Retail News CRM

Tag: friends

  • Miniso Unveils First-of-its-Kind ‘Miniso Friends’ Store in Malaysia: A New Era of IP-led Retail Experience

    Miniso Unveils First-of-its-Kind ‘Miniso Friends’ Store in Malaysia: A New Era of IP-led Retail Experience

    Miniso, a leading retailer, has unveiled its inaugural ‘Miniso Friends’ concept store in Malaysia. This move aligns with the company’s initiative to expand its intellectual property-centered retail and experiential schemes throughout Southeast Asia.

    Store Location and Details

    The brand-new store is situated at LaLaport BBCC, with a sprawling area of about 14,000 square feet, making it one of Miniso’s most spacious outlets in the market. The concept primarily revolves around intellectual property (IP). Approximately 62% of the store’s 6500 products are affiliated with licensed and proprietary characters.

    The Product Strategy

    The product range is key to Miniso’s strategy, aiming to attract a larger audience and stimulate sales through character narratives and brand collaborations. The store showcases renowned franchises such as Stitch, along with Miniso’s own IP, YoYo.

    Enhancing Customer Experience

    The store’s design is conceived to amplify customer engagement. To augment the shopping experience, the store incorporates grand installations and interactive photo zones. This concept is particularly aimed at younger shoppers, especially Generation Z, who have a fondness for immersive and shareable retail spaces.

    Expansion Plans

    The rollout of this store comes close on the heels of Miniso’s debut of its first ‘Miniso Land’ concept in Malaysia earlier in the month.

    Questions & Answers

    What is unique about Miniso’s new concept store in Malaysia?
    The ‘Miniso Friends’ concept store is unique as it is focused on intellectual property with around 62% of its products linked to licensed and proprietary characters.

    How does Miniso plan to enhance customer engagement at the new store?
    Miniso aims to boost customer engagement by introducing large installations and interactive photo zones at the new store, thereby improving the overall shopping experience.

    Who is the target demographic for the Miniso Friends concept store?
    The Miniso Friends concept store specifically targets younger shoppers, particularly from Generation Z, who are known to appreciate immersive and shareable retail spaces.

  • Miniso Launches First Immersive ‘Miniso Friends’ Concept Store in Malaysia, Shaking Up Retail Experience

    Miniso Launches First Immersive ‘Miniso Friends’ Concept Store in Malaysia, Shaking Up Retail Experience

    Miniso, a prominent retail brand, has launched its inaugural Miniso Friends concept store in Malaysia. This move aligns with the company’s pursuit to enlarge its unique intellectual property (IP) driven retail model and immersive shopping experiences across the Southeast Asia region.

    Store Location and Size

    The new Miniso Friends store is situated in LaLaport BBCC, a popular shopping destination. The store spans approximately 14,000 square feet, making it one of Miniso’s most substantial outlets in the Malaysian market.

    Intellectual Property Focus

    Miniso’s concept store strongly revolves around intellectual property (IP). About 62 per cent of its 6,500 products are associated with licensed characters and in-house creations. This strategic product combination is part of Miniso’s plan to captivate more customers and escalate sales by leveraging character storytelling and brand partnerships.

    Among the notable franchises featured in the store is Stitch, along with Miniso’s own intellectual property, YoYo.

    Customer Engagement

    In an effort to bolster customer engagement, the store’s design includes large installations and interactive photo zones to enhance the overall shopping experience. This concept specifically aims to appeal to younger consumers, particularly those from Generation Z, who tend to favour immersive and socially shareable retail spaces.

    This grand opening comes on the heels of Miniso’s first introduction of its Miniso Land concept in Malaysia earlier in the month.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the focus of the new Miniso Friends concept store in Malaysia?
    The new Miniso Friends concept store in Malaysia emphasizes on intellectual property, with about 62% of its products linked to licensed and in-house characters.

    What elements does the store incorporate to enhance customer engagement?
    The store includes large installations and interactive photo zones to augment the shopping experience, specifically targeting younger consumers who prefer immersive and socially shareable retail spaces.

