Vancouver-based denim brand Dish Jeans is using multiple pop-up locations to build awareness for its brand, as well as its new men’s technical denim brand. We spoke with ‎Co-Founder/President of parent company Pimlico Performance Apparel Ltd.’s Gary Lenett to learn more, and we consulted with a retail expert to gain insight into the benefits of pop-ups. 

Dish Jeans recently expanded to include a new “function meets fashion” men’s denim line, called DU-ER. Recognizing the new ‘athleisure’ demographic, Mr. Lenett developed two proprietary fabrics for the line. The fabric, L2X (leisure to extreme) and N2X (nature to extreme), combine COOLMAX® fabric and TENCEL® to offer moisture management, temperature control, and anti-bacterial properties. Mr. Lenett also innovated the design to include lined pockets that protect males against cell-phone radiation and dark/reflective branding that can be spotted by night drivers, as the denim is fit for bike commuting. The lightweight jean has five times the stretch of regular denim for males, allowing it to be worn by a wide demographic of active people.

Both the women’s Dish Jeans line and the new DU-ER men’s line wholesale in a number of top retailers. To heighten brand awareness and to enhance its wholesale accounts, Mr. Lenett explained how his company is seeking temporary pop-up retail space between about 1,000 square feet and 2,000 square feet. Each location will remain open for about four weeks, hosting a variety of events for shoppers. The company’s first pop-up recently opened in Vancouver’s Railtown area, adjacent to the company’s design studio. 

The pop-up trend is “as much as an event as a store” according to Mr. Lenett. Besides its Vancouver pop-up and a number of planned U.S. locations, Mr. Lenett says that Dish Jeans may roll-out pop-ups in markets including Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. The brand will announce these closer to their opening dates. 

We spoke with retail expert Farla Efros, President of leading retail consultancy HRC Advisory, to discuss the pop-up trend. Ms. Efros explained that pop-up shops are “here to stay” and that pop-ups can bridge the gap between online and offline, as brands look to build awareness, drive loyalty, and convert shoppers into buyers. She noted that the shorter commitment and lower-cost of pop-ups make them attractive to some retailers, especially as pop-ups require little lead time. By the nature of their “limited engagement” format, pop-ups can generate brand excitement, encourage planned purchases, and create an overall buzz that may not otherwise be achieved. 

Ms. Efros further explained that pop-ups can be leveraged as brand development ‘labs’, testing new products in new markets, while reaching new customers. For pure-play retailers, the number one goal of a pop-up is to create a direct connection with the customer, she said. When done successfully, these customers will continue shopping with the brand either online, or with its local wholesalers, if applicable. 

By Eric Blais

As expected, the Québec government indicated last week its intention to challenge Québec’s Court of Appeal’s ruling that the province cannot force companies to add a French component to their name.

Several multinationals took the province to court after they were told by the Office québécois de la langue française to change their names or risk running afoul of the rules governing the language of business in the province. A Québec Superior Court judge sided with the companies, which included Walmart, Costco, Best Buy, Gap, Old Navy and Guess.

I leave it to others to debate whether this should be forced upon retailers through legislation. It’s a sensitive issue but one marketers would be wise to consider from all angles before dismissing it as just one more obstacle to overcome when doing business in Québec.

Québec Premier Philippe Couillard was a brain surgeon before entering politics. He could also have been a marketer. This time, the governments appears to be adopting a slightly different tone. The narrative from past government on this delicate issue has often been about protecting the French language and the Québec nation’s distinct identity. It still is but Mr. Couillard gave a different explanation for his government’s position – one that sounds more like a marketer’s viewpoint than a politician’s.

The Premier gave the example of Second Cup:

“Everyone knows that they sell coffee, but it’s like this company said, ‘I know where I am, I know what environment I am in and recognize the existence of the French in Quebec.

“We don’t want to erase trademarks – it’s not that Canadian Tire will become Pneu canadien, let’s be clear on that, but it’s a question of politeness.”

A question of politeness

Most companies operating across geographies comply with local regulations while looking for efficiencies. It’s not always an easy balance to achieve and Québec, with its many unique requirements, can be particularly challenging. Those who are frustrated by Québec’s demand that a French descriptor be added to English trademarks will view this latest move as one more costly irritant.

Others will view it differently. Many already have; through a marketer’s lens instead of a lawyer’s.

The Premier called it a politesse, a courtesy. The importance of being courteous is nothing new to retailers. Let’s stay with coffee. According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Specialty Coffee Retailer Satisfaction Report, staff, more than price or merchandise offerings, is key to driving higher satisfaction among specialty coffee customers. One of the key staff factor is courtesy. It’s not a stretch to suggest that adapting all brand touch points in Québec to cater to French-speaking customers can signal a higher level of courtesy, including the sign above a store’s entrance.

