Verizon Wants Experience Stores. But is it an Experience Brand?

I saw this article today in Adage and it made me curious.

It appears, that with the help of AKQA, Verizon is seeking to launch a few large scale retail stores, that allow customers to experience the lifestyle that Verizon can provide. Verizon is proposing entertainment lounges, interactive sound stages, and even athletic areas. All so that customers can test the various users for their various products from phones to speakers to TVs.

At first glance, this seems like a really cool idea. It's essentially a digital, interactive playground where Verizon can hook their customers (at least the young ones) by allowing them to interact with all of the fanciest features they have to offer. Imagine you're an athlete who has heard some hype about a new chip in the latest samsung phone and you want to test it's accuracy. You jump on a treadmill somewhere in the store and go for a quick sprint. The music lover plays DJ on a touchscreen and gets a

feel for the sound quality of some speakers. A lot of the features on display are probably the ones that most people won't even use, but sometimes it's those gimmicky features that really excite people.

But is Verizon really ready for this? Is this what they're really about?

Think about the last time you were in a Verizon (or any cell retailer) for that matter. It probably wasn't pleasant. You walked around a room full of phones and talked to a guy in a polo about data plans. When I think of Verizon, I think of a service provider. They don't make my phone (like Apple does), they don't sell me my TV (like a Best Buy) and they don't sell me my athletic gear (like Dick's). Verizon sells me the LTE and the data capacity that lets me use all that fun tech.

I'm not saying that Verizon can't become that type of experience brand. It might be a positive step in an increasingly interactive world. But currently, I don't think they're there and I feel like there would be a disconnect walking into this super "immersive" environment. I mean, even as their commercials become more and more lifestyle focused they're still filled with maps and bars and price plans and wires.

Thinking about this new retail experience really has had me thinking, and I'd like to hear some of your opinions on the subject. I'm certainly not saying a brand can't change. I just wonder if they need to ease into it, build up this new brand equity with their customers before they build a bunch of giant retail stores. Maybe it's more of a leap of faith thing; shock and awe.

As I said, I'd love to hear some thoughts on this, so respond in the comments below!