Trail, test, grow: how Vicinity is helping Thankyou expand

Some brands operate online, some in physical retail, and some in both. Some brands have their own storefront and some use distributors. But what happens if they want to change their distribution channel? What happens if they want to disrupt the status quo?

That was the challenge for Melbourne-born social enterprise, Thankyou.

“Since its inception in 2008, Thankyou has operated on a hyper-efficient model which involved focusing on grocery sales channels with large retailers such as Coles and Woolworths,” said Thankyou founder and CEO, Daniel Flynn.

“We’re focused on channelling organisational profits into projects that alleviate poverty in the world’s poorest communities and have so far given over $18.1 million.

“But as we enter the next phase of our evolution, we needed to rethink our approach to generate more awareness, better experiences of our brand and ultimately donate more to those in need.”

Well known for its range of beautifully scented hand and body care products, and before that water and baby products, Thankyou’s next chapter will see the brand introduce new home cleaning and personal care products.

“We want to create products with sustainability front of mind. Following the appetite for our hand and body care range, we saw an opportunity to extend into home cleaning and personal care while maintaining our sustainability focus,” said Flynn.

“We’re excited about the new range and think over time it has the potential to become our hero products.”

Both the home cleaning and personal care products use quality ingredients, packaged in sustainable refillable bottles that don’t compromise on the brand’s tastefully minimalist aesthetic. The home care range includes a breakthrough 100% Natural Cleaner, which is also a hospital grade disinfectant, while the personal care range features an innovative “forever deodorant” – 100% natural origin, 48-hour antiperspirant packaged in a stylish refillable bottle.

With an exciting new range on the horizon and a desire to disrupt, Thankyou wanted to explore an expansion of its sales channels.

With a broad range of leading shopping centres across Australia, Vicinity has long helped numerous brands grow and connect with new customers.

Vicinity’s Trade Marketing, Leasing and Centre teams are committed and challenged to add value to retail partners with every interaction and using data science and insights, are able to guide retailer grow journeys.

“There have also been brands already operating in retail that have grown from smaller spaces to larger ones and then added temporary pop-up spaces at key times such as product launches or seasonal promotions.”

So, when Thankyou looked to do things differently and explore their first branded physical retail space, they turned to the experienced team at Vicinity.

Following an initial meeting between Thankyou and Vicinity, shopping centre data science was overlayed with Thankyou target customers to help identify the perfect shopping centre location as well as the perfect opportunity within that centre.

Emporium Melbourne, located in a prime block of Melbourne CBD retail space attracting 15.5 million annual visits, was deemed the ideal centre to not only drive sales but also present the Thankyou brand to customers and raise awareness of the new range.

Being Thankyou’s first step into physical retail, a shorter-term pop-up space was identified, giving the brand the opportunity to experiment with their distribution channels and trial the impact a physical retail space could deliver.

Providing a 256sqm space for a 12-week period, the Vicinity team guided Thankyou through the design process to help them execute their brand experience.

True to its brand positioning, Thankyou combines creative architecture with interactive events, with the space seamlessly merging purpose and commerce, empowering customers to make a positive impact whilst still enjoying extraordinary shopping experiences.

Speaking of the experience in launching its first physical retail space, Thankyou Founder and CEO Daniel Flynn said:

"We discussed our strategy and what we needed and have ended up with a pop-up space in a great location that really allows us to express our brand.

“In exploring the space with Vicinity, we stayed focused on our objective to drive consumer awareness towards our new, relaunched product lines and amplifying our message of reimagining consumerism for good to create a world where not one person lives in extreme poverty.

“We’re excited to experience the customer connections that physical retail can deliver and hope to welcome as many customers as we can in the 12-weeks we’re open.”

For Vicinity’s Trade Marketing and Leasing teams, the opening represents another truly collaborative effort that transformed a short-term vacant space into an exciting new opportunity for an innovative new retail partner. 

To understand how Vicinity can help your business experience the benefits of physical retail or help grow your brand footprint in Australia, why not get in touch?