Modelzone

Client: Amerang Project: ModelZone, Bluewater & Sutton Designer: Greig & Stephenson

Amerang’s collaboration with Greig & Stephenson led to a complete change of image for its model toy retail chain. Its seven stores were trading as Model Aerodrome, and Amerang was looking for a change of direction away from the subject’s anorak-ish connotations. The retailer realised it needed to invest in design.

‘We were stuck in kind of anorak-driven timezone,’ says Amerang group marketing manager Richard Howard. ‘We were looking for a consultancy which had all the expertise in-house and could not only come up with a clever imaginative idea, but could also manage its implementation. While costs are obviously an important consideration, we felt we had to have a group with all round experience, confident with mechanical and electrical engineering and that type of thing. We felt confident that Greig & Stephenson had the experience to manage all the details which we knew nothing about,’ he says.

After researching other model shops, G&S concluded the rest of the market was pushing forward while Model Aerodrome was static.

The solution was the introduction of the more dynamically named ModelZone, and interior design based on the idea of speed conveyed by streamlined and aerodynamic forms, textured materials and powerful colours. A Spitfire wing motif is used as part of the bright red shopfront, and within the store there is more emphasis on spectacular displays of model planes, interspersed with dynamic kite shapes. Prominence is also given to a display wall formed as a huge chequered flag for ModelZone’s important die-cast range.

At Bluewater the store traded 50 per cent above target and attracted a new, more family orientated customer profile. Another new look 93m2 store opened last month in Sutton, and there are plans to retrofit the earlier shops.