Design cues inspired by grocery are trending in high-end retail and beyond
By Bobbi Bowers, Mars United Commerce
While grocery has undergone a pretty significant revolution in the past decade in terms of retail design, branding, and overall experience (thanks, Whole Foods Market), it’s likely not the first – or even the last – place you look to for design inspiration.
And while grocery retail has recently been responsible for influential creations like the $20 Hailey Beiber smoothies a la Erewhon, its design sensibilities are also influencing the aesthetic of high-end retail and beyond. Take the recent Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, for example. The retailer’s concept, Fresh New Arrivals, was heavily influenced by grocery.
The photography, inclusive of elements like checkout lanes, conveyor belts and shopping bags, gives an immediate nod to your weekly trip to the market.
Elements within the design system – including produce-inspired stickers, hand-drawn fonts and bold colors – add to the overall aesthetic and take cues from weekly store signage and print advertising.
Even the tone of the language — brought through in headlines and as copy in the produce stickers — conveys the relatability of grocery and brings a fun, attainable tone to a high-end sale.
While a sale at any retailer is enough to grab most people’s attention — especially in today’s recession-sensitive market — Nordstrom is proof that putting a fresh spin on a sale is as simple as leveraging some of the longest-standing, most iconic design cues in the book — those from your local grocery store.
Looking for more thought leadership and inspiration from the Mars UnitedSM Commerce team? Find all of our insights here.
About the Author
Bobbi Bowers is Executive Creative Director at Mars United Commerce. Based in Chicago, she leads a team of 50+ creatives and plays a significant role in creating impactful, “work that works” on behalf of clients including Mars, Inc., Anheuser-Busch, and Bacardi.
