VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Display Building
OBJECTIVE
Be able to define “Visual Merchandising”
& provide examples from 6 businesses
*In this day & age of self service stores,
displays are absolutely essential as they
serve as the “salesperson.” Your display
MUST sell the product or service. How
do you sell - satisfy the customer’s want
or need & solve their problems.
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
Putting Merchandise and/or its supporting
materials out at the “Point of Purchase” (P.O.P.)
to communicate a message
• FOR EXAMPLE:
– Apparel &
Accessories
– Restaurants
– Grocery Stores
– CD Stores
OBJECTIVE
Be able to identify the four different
functions (purposes) of displays
and provide an example that you
have seen.
DISPLAY FUNCTIONS
&
Examples From Work
• Reinforce the store’s
image
• Generate a promotional
atmosphere
• Speeding up a sales
transaction
• Protecting the store’s
merchandise
• _________________
• _________________
• _________________
• _________________
OBJECTIVE
Be able to define each
type of display
Types of Displays
• Window:
• Interior:
– Displays seen from – Displays seen from
the outside of the
inside the store
store
• Open
• Full Background
• Closed
• Partial
• Built-up
Background
• Shadow Box
• Open Background
• Ledge (Counter)
• P.O.P.
WINDOW DISPLAYS
• Full Background
– Completely closed background, offers
no distractions
• Partial Background
– partially blocked background, people
inside can be seen, encourages
shoppers to join the crowd
• Open Background
– No background, indicates
spaciousness & blends w/ the store
INTERIOR DISPLAYS
• Open
– Display that can be touched,
often on a counter, prop, or rack
• Closed
– You can’t touch, used for high
value or fragile merchandise
• Built-up
– Placed on platforms or on props,
used in high traffic areas or
endcaps
INTERIOR DISPLAYS
• Shadow Box
– Small enclosures, Used for small
items
• Ledge (Counter)
– Includes counters, walls, or other
partitions
• “Point of Purchase” (P.O.P.)
– Display built to hold and sell
merchandise (ex. cardboard setups)
EXAMPLE
• Shadow Box
–Small enclosures, Used for small
items
EXAMPLE
• Ledge (Counter)
–Includes counters, walls, or other
partitions
OBJECTIVE
Be able to define the terms
associated with the “art” of
visual merchandising
(display building)
THE “ART” OF
VISUAL MERCHANDISING
• COMPOSITION - Think of your store as a
blank canvas. Your completed work is a
composition. Composition is the
overall effect
• UNITY - Refers to the main theme or idea
being conveyed by the displays.
• ORDER - All the parts of the display(s) are
arranged in a easy to understand plan
EXAMPLE
• UNITY - Refers to the main theme
or idea being conveyed by the
displays.
EXAMPLE
• ORDER - All the parts of the
display(s) are arranged in a easy to
understand plan
????????!!!
ADDITIONAL “ART” TERMS
• Emphasis - the point of the display that is
dominant (The first thing people notice)
– Optical Center - is located just
above “dead-center” or the display’s
mid-point & is usually the point of
emphasis.
– “Points of emphasis” can be created
elsewhere in the display using “art”
techniques (movement, use of color,
contrast, relative size, etc.).
EXAMPLE
Optical Center - is located just
above “dead-center” or the
display’s mid-point & is usually
the point of emphasis.
“Emphasis”
Optical Center
Optical Ctr.
Dead Center
“Points of Emphasis”
“Points of Emphasis”
“Points of Emphasis”
“Points of Emphasis”
Here
Here
ADDITIONAL “ART” TERMS
• Balance - Refers to the relative
“weight” given each side of a display
– Formal Balance - One side is a
duplicate of the other
– Informal Balance - One side has
more weight than the other or
different sized items are used to
off-set the large item on the other
side
BALANCE
Formal
Informal
ADDITIONAL “ART” TERMS
• Harmony - The display’s lines, shapes,
sizes, & textures are arranged in a pleasing
manner:
– Texture refers to the look or
“feel” of the display
– Proportion refers to the relationship
between items w/ respect to their size
– Rhythm refers to a sense of movement
created by repitition, graduation, etc.
ADDITIONAL “ART” TERMS
TEXTURE
PROPORTION
RHYTHM
vs.
vs.
vs.
ADDITIONAL “ART” TERMS
• Lines refer to the direction of the display:
– Vertical
– Horizontal
– Curves
– Diagonal
= Drama or arresting effect
= Flat or calm effect
= Soft or gentle effect
= Startling or abrupt
LINES
Dramatic/Arresting
Soft or Gentle
Flat or calm
Abrupt or Startling
EXAMPLE
(See Top of Picture)
Vertical
effect
= Drama or arresting
EXAMPLE
(See Top of Picture)
Horizontal = Flat or calm effect
EXAMPLE
• Curves = Soft or gentle effect
EXAMPLE
• Diagonal = Startling or abrupt
ARRANGEMENTS
RADIATION
STEP
PYRAMID
REPITITION
ZIG-ZAG
ARRANGEMENTS
• RADIATION:
– Like rays from a
central point.
Creates a
dominant center
– Examples???
ARRANGEMENTS
• PYRAMID:
– Arrangement
looks like a
triangle. Easy to
build
– Examples???
ARRANGEMENTS
• STEP:
– Merchandise arranged to
look like steps in a house.
Gives the feeling of
motion. Customer eyes
will follow steps
– Examples???
ARRANGEMENTS
• REPITITION:
– Using items of the
same nature &
align them in the
same manner
– Examples???
ARRANGEMENTS
• ZIG-ZAG:
– Merchandise is not
built directly to the
top of the display.
Follows different
directions
– Examples???
OBJECTIVE
Be able to describe the psychological
effects color has on people & discuss how
you can use this in a display
Use of Color
• Warm Colors:
• Cool Colors:
– Yellow, Orange,
– Blue, Green, &
& Red
Purple
– Called
– Called “receding
“advancing
colors” meaning
colors” meaning
they make things
they make things
look smaller &
seem bigger &
farther away
closer
RED
• Highly visible
• suggests strong emotions
• used to accent (emphasis)
BLUE • Suggests quiet & calm
• Peaceful
• Dark blue is somber
YELLOW
• Cheerful
• Stands out clearly
ORANGE
• Warm
• Reminds us of Harvest
• Looks good w/ food
GREEN
• Suggests calm
• Fresh & new
• Relaxing
PURPLE
• Suggests Royalty
• Mysterious
• Serious
BROWN
• Earthy
BLACK
WHITE
• Neutral
OBJECTIVE
Be able to use lights to
create different effects
DISPLAY LIGHTING
Primary
- General Lighting. Illuminates the store.
Usually bright but not always
Secondary - Used to show merchandise. Examples
include floods, track, & spot lighting
Atmosphere - Special lighting. Creates a mood.
Examples include strobs, bottom lights,
twinkling lights, etc.
EXAMPLE
Primary - General Lighting. Illuminates
the store. Usually bright but not always
EXAMPLE
Secondary - Used to show merchandise.
Examples include floods, track, & spot
lighting
EXAMPLE
• Atmosphere - Special lighting.
Creates a mood.
Examples include strobs, bottom
lights, twinkling lights, etc.