ICSC unveils 2018 MAXI, VIVA and Visual Victories award winners

MAXI Awards

ICSC's annual MAXI Awards honor the best and brightest work in shopping center marketing. The 2018 winners follow:

Sales Activation
Shopping Centers under 500,000 sq. ft

SILVER WINNER

Black Friday Pop-Up Taproom, The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes, Maple Grove, Minnesota

The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes partnered with local microbrewery OMNI Brewing to host a pop-up taproom in a large vacancy on Black Friday (November 24, 2017). The goal of the event was to increase traffic and generate sales as well as create buzz about the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in the community.  The event was well attended and garnered media coverage.  The pop-up taproom is a great example of how local business partnerships can lead to beneficial and unique marketing opportunities.

SILVER WINNER

Town Center of Mililani Presents the New Year's Eve Pineapple Drop, Town Center of Mililani, Mililani, Hawaii

Town Center of Mililani was inundated with one repeated request from its customers: Bring back a New Year's Eve event to the center!  The center had been without a New Year's Eve celebration for the past few years while it was under renovation. New ownership understood that a New Year's Eve event was essential to giving the community what it wanted, but in order for an event to be beneficial to Town Center's businesses, it needed to drive sales, create community goodwill, generate positive PR and help grow social media exposure.  The Town Center of Mililani team set to work and created The 2017 Pineapple Drop Celebration!

Shopping Centers over 500,001 sq. ft.

SILVER WINNER

FITRow: The city’s new fitness paradise, Assembly Row, Somerville, Massachusetts

On November 30, 2016 Assembly Row announced the newest addition to the second phase of its development, FITRow, a new to market fitness concept featuring five boutique studios under one roof.  Although this unique concept garnered excitement in the market and in the press, there were several challenges to address on the road to establishing FITRow and its studios in 2017. The location was far removed from the completed phase of the project and required a trek through a construction zone. In addition, the studios opened on a rolling basis over a 6 month period, each with their own goals and a varied level of resources. Driving awareness was the key challenge – awareness of the concept, the offerings and the location. Marketing was tasked with developing a comprehensive strategic plan using a dual approach; common elements to position FITRow as well as customized initiatives unique to each studio.

GOLD WINNER

Fashion Row Features, Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia

Avalon changed the retail game when our team of ExperienceMakers introduced an open container policy that allowed shoppers to sip and stroll with a glass of wine, cold beer or craft cocktail as they browsed the racks at over 70 best-in-class retailers, waited for a dinner reservation at one of 20 chef-driven eateries or simply enjoyed a night out on the Boulevard.   While the policy drove foot traffic and proved popular with guests, we wanted to create a program that would further elevate the sip and stroll experience, and convert foot traffic to sales.  We developed a reward program known as Fashion Row Features that encourages shoppers to explore new stores and, after spending $50, show their receipt for a complimentary glass of wine. We select featured stores each month on a rotating basis, ensuring all our retailers enjoy this initiative.  In 2017, we saw over 1,400 total participants and approximately $70,000 in direct sales from the innovative program, now an integral part of Avalon’s exceptional sip, stroll and shop experience

GOLD WINNER

A Christmas Story, Cherry Hill Mall, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

PREIT was looking for a new holiday experience for their Cherry Hill Mall. The previous successful but high cost Santa set was being replaced, PREIT needed to maintain their excellent center and Santa photo sales, boost public interest and traffic, while reducing their holiday costs significantly.  A tall order even for Santa.  After settling on the perfect theme, Parker 3D leveraged their relationship with Warner Bros. to obtain rights to the beloved, cult classic film, “A Christmas Story”. The holiday film was developed into a fantastic, immersive themed Santa set, that both young and old could enjoy.  Titled “A Christmas Story Experience”, the set offered customers a, nostalgic one-of-a-kind experience that combined physical re-creations of sets and locations from the film with an interactive, augmented reality mobile app. The traditional and social media attention that this holiday display received drew families and fans of the film from far outside Cherry Hill Mall’s trade area and delivered impressive traffic and sales results.

SILVER WINNER

6th Annual Easton Fashion Night, Easton, Columbus, Ohio

The 6th Annual Easton Fashion Night on Sept 14 celebrated Easton as a fashion destination and featured special shopping and dining offers, a DJ, live models, giveaways, vendor booths, and more. Guests were immersed with beautiful atmosphere, perfect fall weather and overall energetic vibe while visiting their favorite brands, taking advantage of special offers and creating lasting memories. Live models showcased fall fashions from retailers. While walking among the booth-lined streets, guests experienced a complimentary makeup touch-up, entered to win items from various Easton retailers, were styled by fashion experts, and stopped for a professional photo on the notable pink carpet. Fashion bloggers shared their evening with their respective audiences. A partnership with Fashion Week Columbus brought the local fashion design talent to the shopping center, celebrating the collective fashion in Columbus. A multi-level partnership with publication Columbus Monthly was an invaluable preview for Easton Fashion Night and Easton retailers.

GOLD WINNER

Great American Eclipse Viewing Party, Jefferson Pointe Shopping Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana

On August 21, 2017, a Total Solar Eclipse was scheduled to pass over the United States for the first time in nearly 99 years.  For nearly two minutes, Indiana was dark and stars were visible in the sky at 2:24 p.m. There was a shortage of Special Eclipse viewing glasses in our area which were necessary to view the eclipse. Jefferson Pointe, a 56-acre open air shopping center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was the perfect setting for an Eclipse Viewing Party.  The Marketing team saw an original opportunity to create an event that would draw thousands to the property on a slow Monday afternoon.  Three weeks before the Eclipse, the Marketing Manager secured 1,000 certified Eclipse Viewing glasses to attract customers.  Through a strategic collaboration with the chief meteorologist at a local CBS affiliate WANE TV and radio stations, the event ultimately attracted over 3,200 guests, was featured in broadcast, print and social outlets. The event cost less than one half of a percent of our total marketing budget and increased sales by 8%!

SILVER WINNER

Creating the Heartbeat Of Kapolei, Ka Makana Ali`i, Kapolei, Hawaii​

West Oahu has long been envisioned to be the site for the majority of residential and commercial growth on the island of Oahu. With more than 20,000 homes planned or already under construction, it is the fastest growing community in the State of Hawaii. However, the area has lacked basic economic drivers including sufficient shopping, dining and entertainment options to satisfy the demand of the burgeoning community.   Ka Makana Ali‘i (KMA), which opened in October 2016, is at the center of this developing region and is the first ground-up shopping center to be built in Hawaii in over 30 years. While the grand opening brought great excitement, it was imperative that the center sustain that momentum and earn a place in the communities’ daily lives.   This was no easy task.  It is one thing to market an established center but it is entirely different to market a ground-up development as every program needs to be developed and launched.  The team went to work to create a marketing plan to meet business objectives.

