Visual Merchandising Midterm Review• Why Do We Display⇒ What is visual merchandising? It is showing merchandise and concepts at their very best, with the end purpose of visual merchandising is making a sale (multiple sales). We try to convince the viewer of the value of the object. ⇒ What are the functions of displays? Establish, promote, and enhance the store’s visual image. TO show and educate (promote) ⇒ What does visual merchandising impact? Store design, store signage, departmental merchandise, placement and display, atmospherics, and store brand image ⇒ What is a target market? Who is our customer? Examples include they brand loyal or price conscience  Identified segments that are good “fits” for the retailers product or service offerings. Retailer aims all their stores promotional communication ⇒ What elements are parts of promotional mix? A combination of communication tools that that tells targeted customers about a store and its merchandise. It includes advertising, in store marketing (loyalty program), special events, personal selling, and visual merchandising. ⇒ What is retail brand image? A combination of the tangible and intangible factors that describe what a shopper thinks about his or her relationship with the store. It’s the retailer’s identity in a shoppers mind ⇒ What things in the store should fit brand image? Environment, every fixture, sign, and display ⇒ How are stores expanding their store offerings? Add fun to the assortment by offering new items and categories. Stretch brand to appeal to a broader customer base⇒ How do retailers stretch their brand image? Most chain stores look the same from location to location but today retailers are introducing new products that are exclusive to different store locations and offering services that are unique to the location. ⇒ How does visual merchandising support selling? Visual merchandising can transform a shopper into a customer who makes a purchase -They study how their target customers live their lives. They try to understand what shoppers want in new products and how shoppers use the products they buy. They must interpret the trends within the store’s physical setting so that people know what’s important today.• Core Design Strategies⇒ What are the core design elements? Color  Texture Proportion Direction Line  Shape Size Sequence Tension⇒ What is the biggest motivation for buying something? Color is the biggest motivation for shopping. Color goes before size fit or price ⇒ Why is color a powerful visual element? It can set mood, emphasize features, and highlight a product⇒ Why is understanding the effect of color on color important? Enables selection of the proper settings and accessories for the merchandise and the store’s fashion image.⇒ Are color trends limited to clothing only? Not limited to clothing only ⇒ What is a color story? Color coordinated or color-keyed product grouping that shows how to use a season’s trend colors. ⇒ Are textures suggestive? Yes they can suggest familiar symbols or memories⇒ Can texture affect the color of merchandise? Yes different textures can make a color appear differently. ⇒ Should all the texture work well together and be balanced in an arrangement? Yes in an ensemble there should be a relationship of textures that work together and must be balanced in a display. ⇒ What is texture? How a surface feel to the touch or how it appears that it might feel if touched. ⇒ Why is texture important to store designers and planners? How a store uses textual contrasts in store décor determines overall mood and can influence the appearance of merchandise as well. Textures can absorb or reflect light, provide contrasts that enhance the feature of merchandise, help set mood and actually invite a shopper to touch the merchandise. ⇒ What should the visual merchandiser consider in regards to proportion? They have to consider the size of merchandise and props AND the size of the display area as well. ⇒ What is the difference between direction and line? Direction refers to the design element that leads the shopper’s eye from one place to another. Line guides the eye to a feature of linear element that sets a mood. Line is a type of direction. ⇒ What are the types of lines? Vertical- joins the floor and ceiling. Represent strength, height, pride, majesty, and dynasty.  Horizontal- Easygoing, restful. All is calm and peaceful. Stretch out objects make them appear wider as well as shorter.  Curved- grace, charm, femininity, and can ease tension. Used for a spotlight or target.  Diagonal- Line of action (forceful, string, and dynamic.) suggest movement and excitement. ⇒ What is sequence? Particular order in which items are presented for viewing. Items could go from small to big, light to dark, etc. ⇒ What is tension? An arrangement of elements that causes the viewer to wonder if opposing forces will disturb balance or equilibrium in a display. Example trunks stacked on top of each other will the top one stumble?) • Design Principles- The Rules⇒ What are the design principles? Unity Harmony Balance Repetition Rhythm Emphasis Contrast Surprise⇒ What is the difference between informal and formal balance? Formal Balance- two items of equal size or weight balanced equal distance from a center point (symmetry). More organized, disciplined, traditional.  Informal Balance- objects positioned in an asymmetrical arrangement where a single larger object is counterbalanced by two or more smaller objects on the other side of the center point. Less restrained ⇒ How does one eye move when using rhythm in a display? Rhythm is self-contained movement from element to element, from background to foreground, from side to side. The viewers eye should move from the dominant object to the subordinate object. ⇒ What is usually the dominant object in a display? The merchandise we are displaying⇒ What is the difference between contrast and emphasis? Contrast is the composition of elements used to show a sharp