This is a Retail innovation from The 70 Best Trend-Driven Innovations of 2019.
Hanhwa Galleria Seoul, a mall in South Korea, now changes the colors on the outside of the building to inform pedestrians of current air pollution levels. If the city’s levels of fine dust are high, the exterior’s lighting and video displays are red; if the levels are low, the building will display shades of green. The move is part of the mall’s Right! Galleria campaign to encourage sustainable consumption. When fine dust levels are particularly bad, the mall will give away free face masks to visitors.
The location of this initiative makes sense, considering the alarming levels of dust and air pollution across Asia. In China alone, air pollution results in over a million premature deaths per year. Of course, air pollution is a worldwide problem, 90% of the world’s children inhale polluted air daily. When it comes to global issues like this, here’s how you can respond no matter where you are in the world:
Channel this. By using its entire exterior to alert the public, Hanhwa Galleria takes a commonly reported issue and brings it to life in an unmissable manner. Every day consumers are bombarded with notifications, messages, social feeds and other information. It’s all too easy for consumers to tune out serious (non #gameofthronesfinale) messaging when it pops up within those channels. The mall’s investment in a large scale, head-turning manifestation of air pollution will seize attention. Beyond educating the public about the threat, it will draw shoppers into the location. When you’ve got a mammoth-sized message to communicate, are you trying to make yourself heard in crowded channels? Challenge yourself to harness a radical medium!
Reactive spaces. This campaign also speaks to a growing trend in making physical spaces more dynamic and responsive. Establishments now react to the surrounding environment to better serve consumers. McDonald’s, for one, is rolling out AI drive-thru displays that recommend menu items based on the weather and other factors. And like Clear Channel’s Emotional Art gallery in the Stockholm metro, which responds to local stress levels, Hanhwa Galleria uses its real estate to deliver a health benefit to the public. Can you create a reactive space that provides people with essential real-time updates? Nail it and your location could become a trusted source in the community.
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