SILVER WINNER

Hope & Cheer after the Storm in Support of Merchants and the Community, Plaza Las Americas, San Juan, PR

Sept. 2017- Hurricane Maria hits the island of Puerto Rico. Regarded as the worst natural disaster on record and strongest storm in 85 years;  residents faced devastating losses to homes and places of employment, as well as long-term challenges due to damaged infrastructure (no power, no communication, no safe drinking water). Puerto Rico’s retail sector was greatly impacted, due to the lack of power that kept businesses closed. Plaza Las Americas was able to open its doors two weeks after the hurricane to service our people by providing in order of priority: Food - we worked hard to open restaurants, communications - provided access to "plug-in" and communicate/connect with loved ones, Money - reopening banks for we became a cash economy. Getting our merchants up and running was key to help them recover ASAP, while giving our customers a sense of normalcy and HOPE that Puerto Rico would stand strong again! The Holidays, the most important season for our industry were fast approaching. How do we jump-start the economy? What to do?

GOLD WINNER

Stylist Partnership Pilot - GGP's Ridgedale Center,Ridgedale Center, Minnetonka, Minnesota

Ridgedale Center is considered one of the preeminent shopping and dining destinations in the Twin Cities. To differentiate itself in the highly-retailed market, Ridgedale sought an opportunity to highlight retail options to meet the evolving and diverse shopper needs.   Jodi Mayers & Style Partners, a wardrobe consultant and style expert service, was selected for a partnership to provide a unique-to-market experience. Services include: •    Personal styling and shopping  •    Seasonal wardrobe ideas •    Special event dressing •    Gift shopping  From emerging designers to large brands, Mayers’ stylists are experts in curating items from across the mall to bring shoppers the perfect wardrobe and lifestyle pieces—making it a convenient multi-store/brand experience.   With over 100 retailers, Ridgedale is positioned to offer the service across categories. After guest’s needs are evaluated, Mayers selects products from relevant stores. During a 2-hour appointment, guests try on and purchase any product in the first-of-its-kind private Style Lounge.

GOLD WINNER

Winter Castle – Rosedale Center, Rosedale Center, Roseville, Minnesota

Malls across the country are finding new ways to enhance their value offering as destinations for entertainment and creating new experiences. In the midst of a massive renovation to evolve the shopping experience, Rosedale Center decided to double-down on their investment and allocate $500k in renovation funds towards a new winter-themed holiday installation, designed to engage and excite their shoppers. What they created increased sales for the center and its retailers, drew additional foot traffic, and garnered tremendous publicity via traditional and social media.

SILVER WINNER

Christmas in the Wizarding World, Shops at South Town, Sandy, Utah

With $7 billion in global box office sales and more than 450 million books sold worldwide in 78 languages, the Harry Potter film series has taken the world by storm. In May 2017, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, GES Events offered an exclusive opportunity for a few select shopping centers to host Christmas in the Wizarding World, the Harry Potter themed retail experience, during the 2017/2018 holiday season. Sandy, Utah’s newly renovated Shops at South Town was selected, and Christmas in the Wizarding World brought holiday magic to over 90,000 fans visiting the retail center from November 8, 2017 to January 31, 2018. Christmas in the Wizarding World, a first of its kind retail experience, was reminiscent of the setting and atmosphere of a wintry Hogsmeade Village. The retail experience included dramatic displays, animated window features, and several interactive elements. The special event increased center sales by 10.05%, dining terrace sales by 50%, website visits by 200%, and increased total NOI by $225,299.

GOLD WINNER

Tiny House Holiday Village, The Shops at Northfield Stapleton, Denver, Colorado

The Shops at Northfield Stapleton knew it wouldn’t be easy to produce a new & unique event in a highly competitive market, especially during the holidays.   But Northfield’s, TINY HOUSE HOLIDAY VILLAGE delivered BIG results as THE FIRST-EVER FESTIVAL OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION!  The event featured 10 festively decorated tiny homes, all constructed by Colorado builders.  During a two-day ticketed event, 10,500 guests toured the interiors of the homes.   Retailers participated by offering discounts & incentives to shoppers showing event wristbands.  Northfield secured a sponsor to cover 100% of the tiny homes’ holiday décor costs.  A vacant store space was leased as a popup holiday market of 100 vendors, drawing traffic &  generating $6,500 in rental income.  The event generated 69 publicity placements.  25,000 responded to the Facebook invite.  Traffic was up 58% over the prior period.  Sales were up 6.1% mall-wide for December, with most stores reporting double-digit increases from 12% to 53%. There’s nothing tiny about those results!

SILVER WINNER

The Waterfront's 12 Days of Free Santa Photo, The Waterfront, Homestead, Pennsylvania

The Waterfront is an outdoor lifestyle shopping center located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The property enjoyed strong sales and traffic during the warm summer months, but was losing market share to its indoor competitors during the holiday season, an incredibly important selling season for its retailers.  The Waterfront team decided to make a bold sales proposition, become Pittsburgh's only shopping center to offer professional Santa photos completely free to its customers.  The team felt that by offering such a unique and valuable sales incentive, customers would stay and shop The Waterfront during the holiday season.  Their idea worked, and The Waterfront's 12 Days of Free Santa Photo promotion was a tremendous success, not only in driving sales but generating social media and website engagement and fostering community goodwill.

Shopping Centers under 500,000 sq. ft

GOLD WINNER

Colony Square Groundbreaking, Colony Square, Atlanta, Georgia

After nearly 2 years of beating the PR drum, engaging the community on social media, and hosting a variety of events and community meetings, North American Properties (NAP) was ready to break ground on the redevelopment of Colony Square.   Located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, the 50-year-old mixed-use property is near and dear to our community. Our guests, office workers and residents are just as invested in the reimagined Colony Square as we are.   So, when it came time to break ground, we saw an opportunity to create an event that would provide a taste of the reimagined Colony Square experience, and we invited our community to celebrate the project’s launch into its next phase.    Over 1,500 guests – including the Mayor, artists, neighbors and more - attended our groundbreaking. We generated 46 news stories, with a cumulative monthly viewership of 81 million. Our hashtag #CSReimagined reached an audience of 1.6M, including a tweet from @CityofAtlanta. All over town, people were talking about the exciting news at Colony Square.

SILVER WINNER

Welcoming Home a Legend - Don Ho Statue Unveiling & Dedication Ceremony, International Market Place, Honolulu, Hawaii

During his prolific career in the 1960s, Don Ho was the must-see musician at International Market Place, drawing record-number audiences of Hawaii residents and international visitors. To commemorate Don Ho’s tremendous contributions to Hawaiian music and history, International Market Place celebrated its one-year anniversary with the unveiling of a one-of-a-kind bronze statue of the performer. It debuted on what would have marked the entertainer’s 87th birthday (August 13). Together with family, friends and fellow musicians, hundreds of admirers gathered beneath the center’s 160-year-old banyan tree to celebrate. Careful consideration went into where the statue would be displayed, so it was positioned to welcome guests with warmest aloha as they enter the center from Kalakaua Avenue, one of the nation’s must lucrative shopping areas. Designed by an Oahu-based artist, the 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound bronze sculpture depicts Ho in the 1970s, and was created to convey his warmth, charisma and carefree aloha that charmed audiences.

