The “Meet Me @ the Mall” campaign was created to revive the traditional mall experience by positioning it as a dynamic and vibrant social hub. With the rise of online shopping, many malls faced a decline in foot traffic and were struggling to maintain their relevance in the digital age. The objective of the campaign was to reignite the nostalgia and excitement associated with in-person shopping and reframe the mall as more than just a retail destination.
The campaign’s core idea centered around the emotional connection people have with malls—places where friendships are formed, trends are explored, and experiences are shared. By highlighting the mall as a gathering space for community, fun, and discovery, the campaign aimed to remind consumers of the social and cultural significance malls once held. It sought to appeal to shoppers of all ages, urging them to rediscover the mall as a place for connection, entertainment, and relaxation in a post-pandemic world.
The specific goals of the campaign were to drive foot traffic, increase brand visibility for Simon Property Group, and elevate the mall experience beyond shopping alone. Through a mix of digital and social media strategies, the campaign sought to spark excitement and engagement, encouraging people to view the mall as the ultimate meeting place for friends and families. Ultimately, the campaign aimed to recapture the energy and magic of mall culture in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.
The “Meet Me @ the Mall” campaign was developed by Simon Property Group (SPG) as a dynamic, multi-channel strategy designed to rejuvenate mall foot traffic and re-engage shoppers in the post-pandemic landscape. The objective was clear: leverage the nostalgic appeal of in-person mall gatherings while integrating modern digital touchpoints to connect with a broad, digitally savvy audience.
To bring this vision to life, we adopted a phased approach that spanned multiple platforms: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Google, Hulu, Netflix, Disney, and Peacock. Each platform played a specific role in the campaign. Instagram and TikTok were instrumental in engaging younger, trend-driven audiences through interactive posts and influencer partnerships. YouTube and streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix were used for broader, high-impact video placements, delivering captivating and shareable content that showcased the fun of socializing at the mall.
The campaign benefited from an optimized media budget, allowing for targeted, data-driven placement. By tailoring content for each platform and analyzing real-time engagement metrics, we maximized reach and ensured the messaging resonated with diverse audience segments. The balance of nostalgia and modernity in the campaign strategy was key, reminding shoppers of the simple joy of meeting friends while integrating new digital habits, particularly around online shopping and streaming content.
However, executing such a large-scale, multi-faceted campaign wasn’t without its challenges. One major hurdle was overcoming the lingering effects of the pandemic, which had permanently altered consumer behavior. Malls, once the epicenters of social interaction, saw diminished foot traffic, and consumers became more selective about in-person shopping experiences. To bridge this gap, we had to emphasize the shared, communal experience of visiting the mall with friends, tapping into the emotional connection many consumers still had with the mall as a place of social gathering and discovery.
Another challenge was managing user-generated content (UGC) across multiple platforms. Encouraging customers to share their own "mall moments" while ensuring the content remained fresh, on-brand, and aligned with campaign objectives proved to be complex. The logistical and bandwidth issues of moderating, curating, and sharing UGC across various channels required a well-coordinated effort to maintain a consistent and engaging narrative.
Navigating the technological landscape of digital advertising across diverse platforms such as social media, streaming services, and SPG’s owned channels presented challenges in messaging consistency. Each platform had different technical requirements, user preferences, and engagement patterns, which meant that content had to be customized while maintaining a unified campaign theme. Ensuring that each touchpoint reflected the same core message of nostalgia and social connection was key to the campaign’s success.
Despite these challenges, the phased approach allowed us to adapt quickly and adjust strategies in real time based on performance data. By carefully monitoring campaign metrics, optimizing content, and refining targeting strategies, we successfully met the objectives of driving foot traffic, increasing engagement, and rekindling excitement for in-person shopping in a new digital age. The “Meet Me @ the Mall” campaign not only overcame significant challenges but also demonstrated the power of combining nostalgia with modern digital engagement in today’s fast-evolving retail environment.
The campaign achieved exceptional results, with 440M impressions, 1.9M website clicks, 1.4M engagements and 250M video views across a mix of media channels including connected television and social media. Audiences were captivated by the content as evidenced by the campaign’s efficient cost per video views, beating benchmarks across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The campaign’s exceptional performance solidified Simon Property Group’s presence as a leader in creating immersive, digitally driven mall experiences.
