full of the tips and advice that they have been personally recommended.

Shoppers expectations are changing all the time and we pride ourselves on listening to our customers and responding.  A personal experience is what consumers are craving and the Style Academy certainly delivers this.  We brought together some leading edge technology and trends to the centre to provide an unrivalled shopping experience. Style Academy was a great way for people to experience the best The Whitgift has to offer, especially as it’s all happened for free!

Kämp Galleria launched its Fall Season with a VIP-evening and consumer event weekend. Titled Fashion Fusion, the event marked the emergence of a New Kämp Galleria, complete with a new identity, creative and messaging. Historic and stylish Kämp Galleria is located in the heart of Helsinki. It is an exclusive shopping venue for Helsinki residents and tourists alike.

The first, ever purpose-built mobile business-to-business ‘app’ enabling shopping centre management teams and retailers to communicate in real time has been launched by Toolbox Marketing, the specialist destination marketing company.

Mallcomm is a free-to-download app and, like consumer social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter, is updated in real time. It will be available to participating shopping centre management and retailers.

Toolbox Marketing’s financial investment in its ‘Mallcomm’ represents a significant commitment for the company but for Toolbox’s UK Managing Director, Michelle Daniels, the new communication tool is long overdue.

“One of the big issues for shopping centre management and retailers is how to improve communication,” she says. “Printed newsletters are one-way communication and out of date before they’re printed, e-newsletters aren’t much better, shopping centre intranets are often available only in bigger centres – and not all retailers have internet access in their stores or want their staff looking at a computer terminal when they should be selling.”

What was needed was something visual, interactive and accessible to all retail staff, not just the managers. Using Mallcomm, information can be uploaded and viewed by retailers, from head office staff to local store personnel. Each retailer within the centre receives a secure login and password and information on day-to-day operations of the centre can be uploaded: from security and facilities information to marketing and promotional opportunities. Retail staff can contact the management team via the app, making it the only interactive communication tool available for shopping centres and retailers.

In a bid to compete with on-line retailing, shopping centres have developed highly successful strategies to become leisure destinations and local community hubs. However, with success comes increased responsibility and all shopping centres need a quick and effective communication system to deal with fast-moving situations.

The recent riots across the UK meant that affected centres were struggling to keep retail staff up to date with some centres needing to communicate updates and instructions to retailers on an hourly basis. In order to do this management and security teams were required to visit stores and distribute printed information sheets, both of which put a huge strain on the centre management personnel.

“If the Mallcomm system had been in place, shopping centres could have easily updated all retailers and staff both on-site and not working, as well as their head offices,” said Michelle.

At other shopping centres, retail staff resorted to asking questions about what was happening on the centre’s customer-facing websites or Facebook pages.

As a result, a number of centres in the UK are now planning to adopt the Mallcomm platform.

Michelle adds: “The large majority of management and retail staff within shopping centres are familiar with social media such as Facebook and Twitter, so we have taken it a stage further to allow free communication between shopping centre staff and retailers with a degree of privacy from shopping centre customers. It can provide everything that an intranet can deliver, but to every member of staff of participating retailers who owns a mobile device with internet access.

Budapest’s Premier Outlet Centre is enjoying a long hot Summer as a result of a new creative strategy developed by Toolbox Marketing. The FOC located on the outskirts of the city has seen increases in footfall of up to 15% year on year for the four weeks of June, along with a 14% increase in website visits. Toolbox Marketing have been working with the centre since January 2011 providing both strategic advice and marketing services including design and creative, with a brief to improve awareness and increase market share for the scheme. Great results for the first major campaign.

Toolbox Marketing have recently been appointed as strategic marketing consultants for the Arena Center, Zagreb on behalf real estate investment managerment firm Heitman, and Trigranit Property Management. Working alongside both the landlord and managing agents, TBM are reviewing all aspects of the marketing mix in order to help create an effective, results-driven strategy to take one of Croatia’s newest shopping and leisure destinations forward into it’s second year of trading.

Toolbox Marketing Bulgaria has been working with Disney to promote the nationwide launch of Cars 2 with events in the City Center Sofia in Bulgaria.

You can see some of the creative and event photos on their Facebook page here http://www.facebook.com/CityCenterSofia

The Brunswick centre, held its 4th annual Village Fete in May. The fete had all the traditional elements which Brunswick shoppers have come to know and love, but in order to develop the campaign and continue to surprise and entertain visitors, 2011 saw the activities expanded to incorporate new genres of entertainment, maximising on trends and consumer interest. The event was still largely focused on the community, promoting the ‘village within a city’, but extended activity to appeal to wider audiences including tourists and students.

The entertainment on offer included Maypole Dancers, Bloomsbury Brass Band, Delectable Dancing Dollies, Jazz Band, Tarot Card Reader, Circus Skills Workshops and a Balloon Race, alongside the traditional Fete Games, Balloon Modellers and Face Painters. The Fete also saw the return of the Farmers Market, Beer tent and tombola.

An impressive 65% of retailers were involved with the fete, providing competitions, samples, special offers and even sending their mascots to the event.

The event raised over £850 for Coram’s Fields and generated over £3000 worth of press coverage.