flagship stores.... your brand's playground for its consumers

Ok, so this thought came to us at a Pizza Hut restaurant in Bangalore.
But thats the point.

A flagship store goes beyond categories/ products. Its a MUST DO for a company trying to establish/ differentiate and most definitely educate itself in the eyes of the consumer.

The Cunningham Road Pizza Hut opened almost 10 years ago. It was back then a luxury / fine dining experience. Exotic food and pretty steep prices. Cunningham Road is also one of the chic streets in Bangalore, so Pizza Hut opening there was appropriate and exciting. The store was modern...sleek design and furniture and clearly consistent with an international brand.

We went to lunch there yesterday. The pizzas were great, service wonderful, but the store itself so run down. It was sad.

This is a product category still to establish itself. A flagship store for Pizza Hut would have been a great brand builder.

- weekend activities ...design a pizza (and the best pizza gets put on the menu for one month)

- An exotic flavored Pizza..only for the weekend.

- Learn to make a pizza with our chef!

- Pizza making contest among our chefs (see it in the see through kitchen)

So much excitement can be built around a pizza/ or a coffee shop (Starbucks/ Coffee day?).... and it cant always be replicated at all stores..which is why we have the concept of a flagship store.

In how many ways can your brand engage/ entertain/ educate your consumer?

A flagship is a microcosm...a small world you can create for consumers to see the possibilities with your brand.

Go do it.

Ritu and Venkat