    How does this opening fit into Miniso’s broader strategy?
    The opening of the Miniso Friends concept store aligns with the company’s strategy to expand its unique intellectual property-driven retail model and immersive shopping experiences across Southeast Asia.

  • Friends forever: Central Perk Coffeehouse to open in Times Square

    Friends forever: Central Perk Coffeehouse to open in Times Square

    Fans of the iconic sitcom “Friends” are in for a treat as they will soon have the chance to gather for a cup of coffee in the well-known fictional New York cafe made popular by the show.

    Warner Bros Discovery Global Experiences has teamed up with Central Perk Coffee C and CenPer Holdings to set up a Central Perk Coffeehouse in Times Square, New York City. The launch is scheduled for the later part of this fall.

    Coffeehouse Concept with a Twist

    The coffeehouse is being designed in collaboration with Tom Colicchio, a celebrated Top Chef winner, and the reputable New York design firm, Glen & Co. The unique concept of the coffeehouse will showcase an assortment of food, coffee, and merchandise, all inspired by the well-loved “Friends” television series.

    One of the key highlights of the coffeehouse will be its interior design, which will feature the iconic Orange Sofa room, a homage to the famous couch from the series.

    Peter Van Roden, an Executive VP at Warner Bros Discovery Global Experiences, shared, “Friends is a unique show that has the power to unite people across generations. Central Perk has always been at the core of these shared experiences.”

    A Dream Come True

    Paul Landino, an executive at CenPer Holdings, expressed his excitement over the expansion. He stated, “Our goal, when we launched the original Central Perk Coffeehouse in Boston, was to eventually bring it to New York City. Opening a branch in Times Square, often referred to as the crossroads of the world, provides a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn this vision into reality.”

    The Times Square location will also offer exclusive merchandise and the six signature blends from Central Perk Coffee Co. These blends are already available at the Boston location, online, on Amazon, and at select H-E-B grocery stores.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the Central Perk Coffeehouse?
    It’s a coffeehouse themed on the famous fictional café from the sitcom “Friends”. It will feature food, coffee, and merchandise inspired by the series.

    Who is behind the idea of the Central Perk Coffeehouse?
    The coffeehouse is a joint venture between Warner Bros Discovery Global Experiences, Central Perk Coffee C, and CenPer Holdings.

    Where and when will the Central Perk Coffeehouse open?
    The Central Perk Coffeehouse is set to open in Times Square, New York City, in the later part of this fall.

  • Pet care booms in Korea as seniors spend on furry friends

    Pet care booms in Korea as seniors spend on furry friends

    In the past three years, South Korea has seen a significant 30% increase in expenditures on pet care services and products. The most noteworthy growth is seen amongst consumers who are 60 years of age or older, a new report reveals.

    Analysis of Pet Spending Trends

    The report is based on an analysis of 24.85 million card transactions made by 3.54 million customers from 2021 to 2024. It shows a 39% increase in the number of consumers spending on pet-related goods and services, such as veterinary clinics and specialty pet stores, during this period.

    Veterinary services accounted for the lion’s share of the spending, comprising 75% of total pet-related expenditures. Comparatively, pet supply retailers accounted for 25% of the spending.

    Spending by Age Group

    The largest spending group was individuals in their 30s, accounting for 23% of pet-related spending. They were closely followed by those in their 20s and 40s who each accounted for 22% of the spending. Individuals in their 50s and those aged 60 and above represented 20% and 13% of the spending respectively.

    However, it’s noteworthy that the 60+ age group saw the highest increase in spending, going up by 60% from 2021. This includes a 77% increase in pet supply purchases and a 57% increase in veterinary costs.

    Online Shopping and Veterinary Services

    Online purchases also saw a significant boost, with 64% of pet products bought online in 2024, marking a 53% increase from three years earlier. Cat-related products experienced a notable 81% surge in online sales, surpassing the 49% increase in dog-related items.

    Veterinary clinics also increased in number, rising 24% from about 14,000 in 2021 to 17,000 in 2024. Spending was heavily concentrated among the larger providers, with the top 10% of clinics making up 68% of total revenue, up from 62% in 2021.

