Powerhouse Store Rebrand: Just after the Powerhouse Museum opened in 1988, I was hired to tweak the product mix, design new products and re-brand the Museum store.
The store was initially located in a difficult-to-find location on the level above the entrance – not a commercially sound decision – and it was relocated to the entrance level near the main doors. It has since be relocated again to a position alongside the main entrance.
From 1989 to 1990, I was responsible for re-positioning the store and re-branding it as unique shopping destination. The product mix was tweaked and I designed a range of new products to add to the mix. I also extended the range of books and focused on art and design books.
These changes considerably increased sales and stakeholder engagement among curators, book publishers, product and toy manufacturers and not least, members of the public.
I worked with advertising agency Flakelar McLaren on an advertising campaign. This campaign was aimed at promoting the ‘new’ brand and increasing traffic as well as sales. Print advertisements were placed on the front page of the Spectrum section, Sydney Morning Herald. These print ads were ground-breaking at the time as no museum store in Sydney had promoted itself in such a way before.
The rebrand was a great success and the store gathered a cult following among adults and children alike due to its unique product mix.