Shopping Centers over 500,001 sq. ft.

SILVER WINNER

Citadel Outlets Public Relations Media Program 2017, Citadel Outlets, Los Angeles, California

In 2017, Citadel Outlets broke previous records for earned press coverage highlighting center events, partnerships and marketing initiatives. Throughout the year, Citadel Outlets was regularly featured on all major local broadcast stations – CBS2/KCAL9, NBC4, KTLA5, ABC7, FOX11, Univision, Telemundo, Estrella TV and NPR radio – as well as fashion blogs, print outlets and digital publications including Los Angeles Times and Associated Press. As in years past, the center’s annual community events and record-holding holiday decorations (like the World's Tallest Live Cut Christmas Tree) served to attract not only the admiration of shoppers but an overwhelming response from local, regional and national media outlets. In total, Citadel Outlets TV broadcast coverage alone in 2017 reached more than 19,598,307 viewers with an equivalent ad value exceeding $3,131,242. Combined with digital coverage, public relations media coverage for 2017 reached a potential audience of more than 137,983,556.

SILVER WINNER

Great American Eclipse Viewing Party, Jefferson Pointe Shopping Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana

On August 21, 2017, a Total Solar Eclipse was scheduled to pass over the United States for the first time in nearly 99 years.  For nearly two minutes, Indiana was dark and stars were visible in the sky at 2:24 p.m. There was a shortage of Special Eclipse viewing glasses in our area which were necessary to view the eclipse.  Jefferson Pointe, a 56-acre open air shopping center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was the perfect setting for an Eclipse Viewing Party.  The Marketing team saw an original opportunity to create an event that would draw thousands to the property on a slow Monday afternoon.  Three weeks before the Eclipse, the Marketing Manager secured 1,000 certified Eclipse Viewing glasses to attract customers.   Through a strategic collaboration with the chief meteorologist at a local CBS affiliate, WANE TV and radio stations, the event ultimately attracted over 3,200 guests, was featured in broadcast, print and social outlets. The ROI was over 14,000% for this amazing event!

SILVER WINNER

Chivas Meet and Greet!, North Riverside Park Mall, North Riverside, Illinois

North Riverside Park Mall is a thriving one-of-a-kind property uniquely suited to serve a diverse and growing market. The marketing budget for the center is only $250,000 per year. North Riverside Park Mall partnered with Azteca TV Chicago, Poder 97.5FM Radio and Seguros Amigo Insurance to create a PR opportunity that would ensure impressions with the Hispanic customer base as well as attract them to the center. A total of 1,165,049 free impressions for North Riverside Park Mall were generated, more than 2,000 attended the event and participating retailers saw 4-10% sales increase the day of the event. The center received more than $24,000 in promotional consideration from partners and spent $0 of the marketing budget.

GOLD WINNER

Westfield Century City Grand Opening PR, Westfield Century City, Los Angeles, California

The opening of Westfield Century City was an occasion to bring local, national and international attention to the property as well as present the company’s vision for its flagship enters; gracious, welcoming environments at the intersection of culture, community and commerce.  Media and PR efforts were comprised of several facets, and held a consistent message. The Westfield experience is becoming broader and more diverse than ever before, catering to a customer’s every need.   Coverage surrounding the opening of Westfield Century City intended to drive consumer engagement, support new tenancies, brand partnerships, and the dynamic innovations and initiatives newly implemented at the center. Placements positioned Century City as a new destination which was boldly reimagined it as a mixed-use center with a curation of offerings far beyond the traditional mall, including world-class entertainment, retail experiences, chef driven restaurants, and amenity-filled environments for all to discover and enjoy.

SILVER WINNER

Santa's Toy Factory

Clackamas Town Center ,North Point Mall,  Happy Valley and  Southwest Plaza, Oregon

GGP partnered with Mattel for a one-of-a-kind, immersive holiday experience, Santa's Toy Factory, that was implemented at 4 shopping centers across the country. Santa and his elves set up an outpost of their North Pole Factory and requested help to test and build some exciting new toys for the holiday. Children were allowed to TEST some of Santa's newest toys in the testing lab, then they digitally DESIGNED, BUILT and PAINTED toys in the factory before visiting with the big guy himself.    Trying to reduce the stress of standing in lines with impatient children (and adults) while waiting to see Santa, GGP and Mattel created a play-along-the-way experience that allowed children to play with some of the hottest toys of the season. This experience captured the attention of local mommy bloggers in each market who are always looking for activities for families.

GOLD WINNER

Choose Cheer, Fairfax Corner,  Downtown Silver Spring,  Rio Washingtonian Center

Last year seemed to be embroiled in negativity – from a charged political climate to the natural disasters that swept across the United States, while watching the evening news or even scrolling through your social media feed, the negativity felt hard to ignore at times.  It appeared as if the country needed a collective hug – so the Peterson Companies decided to get proactive with their holiday marketing campaign and invited customers to “Choose Cheer.” The campaign produced incredible results across the three properties where it ran, driving significant awareness, engagement and visits for the centers – but it did something greater than that as well – it provided a positive message that everyone could get behind during the holidays.

GOLD WINNER

Crisis in a Box, JLL, Atlanta, Georgia

Sometimes, being prepared for what’s in the box is as important as “thinking outside of it.” In today’s world, crisis happens quickly, without warning, and escalates exponentially due to the multitude of communication outlets that digital media and technology provide. How you react in a crisis can make all the difference, but too many people believe that crisis management is like riding a bike. The reality is, it is a skill that is learned over time, through constant practice as the pace of change today is now measured in milliseconds. But, the way we teach crisis management is nothing like a real crisis scenario. To change that, JLL’s training team created the Crisis in a Box program to further develop their emergency preparedness training program and to engage employees and give them hands-on education in real crisis situations.

GOLD WINNER

Get connected, Plaza Las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico

On September 5, 2017, Hurricane Irma skirted the coast of Puerto Rico. Two weeks later, Hurricane María swept the Island leaving 3.4 million people totally devastated, uncommunicated, without electricity and without hope. Eleven days later, Plaza Las Américas re-opened it's doors to the customers providing them access to the products and services people needed the most and with the opportunity of connecting with others through the use of technology with the Get Connected program. The center became an oasis of hope in the aftermath of the worst hurricane to hit the Island in 85 years. During the following four months, traffic was higher than the previous year, store sales were significantly higher, 100% of the stores had reopened and the center had received amazingly positive feedback from its customers in spite of the difficult conditions around them. A natural disaster brought positive results to the center because of the commitment of the employees and merchants and the gritty resilience of people in need of recuperation and normalcy.