    “These figures underscore considerable shifts in consumer behavior, especially among older adults, and emphasize the growing dominance of online channels in the pet care market,” a spokesperson commented.

    Questions & Answers

    What accounted for the majority of pet-related expenditures in South Korea?
    In South Korea, the majority of pet-related expenditures were for veterinary services, which made up 75% of the total.

    Which age group had the highest growth in pet-related spending?
    The age group of 60 years and older saw the highest growth in pet-related spending, increasing by 60% since 2021.

    What rise did online purchases of pet products see between 2021 and 2024?
    Online purchases of pet products saw a significant rise between 2021 and 2024, with 64% of pet products being bought online in 2024, a 53% increase from three years earlier.

  • Instagram levels up DMs with live location sharing and nicknames for your friends

    Instagram levels up DMs with live location sharing and nicknames for your friends

    Instagram rolling out a few new features for Direct Messages that will make it easier to meet up with friends and family in real life. One of these is a new live location sharing feature. This means you can let others know exactly where you are for a set period of time, which is perfect for coordinating meetups at events or when you’re out and about.

    To share your live location, you just need to open a direct message with a friend or a group chat. From there, you can choose to share your live location for up to an hour. If you’d rather not share your live location constantly, you can also just drop a pin on the map to show people where you are.

    If you’re worried about accidentally leaving location sharing on, you don’t have to, because the feature is turned off by default and you have to choose to use it each time actively. Plus, Instagram has added a handy reminder at the top of the chat to let you know when you’re sharing your location. Additionally, to enhance privacy, you can only share your location with people you’re already connected with in a chat.

    In addition to location sharing, Instagram is rolling out a new feature that lets you create unique nicknames for your friends (and yourself) within your direct messages. It’s a fun way to personalize your chats and add some extra laughs. These nicknames are only visible within your DMs, so they won’t affect your actual username on Instagram.

    You will have complete control over your nicknames and can change them whenever you want, in addition to being able to decide who has permission to change your nickname in a chat —  whether it’s just you or the people you follow. To start using this, just head to the top of your chat and tap on the chat name, then select “Nicknames” and choose the person you want to give a nickname to.

    And if you’re a fan of stickers, Instagram has also added a bunch of new sticker packs to its DMs, giving you even more ways to express yourself. You can now also favorite stickers from your chats so you can easily reuse them later, and create your own stickers using the “cutouts” feature.

    I think the location-sharing feature is the most impactful feature from this update as it could be really useful for planning meetups with friends. It could also be helpful for letting people know you’re safe and on your way, especially if you’re traveling alone. I’m a little bit concerned about privacy, but it seems like Instagram has put some safeguards in place.  I guess we’ll have to see how it works in practice.

    Lees ook:

  • Snapchat launches new feature that helps track friends’ birthdays

    Snapchat launches new feature that helps track friends’ birthdays

    Birthdays Mini is the name of the new feature introduced by Snap meant to allow users to track their friends’ birthdays easier than ever. It’s a simple, yet nifty feature that will show Snapchat addicts a list of upcoming and recent birthdays, along with birthdays organized by Zodiac Sign.

    You can wish a friend a happy birthday using some of the unique Snapchat stickers and Lenses, or you can even countdown your own birthday if you want your friends to know. It’s important to mention though that only friends who have opted in to have their birthdays seen on Snapchat will have their birthdays shown in the Birthdays Mini list.

    Equally important is the fact that Snapchat will not display the birth year or age of your friends or even yours. Of course, you will be able to see the full information on your birthdays, but this isn’t going to be visible for anyone else.

    Birthday Mini will be rolled out to Snapchat on both Android and iOS starting today. The new feature can be found behind the rocket icon in Chat or via the Search bar.

  • Kakao Friends expands to Europe with IMG

    Kakao Friends expands to Europe with IMG

    Korean mobile lifestyle platform company Kakao has associated with IMG to exclusively license its character brand Kakao Friends in Europe.

