Looking back on 2024!

From 465ft projections in the sky to secret basement raves and award-winning marketing campaigns, 2024 has been one to remember.

Delivering memorable events and income maximising commercialisation strategies is our bread and butter but we always strive to do more and bring new brands and independent traders to give exceptional shopping experiences everywhere.

Footfall driving events are what we do best and some memorable 2024 events included The Broadway’s style event that saw personal styling consultations, flash mob fashion shows and panel talks with stylists.

We started working with Bentall Centre in Kingston upon Thames and put on a number of carefully curated events throughout the summer that had sustainability at their heart. These events were visited by over 1,000 adults and children and have helped the centre integrate itself in the local community. The team are planning to continue building these relationships in 2025.

After it was agreed to commercialise the 465ft high St Johns Beacon in Liverpool City Centre, we have worked with St Johns Shopping Centre to use state of the art video mapping to create stunning visuals that project onto St Johns Beacon – which has been part of the Liverpool skyline for over five decades. Brands such as William Hill, Trinny London, Charlotte Tilbury and Visit Malta have hired the beacon to promote their activity in the city.

The team have worked with The Galleries in Bristol to organise the last ‘secret basement rave’ of 2024 on New Years Eve that will see thousands of partygoers visit the unique event space in the city centre to ring in the new year.

We’ve had world famous magician Dynamo showing off his magic tricks at Mermaid Quay, Swizzles and Tesco in Stockport, at The Brewery, Romford, we have had Itsu and J20 sampling plus we’ve had a number of pop-up shops including Arla in Great Western Arcade.

The commercialisation team have also worked with countless independent traders and have been behind pop-up Christmas markets across the country including ones in Stockport and Kirkby.

It’s great to have our hard work recognised and the team have earned some prestigious awards alongside centre management teams.

We won Best Marketing Campaign of the Year – Shoe String – at Revo’s Purple Apple Marketing Awards 2024, for our Wishing Tree campaign with Harpur Shopping Centre. The campaign was run in partnership with Bedford Borough Children’s Centres and proudly supported by Heart Radio. It encouraged shoppers to pick up a gift for a child or teenager, who might otherwise go without at Christmas. Because of the campaign, thousands of children had a happier Christmas.

At the Corporate Engagement Awards, Charter Walk Shopping Centre and Shoppertainment won a silver award for the Most Innovative Collaboration and were Highly Commended for Best CSR activity or program to support or develop a corporate reputation. This was for the centre’s on-going activities for the community that include the centre’s sensory garden and allotment and the community corner that is a welcoming free space for local groups to hold events and workshops.

At the International Green Apple Environment awards, Charter Walk was recognised for its outstanding efforts in Sustainability and Community Engagement. The award acknowledged the various projects the centre has implemented in the past 12 months, including utilising empty units, community initiatives and pop-up projects.  Amongst other projects, Charter Walk worked in partnership with Active Cycles to help prevent bikes going to landfill by refurbishing unwanted bicycles and selling these back to the public at an affordable price.

The Broadway in Bradford was honoured for its Environmental Best Practice. The centre has significantly advanced sustainability and worked with us to launch a ‘Green Promise’ campaign that encouraged eco-friendly habits among shoppers, resulting in impressive recycling achievements and increased community engagement in climate initiatives.

Shoppertainment also sponsored and exhibited at RD Live, CRMP and the team have enjoyed numerous networking events such as the Places & Spaces Reinvented Series which included an exclusive tour of Broadway organised by Revo.