How to build traffic to a department store chain with country-themed promotions?

In the 1970s Metro Department Stores embarked on an expansion programme with new store openings, growing from two to five. This growth was built on the back of the economic expansion in Singapore which put money in the pockets of consumers. To drive traffic to there stores a constant stream of promotions had to be produced.

We were fortunate to have landed the account as were had just opened shop  It was the era of the "creative hot shop" that swept the advertising world by storm. Small highly mobile designers with new ideas to breathe new life into the industry previously dominated by huge agencies dying on its own deadweight.

With a client open to new ideas we crafted several campaigns each focussed on one country's products that brought new excitement to retail shopping. The results were spectacular with tills ringing and profits soaring. 

The campaigns began with the presentation of ideas starting with "Metro Goes USA," followed by "France," "Italy," "Korea," "Thailand," "Indonesia" and finally the home country "Singapore."

 

The following are selected printed ads from the campaigns launched in those years and help sustain the rapid growth of the company.

Credit must be paid to the enthusiastic support of the suppliers, embassies, restaurants, movie distributors, cultural troupes and tie-in companies such as Singapore Airlines in particular which helped provide the impetus that brought in the footfall into the stores.