It’s Wimbledon fortnight here in London, and the world has descended on the quintessentially English suburb to imbibe Pimm’s, guzzle strawberries, and maybe, watch a little tennis. For those who don’t wish to do so, but still want a slice of the atmosphere, the best bet is to head for Wimbledon Village.
In spite of the name, the area is actually more than a mile from the home of lawn tennis, yet it might as well be next door, given the tennis-themed visual merchandising that fills every window along this affluent high street. Although, this might not be the case if it weren’t for Belgian beer company, Stella Artois, and Slazenger, maker of the Day-Glo yellow balls that whiz across the net at the championship games. The two companies partnered to sponsor a competition for the best tennis window, and the outcome is insistently low-cost yet inventive visual displays.
With presentations that range from human-sized papier mâché dogs playing doubles matches in a pet-shop window to decals that show silhouettes of tennis players serving up winners, this is where shoppers can feel the proximity of champions. There is an interactive element to all of this, as well. Retailers invite shoppers to give them a thumbs-up on a dedicated Wimbledon Village Facebook page or to favorite via Twitter. The winner, clearly, will be the merchant that garners the greatest number of “likes” as we approach mid-July.
Meaning that the real winner is the boulevardier who opts to take a stroll around the shops, bars and restaurants of Wimbledon Village over the next couple of weeks. And to top it all off, there is a very real chance that, while doing this, shoppers will catch a glimpse of the big stars of the tennis circuit who will be doing something similar, as this is where they tend to relax off-court.
Therefore, if you’re currently in London, this is one of the better places to see and be seen.
John Ryan is a journalist covering the retail sector, a role he has fulfilled for more than a decade. As well as being the European Editor of VMSD magazine, he writes for a broad range of publications in the U.K., the U.S. and Germany with a focus on in-store marketing, display and layout, as well as the business of store architecture and design. In a previous life, he was a buyer for C&A based in London and then Dusseldorf. He lives and works in London.
Don't miss John's session (“London’s Evolving Retail Scene: From the High Street to the Edgy East“) at IRDC this year, Sept. 9-11 in Austin, Texas! For more information about IRDC, visit IRDConline.com.