Shopping Centers over 500,001 square feet

SILVER WINNER

Where (Ridgedale) Lives – GGP’s Ridgedale Center, Minnetonka, MN, and Ridgedale Center, Minnetonka, Minnesota

GGP’s Ridgedale Center, which recently underwent a $100 million renovation, is considered a preeminent shopping, dining and entertainment destination in the Twin Cities. However, to thrive in a retail-saturated market—especially one that is home to the Mall of America—it became increasingly evident that a unique creative strategy was critical.  This year, GGP deployed an integrated brand campaign across most marketing channels to reach and engage our target audiences using an unexpected, yet charming approach. The “Where (Ridgedale) Lives ” campaign shines a playful light on Ridgedale Center’s retailers, restaurants, and shoppers, while establishing a sense of place and community. Employing a strategic mix of targeted digital and print ads, wrapped buses, digital billboards, radio, in-mall, and social media, the campaign achieved more than 57MM impressions in 4 months.   The campaign exceeded all expectations for success—in sales impact and store traffic— while clearly differentiating Ridgedale Center from others in the market.

Company

GOLD WINNER

Westfield Beauty & Balance, Westfield, Los Angeles

In the first quarter of 2017 Westfield rolled out a new national marketing program, Beauty & Balance, inspired by Westfield’s beauty & wellness retail offerings and designed to encourage beauty and health enthusiasts to shop at Westfield. Motivated by a specific company goal to help redefine the mall experience, the quest was on to elevate guest expectations and deliver experiences to grow brand awareness with the millennials. After reviewing research, an opportunity was realized:merge the worlds of beauty & wellness to create a captivating experience focusing on the shift from stuff to experiences to personal transformations where a better you becomes the product. And with that, Westfield Beauty & Balance was born.Dedicated to the principle that everyone deserves to look their best, enjoy better health, and become their most beautiful inside and out—”Beauty and Balance”gave our visitors direct access to beauty, health, and wellness guidance from top lifestyle experts and influencers with engaging digital content and exclusive event experiences.

Shopping Centers under 500,000 sq. ft.

SILVER WINNER

Inspired by the Uncommon - Galleria Expansion Campaign, Galleria Shopping Center, Edina, Minn.

Retail has forever changed. With the explosion of online shopping, the rule book for marketing a shopping center has been thrown out the window. What's a shopping center to do when experts predict the demise of physical retail? If you're the Galleria, you ignore the naysayers and expand in a big way with a 20,000 sq. ft expansion.   Opening 10 new retailers in time for the holiday season is no easy feat, however. With increased competition from shopping centers and online retailers for traffic and sales, Galleria had to stand out in a big way. With a mix of exclusive, local retailers and first-to-market national brands, Galleria is an experience like no other - unrivaled, unexpected and, most important, uncommon in a sea of retail similarity. 'Inspired by the Uncommon' became our anthem to differentiate and celebrate the Galleria expansion. Reaching cross-category through print, digital, and outdoor executions, we translated the luxe experience of shopping at Galleria, and increased traffic and sales during this crucial timeframe.

Shopping Centers over 500,001 square feet

SILVER WINNER

Eastridge Center Mural Program, Eastridge Center, San Jose, Calif.​

Eastridge Center is a 1.4 million-square-foot, two-level regional mall located southeast of downtown San Jose, Calif. In 2017, the mall underwent major interior and exterior renovations, with the Eastridge Mural Program playing a key role in exterior beatification. The program would demonstrate the mall’s commitment to urban renewal and growth in the neighborhood. By establishing a visual public presence from the street, Eastridge hoped to engage the community in celebrating art, while drawing traffic to the center and solidifying the mall as a cultural hub and a catalyst for public art in a private space.   With a dedication to fostering community collaboration and partnerships, the program commenced with a call for local and world-renowned artists to reimagine 20,000-square-feet of blank exterior brick, stucco and tiled walls into transformed, expansive murals. Four burgeoning artists were selected to create timeless, eclectic pieces that resulted in the world’s largest collection of outdoor murals on a shopping center.

SILVER WINNER

The Annex Grand Opening Times Four!, The Collection at RiverPark, Oxnard, Calif.

The Annex is a 16,000 square foot collection of 12 micro-shops, artisan boutiques and epicurean discovery located at The Collection at RiverPark, West Ventura County’s premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination.  Four tantalizing events were held between November 2017 and January 2018 to grand open The Annex, a first to market concept. Each event was tailored to the community, media or VIPs. Tenant participation was 100 percent!  The Annex’s grand opening campaign generated $178,000 in advertising equivalency value, 69 media placements and over 4 million audience impressions. The campaign also resulted in The Collection’s most active social media to date!  At The Annex’s Preview Event, hundreds of shoppers lined up outside the door helping 75% of The Annex’s tenants exceed their store opening goals!  At a post holiday media event, 53 media reps did 4-6 interviews with each of the 12 Annex tenants. Several published feature stories with more scheduled. The Annex's Grand Opening provided delicious food for thought!

SILVER AWARD

Isabella Eatery Grand Opening at Tysons Galleria, Tysons Galleria, McLean, Virginia

The third floor of Tysons Galleria, as with many centers, saw issues with an inability to drive traffic up vertically through the center. With this in mind, GGP reimagined the Tysons Galleria third floor into more than just another retail space. To transform the area, GGP partnered with award-winning Washington, D.C. chef and restaurateur Mike Isabella to create first-of-its-kind food emporium, Isabella Eatery.  Isabella Eatery is an unprecedented concept offering a mix of full-service dining, carryout and specialty retail items. Made up of eight distinct eateries, a cocktail bar and private dining space, Isabella Eatery spreads out over 41,000-square-feet. It’s more than just a dining option for shoppers. It's an elegant and inviting space to meet for a drink, a meal or a quick bite.  To get the market excited for the grand opening of Isabella Eatery and raise awareness, GGP partnered with Know PR to develop an integrated marketing plan leveraging celebrity chef Mike Isabella and his unique take on the food hall concept.

GOLD WINNER

Westfield Century City Grand Opening, Westfield Century City, Los Angeles

The Century City grand opening was about celebrating the center, the neighborhood and the City. In addition to welcoming L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, community leaders and customers to the opening festivities, guests enjoyed a full evening of “California Soul” with live performances by DNCE, Fitz and The Tantrums and the Village People, and celebrated a new community partnership with the Infinite Hero Foundation, a foundation focused on combatting mental and physical issues faced by military heroes and their families.   Westfield Century City embodies everything we seek to accomplish with our global flagship portfolio and the sense of community that we wish to demonstrate at our centers. The destination reimagines what a retail and leisure destination can be, combining exciting on-trend fashion, chef-led restaurants and fresh food, leading technology brands and a strong digital infrastructure, a new focus on health, beauty and wellness, art, music and world-class entertainment, all in one place.

Shopping Centers under 500,000 square feet

SILVER WINNER

Colony Square Presents: Festivity + Trees, Colony Square, Atlanta

In the midst of a massive redevelopment project, Colony Square launched a unique holiday activation that engaged local artists, created an artful diversion from construction, and established Colony Square as a vibrant holiday destination.   25 artists were selected to paint 8-foot-tall wooden Christmas trees. Using social and digital media, we documented each artist’s story and tree transformation. A vacant retail space awaiting demolition became a pop up workshop for artists, inviting the community to follow the transformations in real life. Each tree featured the artist’s social handles, and the hashtags #FestivityTrees, #CSHoliday and #CSReimagined.    After unveiling the artful tree forest to the public with a grand reveal party, Colony Square’s Festivity + Trees became the perfect holiday Instagram spot – shining bright on Atlanta’s highly trafficked Peachtree Street. The artist stories and trees were widely shared on social media by our team, the artists and our enthusiastic guests, garnering over 1.4M total impressions.

