LOCATION: Australia & NZ

INDUSTRY: Men’s Fashion

NUMBER OF STORES: 47

Company Overview

The POLITIX flagship store opened in South Yarra, Melbourne in 1975, offering premium menswear. It now has multiple shops across Australia and New Zealand and the brand itself is synonymous with customer service, exceptional quality and expert tailoring with a modern twist. From street-casual and office-wear to event dressing and formalwear, POLITIX manages to span age and stage demographics. It’s all about being on-trend, no matter the occasion. With a focus on directional and design-driven menswear and accessories, POLITIX has been outfitting style conscious Aussie men for over 40 years.

Situation

Prior to storePlay, POLITIX didn’t have a structured approach to in-store music. “There was no all-encompassing solution and each store really just did its own thing,” Matthew Kouvas, Marketing Specialist at POLITIX. Coming under the Country Road Group, it was time for a more streamlined approach. “Consistency was really important to us,” Matthew explains.

Solution

POLITIX joined forces with storePlay at the start of 2019. “We really needed music that was on trend, on brand and updated on a regular basis,” Matthew tells us. “We also needed something that was easy to roll out.” Part of the appeal of POLITIX is its strong visual branding. It needed a music solution that was inline with this. “It was really about look and feel, and ensuring that from a customer experience, the music was consistent across all stores and on brand at all times.”

“We didn’t want anything complicated or outdated,” Matthew adds. “Retail of the future has to be forward-focused and reactive.” With stores across Australia, the platform also had to be easy to set up. A seamless roll out was vital. “It was a really smooth process,” Matthew says of the shift to the storePlay solution. “It was easy at an operational level for each store and also for us at head office.” The level of support offered also exceeded expectations for the POLITIX team.

POLITIX needed a music platform that was:

• Easy to set up
• Seamless
• Future-focused
• Consistent
• On brand

For POLITIX, the tailored approach is a big part of storePlay’s appeal. “The fact that storePlay can curate a playlist that works for us is huge. The music is constantly updated and it was just so easy to set up and roll out. The pricing is also really competitive.”

Results

“We want our customers to look and feel good and storePlay helped us achieve that,” Matthew says of the roll out. For POLITIX, one of the most important elements is how fast the platform is able to adapt. “For example, our peak trading times are Thursday to Sunday,” Matthew explains. “Our customers have finished work and they’re planning for the weekend or an upcoming event. When a customer is being styled by store staff, they have to feel like they’re at the event already. Music helps to contribute to this.”

A customer is going to hear at least six or seven songs while they’re looking around or being styled. “It’s a window of opportunity to make them feel really positive and get them in the mood,” says Matthew. “It creates the atmosphere and lets everything flow. The process just works.”

So what has POLITIX seen since the partnership with storePlay? “Customer feedback has been great. In fact, it’s gotten to the point where customers come in and Shazam songs! It really sets the mood.” Most importantly, the stores are now consistent. With a premium feel, the music is always on-trend and on-brand. “Another big factor is that the staff love the music. Being in store all day, sometimes five days a week, it’s really great for morale.”

“Music is so personal and everyone has their favourites,” Matthew (a House Music fan) tells us. “But storePlay has been able to meet that need of catering to customers and to our taste. It’s really about keeping everyone happy.”

For POLITIX, music is really about setting the tone for the shopping experience. storePlay listened to the company’s specific needs and requirements and ensured it was a smooth process from the outset. Ensuring some of Matt’s favourites made the playlists each month hasn’t hurt either!

“What really stood out was the backend logistics. It’s just so straight forward,” Matthew says. “The initial playlist collaboration was great as well. The support offered to our store network is brilliant and just the fast turnaround and monthly management of getting the latest and greatest songs. The storePlay library is just huge.”

Your storePlay Opportunity

If, like POLITIX, you’re looking for a seamless roll out of a music platform that can take your stores into the future, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for a free trial to experience what storePlay can do for your brand. A tailored music experience with tangible results.