Geometry Global and The Pop-Up Poppy Shop
The UK’s biggest Armed Forces charity, The Royal British Legion (RBL), has tapped into the new retail world with the launch of its first pop-up shops. The shops, created in collaboration with Geometry Global UK, are hoped to boost fundraising for RBL’s Poppy Appeal in the lead-up to Remembrance Day on November 11th.
The pop-ups mark an extension of Legion merchandising from e-commerce to bricks-and-mortar retail and aim to raise awareness of Poppy Shops, expand opportunities to engage and purchase and drive relevance of The Royal British Legion.
The pop-ups have opened in two of the UK’s leading shopping destinations [Bluewater and Westfield Stratford City] reflecting the growing trend of innovative online retailers launching occasional pop-up presence at strategic times – in this instance Poppy Appeal, the annual fundraiser for members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families.
The concept was conceived by Geometry Global UK having landed the Legion brief a year ago to develop a retail merchandise strategy to drive engagement with the charity and raise funds for the Legion’s vital support work. The agency has supported staff training and agency volunteers are participating on-site. The pop-ups were produced and designed by Masters Exhibitions and Shows.
Sarah Todd, Geometry Global UK CEO, said, “To fuel fundraising we are constantly mining new opportunities for value exchange, engagement and relevance to the digital-era customer's expectation of constant information renewal. There’s a real thirst for retail experiences anchored in newness and discovery, and pop-ups give people the sense they should engage at that moment or they might miss it. The pop-ups are also a terrific opportunity to increase understanding of all the great work the Legion does for the Armed Forces veterans and their families during this important season of the year. We owe these amazing people so very much.”
John Norton, Head of Retail Trading for The Royal British Legion, added, “We believe that our Royal British Legion pop-up shops will provide the public with another way to show their support and to raise funds so we can help all our beneficiaries.”
The poppy has been a symbol of remembrance and hope in the UK since World War I. Today it is worn by millions across the UK in the lead-up to Remembrance Day on November 11th.
The Poppy Shop can also be visited online at www.poppyshop.org.uk where all proceeds also go directly to The Royal British Legion.
