Posted by New FX Series and Gen Z Revive Mall Culture
Is the mall experience of the 80s coming back into popularity? We can all thank Gen Z for that. Experts say foot traffic at malls increased an impressive 57% in the last twelve months, among a demographic who is strongly seeking non-digital shopping experiences.
While Gen Z consumers are helping revive the mall experience across the US, they’re also breathing new life into retailers who cater to the younger crowd – like American Eagle and Aeropostale, who are benefiting from the resurgence during this summer’s back-to-school shopping season.
“Modern-day mall culture started in the ’80s,” said Kenya Hardaway, senior vice president of integrated promotions and multi-platform marketing of FX, a cable TV and production company owned by Disney. “That’s really when you started to see the birth of these really large mall complexes being a destination for young adults. It had a time where it faded a bit, and we’re starting to see that come back.
It’s precisely this trend that FX is hoping to capitalize on in a promo for their upcoming series, “The Shards” – a new thriller from Bret Easton Ellis and Ryan Murphy that follows a group of privileged high school seniors at the dawn of the Reagan years. FX will host an experiential activation at the Galleria Mall in Sherman Oaks – an iconic 80s mall of “Valley Girl” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” fame. The location was the same stomping ground where author Bret Easton Ellis spent time during his teen years.
“The Sherman Oaks Galleria is such an iconic space in Southern California that’s part of the story being told, we felt it was a perfect location,” said Hardaway.
Guests at the promotional event can take part in a series of interactive experiences, enjoy an 80s specific vinyl listening station powered by Radio Shack, engage with Maybelline makeup artists, enjoy an arcade, photo booth, t-shirt station, and sneak peek of the series in a retro style theater. The activation aims to engage both Gen Z – a group who embraces pre-digital-world experiences – and an older demographic who remembers and appreciates the mall days of yore.
FX isn’t the only brand turning to nostalgia in their marketing efforts. The concept has been gaining steam and yielding success for other brands in recent years. Does this mean a resurgence of some of our favorite entertainment pastimes? Will upcoming series like “The Shards” continue to renew interest in mall culture? Read the full story.