Published: 18 February 2020
Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside…
When a customer requests a modern website with a ‘vintage’ feel, it almost feels like a contradiction in terms! But when you hear it’s for a shopping centre based in the heart of a quintessentially English town, maybe you can see the plan they are aspiring to.
Back in 2014, Why Media was asked to create a bespoke website for The Victoria Shopping Centre in Southend which is managed by Savills. The client knew they wanted to go for a retro/vintage theme to sit alongside the ‘old fashioned’ ideal of a typical British seaside town, but wanted to still keep it current and energetic, with easy to manage features, all in a cost-effective way. We, of course, obliged.
Roll on 6 years and they approached us once again, as they sought a more ‘focused’ campaign, to raise the online profile of the Shopping Centre as a whole, taking into consideration the changing face of retail and how shoppers use digital to research locations, products and stores. As a result, Why Media has now been appointed to take full management of the shopping centre’s social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Claire White, Marketing Director at Why Media comments: “We are delighted to be working with The Victoria Shopping Centre once again and are excited to join up with Gina, the on-site team and of course the retailers. Since we last collaborated with the centre retail has seen huge struggles and it’s really important to ensure shopping centres evolve to ensure they continue to engage and reach shoppers online. Our strategy focuses on adding consistency, fun and of course engagement to all channels, in particular, high engagement channels like Instagram Stories. The centre has a great mix of retailers, many of which are independent and add a great edge to the centre. We are already getting our teeth into the project!”
In addition to social media management and targeted advertising, Why Media has also been reappointed to design and deliver a new, tailor-made website for The Victoria Shopping Centre, taking the centre away from the retro feel and bringing them into the new decade with a clean, modern and innovative website guaranteed to drive visitor numbers and dwell time.
Louise Bouttell, Marketing Manager at Why Media Comments: “A conventional website has a typical lifespan of around 5 years in today's modern and fast-paced society. Victoria Southend has not upgraded since 2014, and therefore urgently needs an upgrade to compete with other centres online. We have a whole host of new technology, features and integration opportunities that will allow The Victoria Shopping Centre to enhance the user experience, deliver a faster website that is easier to navigate and, assists retailers with remodelled features.”
Why Media is an award-winning design, marketing, digital communications and PR agency offering tailored solutions to companies on a global scale. We have extensive experience in delivering design and marketing services to a spectrum of companies, including professional services, property companies, financial institutions and shopping centres. We have offices in London UK, Hertford UK, Finestrat, Spain & Brescia, Italy.
Marketing Contact
Name: Claire White
E-Mail: claire@whymedia.com
Telephone: 020 3007 6002
