Kanye West’s ‘Pablo’
Just when we though Kanye West couldn’t get any cooler, he goes and drops the Pablo bomb. Hitting 21 cities across the globe, the exclusive pop-up stores served up Kanye’s ultra-hyped merchandise launched to complement his latest The Life of Pablo album. Each city rocked its own unique colour scheme and logos, with lines snaking around blocks. It was marketing genius, and saw the wildly overpriced merchandise practically fly off the racks and into the hands of diehard Yeezy fans.
Drake’s ‘Views’
Proof that Canadians really are notoriously nice, Drake launched a ‘one day only’ New York City pop-up to build excitement for his latest Views From the 6 album. Fans lined up around the block to score free merchandise, compliments of the Toronto rapper himself.
Rihanna’s ‘Fenty x Puma’
Dreamt up by Rihanna, the ready-to-wear Fenty x Puma collection is inspired by Paris, and popping-up in a city near you. The sexy starlet celebration the launch of her line with pop-ups in both New York and LA, which saw the collection create a buzz from coast to coast.
Pet Shop Boys ‘Super’
Proof that pop-ups aren’t just for pop stars, the Pet Shop Boys amped up the volume for the launch of their 13th studio album. They hit play on a store at the UK’s iconic Boxpark pop-up mall, where fans could snap up a brand new range of Pet Shop Boys merchandise, and enjoy an exclusive electro experience.
“The store is an ideal chance for fans to experience the music first-hand and immerse themselves in the Pet Shop Boys brand,” explains Alex Johns, Managing Partner of Worth Retail.
Justin Bieber’s ‘Purpose’
As Justin Bieber’s ‘Purpose’ tour swept North America, pop-up stores dropped in sync. Bieber’s business model was particularly interesting, as he often relied on existing stores to host his pop-up stores. For example, in Miami coveted concept store Alchemist was his site of choice, where fans could pick up exclusive merchandise.
Gwyneth’s ‘Goop’
OK, so Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t exactly throw sell out music concerts, but the success of her Goop pop-ups is proof that the concept extends to any industry. Opened to complement her lifestyle magazine, Goop pop-ups have been making a splash in New York, Chicago and San Fran. She works with coveted interior designers to create gorgeous spaces, with her latest gurus including Roman & Williams and Steven Volpe.
Not only do celebrity pop-up stores hook up fans with exclusive merchandise and offer them a thrilling experience, but they also serve a hugely valuable business purpose. They create hype, churn up publicity and most importantly, turn a profit that orthodox on-site concert merchandise vans couldn’t dream of.
