For Immediate Release Click here to download this press release in PDF format. August 20, 2009 Contact: Allison Short Public Relations Coordinator (614) 469-1001 ashort@chutegerdeman.com Agency Contact: Karen Schaffner Corporate Image Consulting (678) 579-9906 schaffner@direcpath.tv Barbie Shanghai Wins ‘Good Design is Good Business’ Award COLUMBUS, OH—Barbie Shanghai, the world’s first store dedicated to the iconic doll, has won a “Good Design is Good Business” Award of Excellence. Chute Gerdeman Retail, the Columbus, OH (U.S.A)-based retail branding and design firm, designed two activity-driven experiences at the store. Barbie Shanghai, designed by Slade Architecture, was the only retail store to be recognized in the 12th annual awards program sponsored by Business Week and Architectural Record. The awards recognize projects with innovative architectural strategies that help businesses achieve specific goals. Chute Gerdeman choreographed the customer experience at the Barbie Fashion Stage and Barbie Design Center. They also designed the interior of the Barbie Fashion Stage experience. In creating the Barbie Design Center activity and Fashion Stage show, the Chute Gerdeman design team integrated the powerful Barbie brand essence with a girl-centric point of view. Chute Gerdeman partnered with Mattel on all aspects of creating the themed experiences—crowd management, personalized staffing and attention, time sequencing, and audience participation—in addition to collaborating with the international project team to seamlessly integrate unique environments and brand communications into the larger Barbie Shanghai identity. The awards jury, which consisted of members of the editorial staffs of both magazines, attempted to gauge the success of each project’s “business case”—a series of quantitative and qualitative measurements of building performance. Factors considered included employee productivity, construction costs and reduced overhead, among other criteria. The winning projects were chosen from a competitive pool of nearly 100 submissions. The winners will be recognized at an October 7 ceremony in New York City during the Architectural Record Innovation Conference. They also will be featured in BusinessWeek and in the November 2009 issue of Architectural Record. Reena Jana, BusinessWeek’s innovation department editor and jury member, was impressed by the projects in three different areas: “One was promoting employee productivity and collaboration through design, with things like fewer sick days and higher productivity. The second was brand reinvention through architecture, which shows ways to adjust to shifting marketplaces in industries like retail and technology. Third, in this time of transition, it was impressive to see that many of the strongest entries had the larger effect of revitalizing the cities or regions in which the companies were headquartered.” Also on the jury was Robert Ivy, editor in chief of Architectural Record. He noted the high quality of submissions this year, which he found surprising considering the economic downturn. He adds: “We were pleased to see a large number of projects in which clients and architects were collaborating to create designs that differentiated their facility, their culture and their identities from the norm.” About Chute Gerdeman Retail Founded in 1989, Columbus, Ohio-based Chute Gerdeman Retail is a retail branding and design firm. The firm’s client list includes Mattel, M&M’S/Mars, Target, Levi Strauss, Tween Brands Inc., Kohl’s, C&A Brazil, Shopko, Sheetz, Smithsonian, Hamleys (UK), Lowe’s, Einstein Bros. Café, KFC (Japan), Hanesbrands Inc., Pepsi-Cola, Ross-Simons, Nationwide Arena, Marriott Vacation Club International, Starwood and Wolverine. In addition to its consistent recognition as one of the industry’s “Most Exciting Design Firms” by the readers of DDI magazine for 11 years in a row, the firm has received numerous awards for its design leadership. For more information, please visit www.chutegerdeman.com. Partners BIG acted as brand steward throughout the development of the store. From developing the initial creative concept with Richard Dickson and Mattel, including research and focus groups with mothers and daughters in China, to selecting core creative partners to designing the key visual identity element that runs throughout the store, BIG provided overall creative direction support during the development stages of the project. Slade Architecture was responsible for the design of the interior and exterior of Barbie Shanghai, including fixtures, finishes, and furnishings.  Charged with the realization of the first physical space to fully develop the new, broader vision for Barbie, they developed a spatial vocabulary and aesthetic that merged the historic/ classic heritage of the brand with a fashion-forward, modern aesthetic infused with a sense of fun and whimsy. Working with Mattel, Slade led the creative team through the design of the project. Slade developed all aspects of the architectural expression of the project, from the façade to the smallest touch points that together define the overall vision and experience of Barbie Shanghai. Chute Gerdeman, a strategic retail design company based in Columbus, Ohio was brought in specifically to choreograph the customer experience at the fashion café and design center. They also designed the interior of the fashion runway experience and many of the materials used in both areas. In creating the Barbie Design Center Activity and Fashion Stage Show, the Chute Gerdeman design team integrated the powerful Barbie brand essence with a girl-centric point of view. Chute Gerdeman partnered with Mattel on all aspects of creating the themed experiences—crowd management, personalized staffing and attention, time sequencing, and audience participation—in addition to collaborating with the international project team to seamlessly integrate unique environments and brand communications into the larger Barbie Shanghai identity. KSA Shanghai provided retail operations planning and support for Mattel and the rest of the design team. ADI served as the local architect/architect of record, overseeing all local requirements, documentation, and code and legal requirements, as well as directing the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural engineers. Radiance was responsible for lighting design throughout the interior and exterior of the store. JLL provided local construction and project management services for Mattel. David Laris Creates (DLC) provided restaurant operations planning and support for Mattel for the Pink Room Café and the Barbie Café, and developed a chocolate product range branded “Barbie loves chocolate by David Laris.” For more information, please visit the official website: www.barbieshanghai.com