Media in the Retail Environment

Abstract

This thesis seeks to investigate how the incorporation of media into retail stores affects the consumer experience. Innovative approaches to retail design strive to create experiences that are more all-encompassing and connected to the brand rather than solely selling products. Certain high-end retail stores are employing a multi-functional design combined with advanced technology in order to form a new type of relationship with the consumer that surpasses the standard transactional exchange. This thesis will examine Prada as the preeminent example of this new type of retail experience. It will introduce Prada and describe the company’s work, brand identity, and core values. Then, a case study of Prada’s New York Epicenter will reveal how a media centered orientation mediates between brand messages and personal privacy. The architecture of the store acts as an interface that facilitates conversation between Prada and the consumer. An analysis of the positive and negative effects of the architectural strategies from the perspective of the user will follow, including a brief comparison of the New York Epicenter to Bentham’s Panopticon. The overarching goal of this thesis is to examine how technology-focused retail architecture mediates privacy and communication between the brand and consumer, creating new ways of understanding consumerism in relation to space.