SILVER WINNER

FIGat7th Fashion Ambush Campaign, FIGat7th, Los Angeles

In Fall 2016 and Spring 2017, FIGat7th retail center in Downtown Los Angeles partnered with popular fashion and lifestyle influencers to surprise a.k.a. “ambush” lucky FIGat7th shoppers with $500 fashion makeovers, featuring H&M, Zara, Target, Victoria’s Secret, and MAC Cosmetics.  The resulting photos and videos of the ambushes, capturing the surprise, excitement, transformation, and gratitude of the ambush winners, were broadcast in the moment on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.  Final edited videos of the entire fashion ambushes were then posted on Facebook and YouTube and promoted via Instagram and email blasts.  The FIGat7th $500 Fashion Ambush social media marketing campaign proved an innovative way to promote FIGat7th’s fashion offerings without relying on traditional public relations, media outlets, and advertising.  The campaign also effectively built relationships with key fashion influencers and activated social media audience engagement.

GOLD

#GalleriaArtWalls, Galleria Shopping Center, Edina, Minnesota

Barricades. Noise. Dust. The unfortunate realities of construction. So how did a luxury shopping center in Edina, MN make their construction zone a must-visit destination for locals and one of the most buzzed-about topics on social media? By turning 300 linear feet of barricades in to an unexpected art piece. Knowing that a major ten-month renovation would drastically affect the Center, Galleria needed a plan to negate the impact of construction and create positive awareness for the renovation. The answer: transform the traditional barricade in to a breathtaking 19 panel exhibition that allowed shoppers to not only view larger-than-life art; but also to be a part of the art through interactive elements.  11 social influencers helped kick start the buzz, which resulted in a deluge of comments, shares and posts. Attention for the Art Walls went national on popular design blogs, gaining the attention of 3 million+ followers. A construction zone was transformed in to a gallery; a way to breathe new life in to the experience of shopping.

GOLD WINNER

Village at the Peaks Employee Discount App, Village at the Peaks, Longmont, Colorado

Despite signage, emails, social posts and meetings, essential shopping center marketing information often does not get passed from merchant management direct to store employees. Opportunities to engage front line employees as key influencers are often missed because they lack the basic information to answer inquiries or amplify promotions. The Village at the Peaks marketing team developed an exclusive app for shopping center employees that modernizes the traditional shopping center employee discount program and provides the management team with a direct channel of communication in the pocket of the center's employees. The Village at the Peaks Employee Discount App creates a mutually beneficial tool for employees, merchant management and mall ownership by empowering our most essential human asset. Along the way, the program generated sales as employees cross-shopped, improved shopping center customer reviews and energized merchants into engaging event participation. This is the Village at the Peaks Employee Discount App.

Shopping Centers over 500,001 square feet

SILVER WINNER

@IndytheGoldenDoodle's Birthday Bash, Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia

Avalon partnered with a unique influencer, a popular golden doodle pup, and created an exceptional experience for the four-legged guest and 20 of his celebrity dog friends to share with their combined 158K+ online audience.    @IndytheGoldendoodle’s birthday “paw-ty” at Avalon exposed the mixed-use community to a new audience of pet lovers, created fun social media content and raised money for the Atlanta Humane Society. National social media accounts for Hammer Made and Williams Sonoma also shared posts featuring the puppy stars.   In just one day, Avalon’s Instagram gained 100 followers, and Indy’s posts reached over 1.7 million users. The pups successfully amplified Avalon’s amazing pet-friendly offerings, and additional social media campaigns with four-legged friends are planned for 2018.

SILVER WINNER

Persona-Based Content Marketing, Easton, Columbus, Ohio

Home to 235 tenants, from best-in-class retailers and entertainment venues to Columbus’ most exciting restaurants, Easton attracts more than 26 million annual visitors, each with unique styles, tastes and motivators driving their experience.   Leveraging a holistic approach to persona-based content marketing, Easton has implemented a multifaceted process for connecting with consumers that is as diverse and versatile as the offerings of its tenants and the patrons who enjoy them.  This approach is facilitated through digital tools, including targeted social ads, supporting persona social media accounts and sponsored content from local influencers. As a result, Easton’s connectivity with social audiences has increased in terms of reach, engagement and website traffic.  In under two years, Easton has acquired more than 21,500 new social media followers and generated 3.3 million impressions through Facebook ads alone, contributing to 119,849 social engagements and a 456 percent increase in social referral traffic to EastonTownCenter.com.

Shopping Centers under 500,000 square feet

GOLD WINNER

Hambidge Creative HiVE, Colony Square, Atlanta

NAP planned a major overhaul of Colony Square that would reinvent the 50-year-old mixed-use property into a vibrant, arts-infused destination that embodies its new brand: “The Art of Modern Life,”  and aligned with the surrounding Midtown Atlanta art community.   Before breaking ground, we de-leased many of our retailers to make way for the demolition and subsequent merchandise mix. Rather than letting the spaces sit vacant, we partnered with The Hambidge Center, an artist residency program, and launched “The Creative HiVE.”   The 3-month program – free and open to the public - provided 75+ artists the opportunity to radically reimagine 12 former retail spaces. Colony Square became center stage for underexposed artists, attracting thousands of art enthusiasts, raising funds for The Hambidge Center, helping our team build relationships with the art community and enlivening otherwise dead retail spaces. As part of the HiVE, we also hosted The Hambidge Center’s annual Gala, which welcomed 1,700+ guests and raised $267,000 in one night.

GOLD WINNER

Party with a Purpose - PIER 39’s 39th Birthday Celebration, PIER 39, San Francisco

PIER 39’s 39-week long 39th Birthday Celebration was scheduled to end on October 14, 2017, with a Birthday Bash featuring a fireworks show.  During the 38th week, a series of massive wildfires devastated nearby Napa and Sonoma Counties. Because of the immediate need for financial assistance for the North Bay fire victims, PIER 39 turned its Birthday Bash into a “Party with a Purpose”. Partnering with the American Red Cross, PIER 39 canceled its fireworks show and quickly changed its messaging to transform its Birthday Bash into a fundraising event to support California Wildfires Relief Fund. In lieu of our initial objectives to increase traffic and sales as well as garner publicity for PIER 39, our revised goal was to raise $39,000 for California wildfire victims. Our team mobilized and began requesting donations from our ownership, merchants, employees, visitors and neighboring businesses. PIER 39 exceeded its initial fundraising goal and raised $93,059.37 for the American Red Cross. The event garnered $205,660.00 in earned media.

