Inventing a Concept, Complete With Characters
What if South Korea’s largest retailer wanted to create a store dedicated to wowing children and engaging their parents? What if they wanted it open for business in six months? We welcome what ifs.
Characters Welcome
The direction from the client to our design team was clear: there was no such thing as “too over the top”. We were tasked with creating a wonderland for kids, complete with areas to be engaged and be amazed.
Koreans’ love for characters impacts their daily lives on all levels: television, communication, and especially shopping. We created four characters to digitally interact with customers in the store, but also live in the country’s entertainment.
A Visual Attraction
This new brand celebrates a vibrant, playful world that ignites the imagination of its guests and wins the hearts of children. Its story is presented through a group of friends (imagined characters) that have very different personalities and forms, but live together in the Toy Kingdom. Each character’s interests relate back to the four primary product categories—imagination toys, ride-on toys, building toys, and smart toys—to bring the spirit of play to life for every child who visits.
The primary design element—the hero focal at the storefront—is a transformative experience for kids, where they can enter the store through kid-sized tunnels with interactive flooring setting the tone for an unforgettable and addictive store experience. Key experiential touchpoints combine physical, analog, and digital elements that reinforce the immersive quality of the space.
Getting the toys “out of the box” was a fundamental tenet of the experience. The Wacky Track, Fun Tunnel, and Lego zones all encourage hands-on interaction to build a connection between the child and the brand. Unexpected features are sprinkled throughout the store, with character presence and interaction consistently promoting the Toy Kingdom brand.
BRAGGING RIGHTS
GOLD AWARD WINNER
Shop! 2017 Design Awards
Hardline Specialty Store