A great piece from Springwise about a Florida based extreme sports store called Adrenalina that has put a wave riding machine in their store so you can try out surfing products right there in the mall. Very cool idea.
A system called FlowRider creates an artificial wave with high pressure water jets on to which you can launch yourself and see how different boards perform (it's the same system you see in cruise liner ads). No matter your level of competence you get to put on a small show for other shoppers who get to watch your capabilities through the glass walls. I guess that would be extremely entertaining!
The equipment, the first installation of its kind in a retail environment, also allows the store to create a community with surfers by holding events and giving them an environment in which to hang out and try product, thus cementing longer-term relationships while giving new people the chance to taste the surfing lifestyle.
This type of brand experience and retail theatre is a great way to engage both those in a brand or lifestyle community, and those outside. What will be the next sporting area to provide the chance in-store o experience that activity now that this exists, Dick's Sporting Goods have their climbing walls and every self-respecting golf store has a virtual driving range? The transference of this idea into other categories and retail formats is also something we expect to be seeing more of in the not-too-distant future.
