Retailers should talk to clients in ‘real terms’ about real trends and products and not confuse them with marketing jargon, says Erica Husain of Day True in London.
In an interview on the award-winning kbbreview podcast, Husain, a better life consultant at the kitchen, bathroom and home retailer, spoke about a variety of new or accelerated trends – like sustainability or wellness – and how retailers need to fully understand these trends and products
Speaking about the rise in sustainability, Husain said: “There is a huge amount of education and it is a leap of faith and it all feels terribly complicated if you don’t understand it, but once you do, it is very simple. As designers, we have a role in understanding it ourselves, so that we can talk in real terms rather than just in marketing speak about benefits that are more abstract.”
The pandemic has changed certain behaviours and attitudes within the home. Husain suggests retailers need to figure out what their customers need before they need it, but also keep up with any changing trends so the retailer is not left behind.
Husain explained: “There is a huge amount of learning we have to do in order to respond to needs they [customers] don’t realise that they have yet. They are behaving in a particular way and we haven’t caught up on that yet.”
It is hard to know how emerging trends will last long term, says Husain, and that can be difficult when designing kitchens and bathrooms that are built to last decades. She said: “In terms of behaviours changing, or being accelerated, we have yet to see whether those changes are going to endure.”
During the podcast, sustainability was discussed and how retailers should take a broad look around the issues to give customers a complete understanding of a topic. Husain said: “People are being more aware that they want to be more sustainable. Sustainability is huge and that word encompasses a lot – and they haven’t necessarily nailed down exactly what they want. We [retailers] can help people to do that and I think bear a bit of responsibility as well.
“It is not just about how long your oven is going to last or how efficient it is or how much heat is generated into a room, it is about everything that you bring into that kitchen. How you use it, how you think about it and how you value it. It is all about ways of shopping, cooking, storing and not wasting resources.”
- Listen to the full podcast below or at the-kbbreview-podcast.simplecast.com