How do you create memorable destinations within a large retail space that increases customer dwell time?

We first worked with Volkswagen on their flagship store in West London five years ago, when the brief was to create a standout experience and memorable customer journey across the four-storey showroom and multi-floor car park. Since then, there has been a change of site ownership to Citigate and a refresh to the environment.

Citygate’s main change included the introduction of SKODA, bringing a new audience to the flagship store and the need for a dual-branded offer.

With the ground floor housing both brands it was important to engage customers with a 'neutral' journey and then ensure brand clarity in each designated brand space. We updated the showroom-wide wayfinding and all brand touch-points to achieve a dual-branded experience. This involved a review of the Volkswagen, SKODA and Volkswagen Group brand identities alongside the existing wayfinding elements to create a solution that enabled each brand to sit comfortably and ensure customer clarity.

In addition to establishing clear wayfinding and clear brand zoning, we explored opportunities to create engaging destination areas throughout the retail environment to enhance the customer journey further and increase overall dwell time in key locations throughout the space. This included the introduction of heritage products within key zones such as the kids’ area, inspired by the 1960's Volkswagen Beetle 'Herbie', as well as the classic campervan, where the inside became a 'Camper cafe'. Both concepts created strong connections with the brand, sparking intrigue and excitement for the next generation of customers.

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