We recently hosted a webinar exploring the evolution of retail spaces, with a forward-looking lens on the trends transforming the sector in 2025 and beyond. The session was packed with powerful insights, provocative predictions, and practical inspiration for brands striving to stay relevant in a rapidly shifting retail landscape.

Hosted by George Smart, Director of Customer Solutions and Strategic Growth at APS, with expert speakers Kate Ancketill, CEO of GDR and industry renowned retail futurist, Finn Lawton, Senior Strategist, and Tony Massey, Executive Director, both APS. The event set the stage for a thought-provoking conversation on what’s driving consumer expectations and how brands can respond by inspiring awe and re-establishing an emotional connection.

Finn kicked off the insights by painting a picture of the current retail terrain. He shared how rising economic pressures, digital acceleration, and evolving lifestyles are reshaping how consumers shop – and what they expect in return. He underlined the importance of staying true to your brand and authentically embedding innovation rather than chasing ‘hype’.

AI is now a non-negotiable element of modern retail, and with the rise of agentic AI Kate discussed how with technology taking care of our more transactional purchases, people are free to do the ‘experiencing’ and increasingly crave more human-centric interactions.

People want brands to help them feel something – 61% of consumers say they want intense emotional experiences, while 63% seek multi-sensory encounters (Wunderman Thompson, The Age of Re-enchantment, 2023).

Consumers are seeking more than just transactions, they’re looking for added value, meaningful engagement and purpose-driven spaces where they can find moments of magic. Kate explored the rising demand for collective experiences including gamified product visualisation and enveloping 4D environments, to immersive storytelling and pop-ups curated around iconic brand features. She highlighted the importance of biophilic design, wellbeing-led experiences like communal saunas and breathwork spaces, and fully integrated AI-powered avatars bringing fun, personalisation and expertise to in-store shopping.

“The antidote to the ‘age of anxiety’ is awe-driven joy.”

Today’s retail must deliver on both practicality and purpose, to do this successfully and provide what your customers need and want it’s vital that you get to know who they are. From multi-functional spaces and circular economy initiatives including second-hand selling/buying and rental models, meaningful brand experiences are the future of retail. This webinar was a call to action for companies to reimagine their physical environments as places of wonder, connection and purpose.

The session concluded with Tony sharing how APS has helped leading retailers bring innovation to life with examples including gamification and cost-effective experiential design. Brands require creative strategies to cut through in an increasingly competitive space which is something our talented Retail and Brand Experience team are passionate about delivering. Talk to us today, [email protected].

Want to see the full trend forecast, including case studies and standout activations?

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The retail banking landscape is transforming faster than ever, driven by digital innovation, AI advancements, and shifting customer expectations. Our latest Horizon Scan. The Beyond for Retail Banking explores the most critical trends and actionable opportunities, including:

Could hyper-personalised solutions, such as financial coaching and tailored reward systems help build even deeper customer connections? Or maybe redefining physical spaces into multi-functioning ones will add more value to your customers? And how do you address the tension between digital-first strategies and the need for meaningful human interactions?

Packed with insights from our brand strategists, this report provides the tools you need to stay ahead of the curve.

Let’s reimagine the future of retail banking, together.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is a fascinating topic that cannot be avoided as it rapidly becomes more progressive, sophisticated and integrated within our day-to-day life. We brought together Gabrielle Robitaille, Associate Director of Digital Policy and AI Community Lead from the WFA, Maartje van Beek, Creative and Content Business Director and Len Borghuis, Motion Graphic Designer, both of APS, to discuss how the technology can realistically be used within your organisation, particularly within the creative process.

Hosted by George Smart of APS, the session saw these industry experts dive into all aspects of this revolutionary tool starting with some insightful research conducted by the WFA investigating how brands are currently using AI, where they are up to in their journey, and the main roadblocks to AI adoption.

At the time of publishing, of the companies using AI 84% say they are still in the very early awareness or development stages, with only 16% advising they are at a mature stage or further.

This shows there is still a tentativeness around this complex topic whilst brands are still learning how to navigate the risks, with legal concerns, upskilling and ethical concerns topping the list of apprehensions in relation to the technology.

For those businesses that have started to dip into the world of AI there are some extremely exciting developments into how it can aid the creative process, and it is no doubt transforming the marketing industry. Maartje presented some interesting use cases of how APS has used AI for both creative content and creative production, showing how automation can speed up repetitive tasks delivering efficiencies and saving resource for other creative projects that require a more human touch.

It’s not to say AI is perfect as there are still faults, it’s knowing how to work around these flaws and use AI effectively that can really give your brand a competitive edge. Len talks more about upcoming developments and trends, both good and bad, to give a fantastic, well-rounded insight into the way this technology is moving forward.

Here at APS, we thrive on innovation and aim to keep abreast of ever-evolving technologies to find the best solutions for our clients, enabling them to maximise efficiencies in both resource and budget. Our team will work with you to make innovative yet practical recommendations. Talk to us today, [email protected].

To receive a recording of the webinar, please fill in your details and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon.

In this Horizon Scan, we focus on the UK Life & Pensions sector, both the opportunities, and the new challenges it faces against the backdrop of global uncertainty.

Our scan identifies key external forces within the UK economy, alongside market influences that will impact future leadership decisions as well as practical innovations and recommendations to help you stay ahead of the curve including:

• Customer behaviour
• Generation trends
• Data Intelligence
• Reactive customer service

To learn more just enter your details and we’ll send you a copy of this latest report.