    Originating from South Korea’s leading messenger platform Kakao Talk, Kakao Friends’ characters have gained millions of fans with its charisma and unique personalities. As K-pop culture has become a global phenomenon, Kakao Friends decided to enter Europe markets by launching an European online store to reach its global fans.

    Eight Kakao Friends’ characters have already collaborated with some of premium brands such as Louis Vuitton or Nike. There will be approximately 30 Kakao Friends stores opened in South Korea and Japan in the future.

    “Having already connected emotionally with millions of fans and aspirational brands, Kakao Friends is a leading K-POP culture export and is powerfully on trend in Europe,” said Matthew Primack, senior vice president of licensing at IMG. “Now is the perfect time for a social and culturally rich lifestyle brand like Kakao Friends to explore new product opportunities that reflect its unique identity and booming popularity.”

    Kakao Friends in Europe will primarily feature apparel and accessories, homeware with future extension into additional categories.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Line Friends opens pop-up store at Changi airport

    Line Friends opens pop-up store at Changi airport

    Line Friends has opened a pop-up store at Changi Airport Terminal 3 Departure hall.

    Set to open until August 8, the store offers the latest summer collections of Line Friends characters featuring Brown, Choco, Sally, Cony and more on one half.

    The other half is dedicated to licensed merchandise featuring all the eight BT21 characters, which is designed by K-pop band BTS, including table figurines, cushions, and keychains.

    The store will also stock BT21 x Uniqlo collection and a slew of Singapore-exclusive products including plushies and comfortable cushions.

    Lees ook:

  • Line Friends Enters Hollywood

    Line Friends Enters Hollywood

    Global character brand Line Friends opened its second and largest official US store last Saturday.

    The new Los Angeles store on Hollywood Blvd, which offers interactive photo zones and signature character merchandise, attracted more than 18,000 visitors on opening weekend. It features a large-scale retail space with a wide array of photo zones and Instagram-ready displays.

    “As we continue to win the hearts of millennials all over the world, we are excited to have successfully opened our second and biggest Line Friends store in Hollywood, the intersection of pop culture and tourist attractions,” read a statement issued by the company.

    “As part of Line Friends’ growing global presence, the Hollywood store is a key milestone for the company in diversifying its business, aiming to be a global creative studio and continuing to expand into the US market.”

    Line Friends features characters which were originally created for use as stickers for the mobile messenger application Line, by Naver, and its 200 million active users worldwide. With Brown & Friends at its heart represented by Brown Choco, Cony and Sally as signature characters, the company is continuously creating and introducing new Intellectual Properties like BT21 and Roy6, in addition to Running Man and Usamaru.

    The Los Angeles store comes after the successful 2017 opening of the Line Friends flagship store in Times Square – which more than 300,000 locals and tourists visited during opening week – and the Line Friends pop-up store in Hollywood last year, which drew more than 15,000 visitors.

  • LINE FRIENDS releases the first official episode ofthe BT21 UNIVERSE series

    LINE FRIENDS releases the first official episode ofthe BT21 UNIVERSE series

    LINE FRIENDS, one of the world’s fastest growing global character brands, released the first official episode of ‘BT21 UNIVERSE’ through its official social media channels on April 4. The video immediately went viral among millennials from all around the world, recording over 1 million views less than a day and ranking #3 most watched video at YouTube.

    The ‘BT21 UNIVERSE’ consists of 9 episodes and features BTS members gathered around, using their imaginations to discuss the new characters and stories of BT21 – a new character IP created in close collaboration between LINE FRIENDS and BTS. The teaser videos released on March 27 and 29 prior to the first episode already drew massive attention, reaching almost 2 million views in total in which fans expressed high levels of affection and expectation towards the globally loved BT21. Not only that, on April 1, a few rough sketches which drop a hint about the ‘BT21 UNIVERSE’ were revealed at the official Twitter BT21 account in celebration of the April Fools’ Day and the content were rapidly shared and spread, reaching over 6,000 comments within an hour.

