WATCH: Live mannequins turn heads at Gateway Shopping Mall
We are living in a world of interactive shopping, are you ready for it?
Store window fronts have long been used to attract customers. They are typically decorated according to a specific theme to catch the attention of shoppers.
Mannequins are dressed in the hottest picks of the season, and the more interactive the decor, the more engaged shoppers tend to be.
Many retail businesses, especially clothing stores, strategically use their window displays as an enhancement tool to attract customers, display their merchandise and create an impression.
The Smart Media website highlights the importance of having a window display: "In the fast world of retail, making a strong first impression is crucial. A visually appealing and well-crafted window display can make all the difference in the customer’s journey, enticing them to enter the store, rather than just walking past."
We see this trend abroad where clothing stores use live models in their display windows to create an engaging experience and get people talking.
While it's not the first time we have seen live models posing as mannequins in South Africa, seeing a store in one of our favourite malls, Gateway, use this advertising technique was fun to watch.
In a video shared on social media, models are seen posing inside an Ackermans store window display. Each model wearing an outfit from the latest winter range.
While the models remained perfectly composed, the same couldn't be said for the stunned shoppers. Some stopped in their tracks and watched in amazement. Some pulled out their smartphones to take a video or snap a photo of the models, while others tried to break the models' composure by dancing and fooling around.
The video showed that these models posing as mannequins were professional and didn't lose concentration. It oddly reminded us of mime artists who are committed to their craft.
Lwazi Ngcobo, one of the models, shared the video. When asked how she kept a straight face, she wrote, "We laughed so hard when no one was watching, then we committed to the job."
Watch the video below from TikTok.
@lwazingcoboo I’m always claiming I’m a “doll”, @ACKERMANS said say less🙂↔️ @Boss Models DBN #trendsetter #mannequin #model #fyp ♬ original sound - lwazingcoboo
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Image Courtesy of TikTok