Virgin Mobile has a “Much” improved retail proposition for Canadian consumers.
The telco has partnered with the music-oriented specialty channel MuchMusic on a new flagship store situated near the latter’s headquarters in downtown Toronto. The 1,300-sq. ft. store officially opened Friday and carries both Virgin Mobile products and MuchMusic merchandise.
Andrew Bridge, director of brand and communications for Virgin Mobile in Toronto, said the retail partnership stems from a “longstanding partnership” between the two brands that has seen Virgin sponsor numerous events on the MuchMusic calendar (including last Sunday’s MuchMusic Video Awards).
With both companies owned by Bell—which acquired full ownership of Virgin Mobile in 2009—Bridge said there was an opportunity to create a retail experience that incorporated the two.
“We were building a retail strategy and [hoping to get] more people to see our brand and consider us in the right places and we stumbled upon this retail space that showed some potential,” said Bridge. “We talked to the MuchMusic and Bell Media folks about it and basically said ‘Let’s bring the best of both brands to life in this space and create an experience for people who want to buy a phone and get a piece of the MuchMusic experience.’”
In addition to standard sales space, the new store features memorabilia displays, a photo booth where customers can get their picture taken and a dedicated area for autograph sessions and/or live performances.
Bridge said Virgin Mobile also plans to use the store as a “testing ground” for discovering how to best reach its core target of 18- to 24-year-old urbanites. Virgin’s brand positioning is built around the notion of “it’s better to be a member,” which is extended through partnerships with companies including fashion retailer H&M and travel company Flight Centre.
According to Bridge, those partnerships could be expanded to include an in-store fashion event or a performance by a Virgin Mobile-sponsored artist. “We’re going to try some neat things and see how they go,” he said. “It’s very much in the DNA of our brand to try new things and never settle for the status quo. We see that as a great opportunity to do that.”
In addition to larger retail outlets in Toronto and Montreal—as well as a planned East Coast store—Virgin currently operates about 125 kiosk spaces across Canada and has a presence in approximately 4,000 retail outlets through companies such as The Source and Future Shop.