    In the recently released first episode, BTS members disclosed the first topic, ‘friends and family of BT21’ and BTS members expressed enthusiasm when RM suggested taking the time to create the future of BT21. Then, they unfolded new stories of RJ, KOYA and SHOOKY – the characters which BTS took part in the entire process of creation. Jin disclosed RJ’s family background and the name of parents in a witty way, RM shared a story of how KOYA became a friend with a ‘leaf’ and Suga told the past story of SHOKY’s family and friends before SHOOKY met TATA.

    The millennials from all over the world have expressed great interest in the first episode of the BT21 UNIVERSE that unveiled exciting stories about the past of BT21 characters, featuring the fun and creative processes of BTS members. They commented, “The BT21 UNIVERSE is amazing. I can’t stop watching amusing stories of BT21 presented by BTS”, “The BT21 UNIVERSE sparks curiosity just like Marvel Cinematic Universe. I look forward to seeing how the BT21 UNIVERSE will unfold the stories behind BT21 characters.” Not only that, the BT21 UNIVERSE has prompted a lot of interpretations and guesses of the yet-to-be released characters and stories online.

    In the ‘BT21 UNIVERSE’ series, LINE FRIENDS will share the behind-the-scene clips of BTS members discussing the past, future, family, rivals and friends of the BT21 characters through the official social media channels every week until May. Following the <Family and Friends of BT21 1> that was released on April 4, Jungkook, V, J-Hope and Jimin will introduce the past stories of COOKY, TATA, MANG and CHIMMY in the next week’s episode.

    “LINE FRIENDS launched BT21 in 2017 through a year-long collaboration with global artist BTS and it garnered unprecedented wave of popularity from the millennials all around the world in such a short period of time. The release of the ‘BT21 UNIVERSE’ is particularly meaningful, because it is beyond a one-time new character development process and it unfolds the universe as the characters grow and develop, breaking from the conventional characters”, said LINE FRIENDS.

    LINE FRIENDS is planning to hold a special promotion via social media channels for customers in April, in which they can participate in creating characters. This is one of LINE FRIENDS’s continuous efforts to interact and engage with BT21 customers through wide range of activities.

    BT21 is a new IP created as the first project of ‘FRIENDS CREATORS’, which is a creative strategy to develop a new kind of character IP based on the uniqueness of global artists and creative capabilities of LINE FRIENDS. In 2017, LINE FRIENDS released a total of eight BT21 characters after a year-long collaboration with BTS and it has grown into a globally loved character, garnering remarkable achievements of more than 28 million sticker downloads and more than 3.3 billion Twitter exposures.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Line Friends lining up in Times Square

    Line Friends lining up in Times Square

    Line Friends, the character merchandising unit of mobile messenger Line, will open its first US store in New York City’s Times Square tomorrow.

    In an announcement via Twitter, Line Friends say this is a “pre-opening” of the store ahead of its official grand opening next month. This is so it can test and optimise the store before the official opening, says a company spokesperson.

    Visitors will be able to browse the store and make purchases during the pre-opening period.

    Spanning 430 sqm, the Broadway store is in the same building that is home to the Lion King musical.

    It will be the first-ever large-scale Asian character-brand store to open in the US, and also commemorates the one-year anniversary of Line’s public listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

    As well as Line Friends’ flagship character-based products, the store will offer items tailored to the US market, the firm says.

    Founded two years ago, Line Friends is a wholly owned subsidiary of Naver-owned Line Corp, which runs the Line mobile messenger. It creates such products as dolls and stationery based on the signature characters featured as virtual stickers on Line messenger such as Brown, Choco and Cony.

    Line Friends has 83 stores in 11 countries, including its home country Korea, and China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The company has collaborated with hundreds of major consumer companies such as global stationery brands Lamy and Moleskin, furniture maker Mr Maria and cosmetic brands L’Occitane en Provence and Missha.

    Line Friends CEO Kim Sung-hoon says a Line Friends pop-up store opened in Times Square in 2014 with LED billboard advertisements running in the city in late 2015. “Starting with New York, we will speed up our efforts to ramp up our presence in various markets around the globe.”

    Lees ook: