Mannequins are wonderful accessories to add life to your store displays. With the right lighting and some clever ideas, you can bring a mannequin to life. Consider the difference between a girl mannequin in a pretty Christmas dress and the same girl opening a present, discovering the teddy bear of her dreams and her parents looking at her lovingly. The excitement will really get your customers into the holiday spirit. It tugs a little at a chord in their hearts and it could really pay off.
The first step is to choose the outfits that you would like to display. Layers work great on mannequins and you can present many different products at once. Be careful not to overdo it. You don’t want to divert attention from the feeling you’re going to convey. Child mannequins and realistic baby dolls are great for reaching the hearts of parents. Imagine the children sleeping in their beds, while dad disguised as Santa Claus secretly kisses them. This can be a very touching scene, especially if mom is watching this tender moment. The more emotions you can show, the more memorable and effective your display will be.
The use of animals is also effective. Let’s say the boy is getting his first puppy for Christmas. The puppy peeking out of the box is cute, but be aware of the excitement. The child plays an important role in the making of this scene. He might discover the pup after he destroyed his crate and be surprised. He could sneak out early and play with the pup while Santa’s legs disappear down the chimney. His parents might find him downstairs curled up sleeping with the pup by the fire. The pup could have escaped the treat and went to sleep with the little one in his bed. The possibilities are truly limitless.
If you don’t specialize in children’s clothing, you might take a romantic approach. A husband and wife huddled together opening presents show much more affection than two standing mannequins wearing clothes. If you don’t want to get fancy, a simple touch can be meaningful. Front-facing mannequins don’t really mean anything. A woman walking away and a man putting a small gift-wrapped box in her pocket has meaning. Angled mannequins are generally more visually appealing than straight ones. Another idea is for the man and the woman to come together. She drops her gifts and as he helps her recover, they exchange a long look or he hands her an engagement ring.
Plan your exhibit well in advance to order any accessories you may need. Decide what emotion you would like to portray and go for it. You can even select the Christmas music in your store to match the theme. Do not forget about lighting. A dimly lit screen attracts very little attention, no matter how imaginative the subject. Have fun with it and don’t hold back. Enjoy your holidays and make the most of your shop windows.