A competitive advantage

Quebeckers will view a retailer’s brand more favourably if it makes an effort to adjust to their needs. For retailers, adding a French descriptor to an English name is a symbolic way to signal that they are catering to them. There is directional evidence of this in the findings from our firm’s What Québec Wants™ study. When we asked 3,000 Canadians whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement “I prefer to buy products and services from companies that make an effort to cater to the specific preferences and needs of people in my locality“, 63% of French-speaking Quebeckers agreed compared to 50% of Canadians living in the rest of Canada.

There are no doubt cost and operational implications for doing so. When Crate & Barrel added the word “maison” next to its name, it did what many others have done without being forced to. To quote the Premier again, “it said, ‘I know what environment I am in” and I will brand myself accordingly.

There is no law forcing banks and other retailers to have signage in Chinese in Markham, Ontario and in other communities across Canada. They do so voluntarily. Clearly, these organizations see it as an investment instead of a cost. Even Québec’s Banque Nationale thinks it’s a business practice that will help its brand in that community.

Retailers should carefully consider their position on this issue. Rather than look at this as being forced to invest to protect the French language, they should consider assessing how it might benefit their brand to be the more polite one.

UPDATE: At a recent news conference Hélène David, the minister responsible for the French Language Charter, said the government will oblige Québec retailers to add French descriptives to their outdoor banners. However, David confirmed Québec has decided not to appeal the Québec Court of Appeal ruling. Instead, it it will change the law at the level of regulations.

Eric Blais is President of Headspace Marketing – a Toronto-based marketing-communications consultancy helping clients build their brands in Québec.

Italian luxury brand Prada plans to substantially grow its Canadian operations over the next 12 months. It will significantly expand and renovate its ‘Mink Mile’ flagship in Toronto, as well as enlarge and replace several existing concessions. Prada will also open a second freestanding Canadian flagship in Vancouver later this year, spanning two floors. 

Sources confirm that Prada’s Toronto Bloor Street flagship will substantially expand by adding a second level. Located at 131 Bloor Street West in The Colonnade, Prada’s Canadian flagship currently measures 5,890 square feet. The store will expand by taking space currently occupied by The Japan Foundation, which occupies almost 12,800 square feet on the complex’s second floor. The Japan Foundation will vacate The Colonnade for Prada’s Bloor Street expansion, which is expected to be completed in early 2016. It is unclear how much of The Japan Foundation’s space will be occupied by Prada, as sources we spoke with indicated that neighbouring Chanel may also seek more space in the complex.  

Sources at Prada said the expansion would be ‘substantial’, with one salesperson saying that the store would exceed 15,000 square when completed. We cannot confirm that number at this time. 

Prada will open its second freestanding Canadian location in several months at the southeast corner of Alberni Street and Thrulow Street in Vancouver. Located within The Carlyle retail complex, the 8,200 square foot two-level Prada flagship will neighbour brands such as De Beers, Tory Burch, and Moncler. Across the street, Brunello Cucinelli, Versace and Strellson will open over the next several months as well, as Vancouver’s ‘Luxury Zone’ grows to rival Bloor Street’s cachet. 

Prada currently operates several concessions within luxury retailer Holt Renfrew. Sources say that Prada may open an expanded ground-floor concession with a streetfront entrance at Holt Renfrew’s Bloor Street flagship, featuring accessories, footwear and ready-to-wear. The Prada concession within Holt Renfrew’s Vancouver store is expected to expand as the store grows and renovates, and sources at Holt Renfrew say that Prada may also open substantial locations within Holt’s Mississauga Square One location when it opens in the spring of 2016, as well as at an expanded Ogilvy/Holt’s in Montreal in 2017. 

Farla Efros, President of leading retail consultancy HRC Advisory, said in an interview that despite the large size of the new Canadian Prada stores, the brand would be best to continue focusing on accessories and footwear. She noted that Prada’s bags and shoes are at a reasonable designer entry price, as are the brand’s sunglasses and other small accessories. Women are increasingly spending less on clothing and more on accessories, thus Prada’s ready-to-wear targets only a ‘certain group’ of women, according to Ms. Efros. Overall, Ms. Efros said that it’s important for Prada to continue investing in the brand’s brick-and-mortar operations to ensure that it remains relevant, in light of increased competition and a recent downward trend in Prada’s earnings. 

Saks Fifth Avenue’s first two Canadian stores are expected to open as early as December of 2015. We are unaware if Prada has agreed to operate out of either. Saks will open its 150,000 square foot Canadian flagship within the Toronto Eaton Centre Hudson’s Bay building, as well as 132,000 square foot unit at Toronto’s Sherway Gardens. 

Several of Nordstrom’s American locations feature Nordstrom shops-in-stores, both for accessories as well as women’s ready-to-wear. It remains to be seen if any Nordstrom locations will include Prada. Nordstrom recently confirmed that its Vancouver Pacific Centre and Toronto Eaton Centre stores will be among six downtown flagships for the company.