Simon Property Group is dipping its toes into publishing with the debut of Simon SAID, a lifestyle-focused digital platform which the real estate company hopes will create a feedback loop to its roster of national shopping centers.
Simon SAID will pair with bloggers and retailers to create custom content for the site, featuring products and other offerings available at Simon centers. The site, developed by CA Creative, a NYC-based digital and social media agency, will feature curated lists of these tastemakers’ favorite things of the moment— from clothing and accessories, to home decor and food.
“Simon SAID redefines the way the company connects with its millions of shoppers on a daily basis,” said Chidi Achara, Simon global creative director. “As the Simon brand continues to evolve, we want to reach an ever expanding audience of shoppers who are interested in everything from what’s on-trend today to timeless styles and fashions that suit every generation.”
The launch of the site comes at a time when malls are rethinking the way they do business in order to woo millennial shoppers and compete in a post-online retail landscape.
Millennials now spend more than their parents on clothing, shelling out on average $76 a month compared to $47 spent by Boomers, according to data from Cotton Lifestyle Monitor. Millennials are also much more likely to say they “love/enjoy” shopping for clothing in-store (62 percent) versus Gen X (54 percent) or Boomers (40 percent).
As shopping centers try to lure younger shoppers, many are broadening their focus to provide an enticing combination of entertainment, restaurants, and mixed living/retail space.
“While we are actively redeveloping and upgrading the Simon centers that have become iconic destinations for shopping and socializing, we are also redefining how we speak to our shoppers on-line, and how we support the nearly 4,000 brands and 35,000 stores that call Simon home,” Achara said. “All of this is a part of our strategy to meet the 21st century shopper’s needs, whatever and wherever those needs are.”