SILVER WINNER

TangerCares for Texas, Tanger Outlets Houston

Tanger Outlets created TangerCares for Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey's devastating flooding of the Houston market in August 2017. The campaign provided financial means for over 1300 neighbors who lost 100% of their homes and contents to begin restocking essential clothing supplies for their families. Tanger Outlets' commitment to philanthropic efforts is matched by our commitment to our retailers' success. Thus we did not want to simply hand over a donation check as our priority was driving crucial traffic and sales to our stores after a seven-day closure. By creating a shelter-to-mall transport program and by securing additional donations through our community partnerships, Tanger Outlets was able to host these financial recipients onsite to provide a critical sales injection to our retailers during an uncertain post-disaster time. This tangible community and footstep-driven effort is an initiative only a brick-and-mortar location, committed to the success of its local community and tenants, can accomplish.

Shopping Centers over 500,001 square feet

SILVER WINNER

Savor & Celebrate - Avalon, Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia

Rooted in its purpose-driven culture, North American Properties builds meaningful communities, whether through creating best-in-class mixed-use destinations like Avalon  or by leveraging its time, talent and treasure supporting organizations that transform impoverished neighborhoods in our city like City of Refugee.   Avalon’s Savor & Celebrate, a black-tie charity soiree, ultimately raised $200,000 for City of Refuge, a non-profit dedicated to transforming Atlanta’s poverty-stricken, crime-ridden 30314 neighborhood. The donation enabled City of Refuge to build housing for single mothers and the Good Works Employment Center – a facility that empowers women to train for, secure and retain jobs.  Savor & Celebrate was a win-win-win for everyone: City of Refuge increased its visibility and received a sizable donation; Avalon debuted its second phase, Boulevard East, including a new line-up of retailers and restaurants and boutique-inspired hotel; and more than 500 of our charity-minded guests made lasting memories at a beautiful gala

SILVER WINNER

NORTHSIDEkids, Domain NORTHSIDE, Austin, Texas

Promoting family time and encouraging the imaginations of Austin’s next generation through constructive and creative play, NORTHSIDEkids meets the first Wednesday of every month on the NORTHSIDE Lawn. Guided family activities for preschoolers have included crafting backstage passes at ROCKED, digging up fossils at DISCOVERED, and even riding a live pony at TRIPLECROWNED.  While admission is free, the registration for NORTHSIDEkids has been known to “sell out” in as little as 4 minutes, and the 50 first-come, first-served “Mama SWAG bags” have become an effective (and highly sought after) marketing tool for the retailers and restaurants of Domain NORTHSIDE. A favorite for mommy-bloggers and Austin mainstream media, NORTHSIDEkids is where the stroller set meets monthly to dance, listen to stories, paint, exercise, and completely immerse themselves in a themed wonderland of fun.

SILVER WINNER

Hometown Heroes Goes to the Dogs!, The Village at Meridian, Meridian, Idaho

During a horrific manhunt, a Boise Police Dept. K9, was shot along with two officers while confronting an armed suspect in November 2016.   The incident prompted The Village at Meridian to host a festive event with a doggone serious mission—raising funds for the Meridian P.D.’s  K9 Unit.  “HOMETOWN HEROES” was held Saturday, September 16, 2017, to recognize first responders and raise funds to purchase protective K9 vests and additional K9s.   Seven “hero” organizations hosted booths and activity tents to interact with local families.   Two bands with personal connections to first responders performed live.  The event raised $12,000 from the sale of custom plush K9s that resemble the Meridian Police Department’s three K9s.  The funds were used to purchase protective vests for the K9s as well as two new dual purpose K9s.  The Hometown Heroes event exceeded its fundraising goals, attracted 2,500 people, generated 2,453,730 positive impressions for participating organizations, and resulted in a 1.32% ROI. And that’s nothing to bark at.

Joint Centers

GOLD WINNER

Don't FURget About Us, Downtown Pleasant Hill, Pleasant Hill, California, The District at Green Valley Ranch, Alameda Landing

In a joint marketing effort, three Vestar centers demonstrated what happens when people who care about a cause pull together to make a difference. As hurricanes devastated the Southern United States and the Caribbean and wildfires ravaged Northern California in 2017, rescuers worked frantically to move danger zone pets out of harm’s way, quickly overfilling shelters coast to coast. In the midst of the humanitarian and economic crises these disasters created, man’s best friend took a back seat as vast numbers of displaced dogs were warehoused and nearly forgotten. In a well-timed multi-part campaign, these three modest lifestyle centers pooled their limited budgets to shine a light on a troubling problem in their communities. Through their “Don’t FURget About Us” and “Adopt and Shop” promotions and adoption events, the centers found forever homes for 60 dogs in two states while increasing traffic and sales and growing Facebook and Instagram followers at each center during the critical holiday shopping season.

Company

SILVER WINNER

PECO Community Partnership, Phillips Edison & Company, Cincinnati

Phillips Edison & Company owns and operates over 340 grocery-anchored shopping centers across the country with over 280 associates spread throughout its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio and regional offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; Atlanta, Georgia; New York City, New York; and other various locations. Our business is about neighborhoods, and our mission is about providing the best neighborhood shopping experience. Part of that involves being connected to our communities, and wanted to tap into the passion and energy our associates have for volunteering and giving back in those communities, so we created an associate led committee, PECO Community Partnership. PECO Community Partnership is an organization that connects us with our communities, strengthens relationships internally, provides leadership opportunities, and most importantly embodies our core values and is a tangible representation of our corporate culture at work.

GOLD

Westfield Veterans Initiative, Westfield, Los Angeles

The Westfield Veterans Initiative is Westfield’s community engagement platform designed to support military personnel, veterans and their families by providing career development assistance, entrepreneurial opportunities, and platforms for community awareness.  Westfield believes that when our nation’s military veterans re-enter the civilian workforce, they have a unique ability to leverage their military training to lead, improve business discipline and productivity, and share their deep ethos of service and excellence with us all.   For that reason, the Westfield Veterans Initiative’s objectives include creating a veteran-ready work environment, sponsoring and participating in events that develop and advance careers, providing meaningful one-on-one career development mentorship, advising and facilitating retail entrepreneurship (pop-ups) and provide business development counsel, and providing opportunities for employee and community engagement that builds awareness of our strong support for veterans and their families.

Shopping Centers under 500,000 square feet

GOLD WINNER

Westfield World Trade Center Holiday Village, Westfield World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York

The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center is one of New York City’s most iconic destinations delivering extraordinary shopping, dining and community events to residents and visitors of Lower Manhattan. In its first stabilized year, holiday 2017 presented an opportunity to deliver an unprecedented New York holiday experience that would further establish the Westfield brand within this top DMA, showcase our partners, create new revenue streams and support our local community.  Through thoughtful retail selection, partner integration, sponsorship and activation, the holiday market at Westfield World Trade Center was created and curated to maximize revenue, reach, value and engagement.

