Spring 2022 - 61

BEHIND THE SCENES: SHEDD AQUARIUM
Special Collections
There are two main shops, two smaller stores and a seasonal
pop-up shop, which most recently featured sustainable gift
giving for the holidays, at Shedd Aquarium according to Million.
The retail settings are all about educating, inspiring and
sharing stories about animals and the ocean. " The store utilizes
larger than life displays - such as the giant octopus, and a life-size
kayaking adventure-to capture the attention and imagination
of guests, " Million described. " Upholding the Aquarium's
commitment to sustainability, the store environments are also
single-use plastic-free, and operate using sustainable materials
and practices. "
The stores offer a range of merchandise - eco-friendly plush,
custom apparel and accessories, books, toys, art, and of course,
sustainable lifestyle products " that offer alternatives to singleuse
plastics in our daily routines, " she shared.
Shedd Aquarium's leadership works closely with the retail
team to curate a product mix that reflects its commitment to
sustainability and events or programs at the aquarium itself. " We
celebrate the animals, but also work with the marketing team to
identify opportunities to further support conservation messaging
and enhance the aquarium's programming and events to make the
product offering more customized and special, " Million elaborated.
Custom merchandise is constantly being introduced. " For
example, this past June a special collection was created to celebrate
diversity during Pride month. This is just one of many examples, "
she said.
As a result of the Where's Wellington campaign, Million shared
that retail stores now offer new, custom collections throughout
the year " to ensure the merchandise stays of-the-moment, and
reflects animal species that deserve attention. " One popular item is
a bundled gift option, a custom rescue kit that includes a toy and a
small plush animal.
Pop-Up Retail
Quarterly, Shedd Aquarium offers a pop-up shop to showcase
new messages and products that relate to a featured message. The
free-standing shops offer themes such as " Gifts That Give Back "
and highlight products with a charitable giving aspect. Examples
of these efforts include the Conscious Step sock line and Dorsal
bracelets. This spring, the pop-up shop will offer penguin-focused
merchandise to support a new book, Edward and Annie: A Penguin
Adventure, which features the famous Shedd Aquarium penguins.
Tell a Story
Merchandising techniques include themes and product groupings
that tell a story. " Our goal with visual merchandising is to increase
understanding around important topics such as conservation,
sustainability, and compassion for our animals. Items displayed
together will share a common theme or support a specific cause, "
she said.
GIFTSHOPMAG.COM 61
" We are constantly updating visual merchandising displays
to showcase what is currently happening at the Aquarium, "
she shared. The retail team also keeps the environments fresh
with new and unique items that tie into the happenings of the
aquarium.
The stores implement the largest display updates during
March, a time in which it prepares for the spring break travel
season. Another merchandising refresh occurs in June, ahead
of the summer visitors.
" While these product resets are happening, this is also
where we tend to make changes to some of our collections or
introduce artist collaborations, " Million detailed.
The retail team consistently has created a symbiotic
relationship with the marketing team that benefits both its
sales and the aquarium itself.
WELLINGTON'S FIELD TRIPS
For those interested in viewing
Wellington's penguin adventures, you can
visit his field trips on YouTube or search
#whereswellington on Shedd Aquarium's
social media platforms.
YouTube videos include:
* Wellington the rockhopper meets the
belugas: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Bq3FXwlBDRg
* Four magellanic penguins storm
the field at Chicago's Soldier Field:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/
CLAkFy2j0UN/
https://www.youtube.com/ https://www.instagram.com/reel/ http://www.GIFTSHOPMAG.COM
Spring 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spring 2022
