Brand Experience Briefs

Now you can get a beer with your burrito at Taco Bell! Check out the new Taco Bell Cantina in this video audit and analysis.

Target, the mass retailer, has opened a new retail concept called Open House. It’s a combination connected home lab and retail space — very interactive and very cool — but probably not a big money maker.

The Habit Burger Grill is one of the many “better burger” chains generating a lot of buzz these days. Although its charburgers do taste good, the company needs to work harder to differentiate the brand from all the other options.  Here’s why.

Retail fashion trucks are starting to hit the road in most major metro areas.  Here’s a look inside one of these hot innovations, Therapie Boutique.

Tom Ryan, the founder of popular better burger chain Smashburger, has started a new restaurant that’s a combination classic diner, hipster bar, and foodie haven, Tom’s Urban 24 Check out this brand experience brief to learn how such a mash-up of concepts has turned out.

Farm to Table is a growing movement in American culture and True Food Kitchen, a new restaurant concept, is poised to seize the moment with a well-designed brand experience.

Fast fashion retailer Uniqlo is on a roll.  I visited the company’s Herald Square location, one of three stores it has in New York City.  Here’s what I thought of the brand experience there.

Walgreens is trying to “transform from a traditional drugstore to a retail health and daily living destination,” according to Joe Magnacca, the company’s president of daily living products and solutions.  Its flagship stores showcase its new approach.  Here’s my audit of the new Walgreens store in downtown Chicago.

Walmart Neighborhood Market, a smaller format store, competes against dollar stores and grocery stores — it looks to me like they just might win the fight.

Warby Parker is one of several e-commerce brands, including Bonobos and Birchbox, that have ventured into the physical store space.  Check out hat works and what doesn’t in Warby Parker’s store in New York City’s SOHO, and why it matters.