SILVER WINNER

Up on the Rooftops for NOI, Winery Shopping Center, Fairfield, California

Phillips Edison & Company, an owner and manager of over 340 grocery anchored shopping centers, is deeply committed to making a difference in the communities where our properties are located by becoming industry leaders in energy efficiency, alternative power sources, sustainable design, recycling and other initiatives that will help us preserve and protect the environment.  Phillips Edison’s property management team executed an agreement with Blue Sky Utility which would enhance the energy efficiency of Winery Shopping Center located Fairfield, California, while at the same time saving money for both the tenants and the landlord.  Phillips Edison, our tenants, our energy provider Blue Sky, and ultimately the environment all benefit as a result.  The program will roll out to 75 percent of our California properties in the next three years for an estimated savings of over $9.5 million.

SILVER WINNER and SPECIAL DISTINCTION FOR BUDGETS UNDER 10k

Atlantic Station "Drives" New Revenue, Atlantic Station, Atlanta

Since its conception, Atlantic Station has continually pushed the boundaries of innovation in retail leasing and marketing to claim its rightful spot as one of Atlanta’s most prominent neighborhoods. Already a national leader in the mixed-use arena, the specialty leasing team was in search of the next big opportunity to drive income in an effort to remain a top producer in the industry.   In 2017, Atlantic Station’s Specialty Leasing Manager implemented a strategic plan that reinvigorated its advertising partnership campaigns and resulted in the 138-acre mixed-use development to increase its NOI. Atlantic Station’s partnership program combined a powerhouse specialty leasing team with one of the world’s most successful automobile makers to create a one-of-a-kind partnership campaign experienced by approximately 114 million people.

Shopping Centers over 500,001 square feet

SILVER WINNER

Fashion Outlets of Chicago's THE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets Fashion, Fashion Outlets of Chicago, Rosemont, Illinois

Macerich’s Fashion Outlets of Chicago partnered with The Village of Rosemont to become the first outlet shopping center in America to offer a comprehensive contemporary art program, THE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets Fashion. The Village of Rosemont matched Fashion Outlets of Chicago’s marketing investment in the art program to brand Rosemont as an all-encompassing destination for premier shopping, dining and entertainment. Through partnerships with Chicago’s top arts institutions, sponsorships of high profile art events, widespread media coverage and a robust artwork programming calendar, THE COLLECTION has attracted a loyal base of affluent shoppers and art enthusiasts to Fashion Outlets of Chicago.

SILVER WINNER

COMMUNITY MINDED. EVENTS FOCUSED. SALES ORIENTED., Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, Miramar Beach, Florida

Recognizing market demand for ever-grander events and fulfilling its corporate mission to be a good steward of the local community, Grand Boulevard developed and implemented the Arts & Entertainment Fee Program in 2014 to help fund and support a year-round calendar of events focused on art, local culture and experiences, and entertainment. These events are mostly free and open to all guests of Grand Boulevard.  As with most A&E programs, Grand Boulevard's event funding is generated by a fee collected at the point of sale. In 2017, the program's fourth year in place, the Arts & Entertainment Fee Program generated $379,640 to fund and promote 179 events at the Town Center. These events garnered attendee counts totaling 103,550, helped boost NOI by 14.96 percent over the previous year and has lead to a 31.82 percent increase in sales since the program's launch.  Additionally, the program's success has extended to encompass leasing efforts as it is now a strong recruitment tool for potential new tenants.

Shopping Centers under 500,000 square feet

SILVER WINNER

#PoppingUpAtPaseo, Paseo Nuevo Shops & Restaurants, Santa Barbara, California

Local brands are #PoppingUpAtPaseo from mobile boutiques to bakeries, the pop-up shop program at Paseo Nuevo gives startups and entrepreneurs a site to introduce their brand to shoppers in today’s changing retail environment, and activates a common area location that was not historically producing income, yet was strategically chosen for its ability to attract new shoppers from the bordering main street. The unique assortment of pop-up shops enhances the current merchandise mix of the center by introducing new concepts. The location, selection and schedule drives traffic to inline tenants as well, enhancing the overall visit and experience for shoppers. Since introducing the program, one pop-up led to two or three prospects, gave inspiration to entrepreneurs who were motivated to start their own brand and launch their business at Paseo Nuevo, and encouraged startups to secure a storefront after successfully testing the market at Paseo Nuevo. In 2017, the program increased income 71%, contributing to a 16.5% increase in NOI.

Shopping Centers over 500,001 square feet

GOLD WINNER

Westfield Century City Pop-Up, Westfield Century City, Los Angeles

In 2017, Westfield Century City saw its grand re-pening on the westside of Los Angeles, reinvigorating the neighborhood as the new epicenter of community. Featuring best in class shopping, dining, and entertainment/events the property has become a destination in and of itself. This experience is enhanced by the guiding principle for the property’s redesign –a focus on brand discovery. This curated mix of blending well-known brands with up and coming retailers throughout the property ensures a constant element of consumer discovery.  As a way to capitalize on this theme, Westfield saw an opportunity to introduce a dedicated, in-line pop up shop which would allow emerging brick-and-mortar brand partners an opportunity to showcase their offerings to a highly qualified audience. The Pop-Up at The Atrium is a turnkey, white-boxed venue by which vetted brands fulfilling specific prerequisites are invited to build out a physical platform in an elevated retail environment that would have previously been unavailable or unattainable for them.

Joint Centers

SILVER WINNER and SPECIAL DISTINCTION FOR  INNOVATION

ShareRails Virtual Shopper, The Shops at South Town, Yorktown Center Eastridge Center

In today's online shopping era, as landlords we must constantly evaluate how to capture online to offline sales. ShareRails was an opportunity to drive local online searches to our centers. This innovative technology allows consumers in the surrounding area to search for products online and find them at their local shopping center, providing our tenants the ability to compete with online giants.  Pacific Retail embarked to test the platform at The Shops at South Town and would later launch it at Eastridge and Yorktown. The platform would make retailer products searchable and discoverable online, enhance center websites, increase online results, drive traffic to our merchants and boost our consumer experience. This new channel would also enable us to track consumer preferences which will later be used to drive personalized digital content.  Branding the platform as “Virtual Shopper”, we were able to digitize our center catalogs and drive incredible results, providing a clear online-to-offline path to purchase.

Company

SILVER WINNER

Centennial Augmented Reality, Centennial Real Estate, Dallas

Centennial is a national owner of major shopping, dining and mixed-use destinations with eight centers located in competitive markets in six states. The company introduced an augmented reality (AR) application for shoppers in partnership with Clever Fox for the 2017 holiday shopping season. The free application, named Centennial AR, allowed for an in-center mixed reality experience, bringing animated holiday characters to life. The campaign applied cutting edge technology to create a modern “magic” that embodied the holiday spirit.  Shoppers downloaded the app from the Apple app store or Google Play. It featured five characters that users watch come to life.   The results of the campaign proved to be highly successful. The application received over 6,000 downloads and was featured in 149 media publications. Centennial successfully coordinated a first of its kind, multi-location campaign utilizing AR technology to delight customers during the holiday season.

