The International Council of Shopping Centers, the member network serving the retail real estate industry, has launched its “Back. Together.” campaign, a marketing and branding initiative to help its members communicate with one voice about the importance of retailers and retail real estate as the country seeks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the retail real estate industry facing harsh economic realities from the pandemic, the campaign highlights the irreplaceable relationship ICSC’s members share with consumers and their communities. ICSC is providing members with a marketing toolkit that can be customized and leveraged in physical and digital channels to emphasize community and togetherness as the country looks to rebound.
“Our members have faced incredible hardship over the past several months—and our communities are hurting because of it,” said Rae Logsdon, senior vice president, communications, marketing, publishing and research at ICSC. “’Back. Together.’ appropriately balances sensitivity to potential consumer anxieties and optimism about re-openings and returning to our communities and centers. The campaign showcases the relationships and the experiences that our shops and centers bring to life and marks just how integral retail real estate spaces are to our social fabric.”
The campaign, developed with agency partner Makeable, demonstrates why safely opening shopping centers and malls is about more than returning to “normal.” It serves to welcome consumers and customers back to stores and centers with responsibility and reassurance. It celebrates the experiences of shopping, dining and entertainment and the relationships and sense of community that stores, Main Streets and shopping centers create.
“We created the branding platform and creative campaign ‘Back. Together.’ for ICSC and its members to celebrate the community and relationships that exist within retail environments for shopping, restaurants, hair salons, gyms, and more,” said Brian Flatow, Partner, Brand Innovation at Makeable. “‘Back. Together.’ is not about pressuring people to come back. It’s about saying, ‘we’re here when you’re ready and we’re doing things responsibly’ and acknowledging we’ve been missing each other – maybe more than we expected.”
The campaign also includes the launch of the “Back. Together. Video Challenge,” which was kicked off by Urban Edge Properties with ICSC member companies such as Brixmor Property Group, InvenTrust Properties, Kimco Realty, Linear Retail Properties, Peterson Companies, Phillips Edison & Company, and Weingarten Realty, among others, participating in it or other initiatives under the Back.Together. campaign umbrella.
“Back. Together.” follows the launch of the “Your Business” campaign, ICSC’s first national television campaign calling on elected leaders to create a COVID-19 Recovery Fund. ICSC also has formed the America’s Recovery Fund Coalition, a group of more than 100 industry and business organizations urging the federal action to distribute funds and liquidity to businesses from all industries impacted by COVID-19.