SILVER WINNER

VIP HD - The Power of Personalization, Horizon Group Properties, Rosemont, Illinois

Seventy-seven percent of ALL shoppers use coupons for holiday shopping.  For Holiday 2017, Horizon Group Properties, owner/operator of 8 outlets, sought to give their shoppers personalized deals: the deals they wanted, when they wanted them.  Enter PlaceWise, HGP’s digital partner.  The answer: leverage custom software to personalize the VIP experience, build more automation around personalized content delivery to VIPs and give loyalty members first hand experience with the benefits of personalization.   Store Follows were used to create 101,793 personalized Holiday Deal emails that went directly to VIP’s inboxes, inspiring incredible open rates and shopper engagement.  Rate of VIP Signups increased by 1,892 percent over prior weeks! Membership grew to 20,119 during 6 week run!  Rate of Store Follows increased by 6,041 percent during VIP HD! Store Follows grew to 182,085!  VIP HD email open rates achieved a whopping 40.5 percent, an increase of 268 percent over open rates prior to the program!  All of this delivered additional value to the retailers, just in the St. Nick of time.

SILVER WINNER

exCLAUSive Access, JLL, Atlanta, Georgia

Santa’s arrival is undoubtedly one of the most important dates on the mall calendar. But whether Santa arrives via traditional sleigh, helicopter, or even repelling down a building– that’s where the uniqueness ends. To change that, JLL set out to redefine the Santa experience by offering a few lucky winners “exCLAUSive Access” to have a VIP meet-and-greet with jolly old St. Nick. What transpired was an unprecedented level of shopper engagement, Santa photo sales, and center traffic through a highly targeted digital media campaign – effectively linking online interactions to mall visits.

VISUAL VICTORIES AWARD WINNERS

ICSC's Visual Victories Awards program is a visual merchandising competition specifically created for cart, kiosk, and temporary in-line retailers. Our annual competition recognizes the outstanding work done by exceptional visual merchandisers, retailers and specialty leasing agents.

Best Overall Kiosk Design

SILVER WINNER

Halo Top, Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, California
The first brick and mortar location of America’s favorite healthy ice cream features a full serve counter on one side with a ledge and bar stools on the other, topped by a large gold-colored halo installation.

SILVER WINNER

Sweet U Candies, Staten Island Mall, Staten Island, New York
The user-friendly design allows visitors to choose from more than 150 varieties of candy, nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, and fudge, as well as freshly roasted almonds, pecans and cashews.

GOLD WINNER

Les Parfums Louis Vuitton, Aventura Mall, Aventura, Florida
Les Parfums Louis Vuitton's unique kiosk design featured split level display counters under lit by LED panels, the brand’s iconic travel trunks, and an illuminated seven ring display unit containing bottles of the brand’s fragrances, enclosed within a free form flower structure made from 2,995 paper tube packaging containers.

Best RMU Merchandising Display

SILVER WINNER

One Two Cosmetics, LLC, Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos, California
Bold visuals of the brand’s product are complemented by undulating lines, high end finishes, and glass box display units, that invoke the look and feel of a luxury cosmetics counter.

SILVER WINNER

X steam, Londonderry Mall, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
X Steam's… the vibrantly eye-catching display of the travel iron in all its many colors and patterns, was complemented by a dapperly dressed mannequin and a suitcase filled with holiday essentials.

GOLD WINNER

Sweet Home Chicago, Navy Pier, Chicago
 This versatile wood-paneled modular display unit was custom-made for Chicago’s Navy Pier, and incorporates shelving, clothing racks, hooks and clips, and mesh grills, to display a variety of merchandise and goods created by the city’s artists, artisans, and craftsmen.

Most Creative Pop-up Store Design

SILVER WINNER

Casper, Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver, Colorado

Casper's ambient environment evokes the feeling of being at a luxury resort, enticing you to climb into bed, sink into the pillows, and pull the comforter up to your chin, before falling into a deep and tranquil sleep….

SILVER WINNER

Mercedes-Benz USA, Lenox Square, Atlanta
Mercedes Benz USA's unique pop-up housed three vehicles, branded merchandise, a full-service coffee bar, a virtual reality driver experience, and a pair of luxury Stadium seats, to celebrate the opening of their new stadium in Atlanta

GOLD WINNER

Faribault Woolen Mill Company, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota
The Faribault Woolen Mill company's spectacular environment pays homage to the company’s rich history, featured vignettes of their merchandise displayed naturally as if at home, complemented by vintage sewing machines, soldiers’ blankets from World War One, silk screen prints, historic photos, and a narrated video detailing the weaving process from start to finished product.

Most Creative Promotional Cart or Kiosk

SILVER WINNER

Campbell's Soup, Scarborough Town Centre, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Campbell’s Soup's kiosk featured a sleek white counter with an overhead trellis, brightly colored signage, a daily menu board, and tiled merchandise units with inset shelving surrounded by hundreds of basil plants

SILVER WINNER

Les Parfums Louis Vuitton, Aventura Mall, Aventura, Florida

Les Parfums Louis Vuitton their unique flower shaped kiosk constructed from nearly 3,000 paper tube packaging containers, featured split level counters, and a central display containing 181 bottles of the brand’s fragrances.

GOLD WINNER

Miansai Piaggio Truck, Tom Bradley International Terminal, Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles

The distinctive and iconic three-wheeled truck became the visual vessel for a curated collection of fashion accessories at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal, that included the brand’s signature hook and anchor wrap bacelets, unisex cuffs, necklaces, watches, wallets, and hand crafted leather goods.

Most Creative Temporary Store Design

SILVER WINNER

Baggallini, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota

Bagallini's chic environment featured birch lined shelving displaying merchandise grouped by color and collection, and stand-alone displays that encouraged visitors to check out the bag’s special functions and features.

SILVER WINNER

Worker B, Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota

The contemporary design included bold accent walls, hexagon shaped fixtures and tiles, a honey tasting bar, and a handcrafted honeycomb unit with 45 double sided hexagons to display jars of their delicious product.

GOLD WINNER

Beehold Cakes, Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver, Colorado

The creative and inviting environment inspired by the Shabby Chic design concept,  incorporates warm, familiar, and previously loved home furnishings, tables, and accent pieces, to artfully display a wide range of their tasty and freshly prepared baked good and treats.

Most Improved Retail Design (RMU or Kiosk)

SILVER WINNER

Natural Wonders, Prairie Mall, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada

This elevated redesign incorporates dark stained crates with colorful signage to create multi-level displays to add depth and dimension, as well as organic materials and live plants to reinforce the product’s all-natural positioning.

SILVER WINNER

Royal Bee, Lawson Heights Mall, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

The transformative redesign incorporates three separate skin care consultation cubicles equipped with comfortable seating, warm lighting, and cherry red sinks and stools, alongside sliding panel display units and shadow boxes, to create an aesthetically pleasing and cohesive brand environment.

Most Inspirational Pop-up or Temporary Store Window Display

SILVER WINNER

CrossIron Mills, Rocky View, Alberta, Canada

The large picture windows include marquee lights, a giant film reel and stylized film strip,  theater seats, and iconic theater going elements to offer a tantalizing glimpse of the exhilarating experiences available inside.