It has been over six months since the COVID pandemic hit Australia, and the economic effect has well and truly touched all industries and businesses alike. And whilst a handful of brands and services have found themselves prospering from the unfolding events, many have endured a period of volatility like no other.
As a leading supplier to the events and exhibitions industry across Australia, DisplayWise were quick to understand the magnitude of what would unfold, ultimately devising a plan to pivot in the face of adversity. Seeking to utilize their in-house capabilities and experience in industrial design and manufacturing, DisplayWise, alongside sister company Creative Hire, brought to market hand sanitation brand, BARE Hygiene.
In a recent interview with B&T Magazine, DisplayWise CEO Dylan Retif explains “There was a clear gap in the market for premium, well-designed hand sanitisation units… and being designed and made in Australia, we could be quick-to-market with our solution.”
With Retif investing in the belief that a COVIDSafe world would be with us for the long term, the BARE brand and product line was developed at lightning speed as he explains:
“We saw the need and we moved quickly to design, prototype, test, produce and market a new range unlike anything currently available. It all happened very quickly; we developed the range in under four weeks.”
Quoted in the same article, DisplayWise Group Marketing Director Lisa Cachia shared the inspiration behind the brand and the DisplayWise pivot; essentially connecting the HOW with the WHY as she suggests “We designed the range with many of our existing clients in mind. We work with a range of premium brands in industries including retail, technology, financial and professional services, automotive and hospitality.”
“Bare Hygiene provides these businesses with a far superior option as opposed to a bottle of hand sanitiser on a counter. We have given them the choice of several aesthetically striking designs that can really complement their space.” Cachia added.
Launching in May of this year, the BARE Hygiene brand has experienced a positive trajectory, however, the decision to launch at a time when the demand for the product was still in its infancy was not without risk. Speaking with The Hotel Conversation back in June, Retif shared his thinking behind the move “BARE Hygiene really played into our values as a business in the way in which we were able to create nice pieces and displays whilst utilising the design resources (we have) at our disposal”. He added “Despite the further easing of restrictions, I expect the demand for the product to be sustained alongside the requirement of business to provide a safe environment for their customers and employees… We’ve positioned the range to be around for the long term.”
Fast forward a couple of months, the decision to pivot and go all-in on an emerging and yet to be proven market has proven successful for the DisplayWise and Creative Hire collaboration. As industries look to move beyond the bottle to a more permanent, on-brand and considered solution, BARE Hygiene has been able to directly address the bespoke nature of such needs.
Not surprising given the high-traffic nature of operations, the retail sector is one of the most responsive industries to respond to the BARE Hygiene offering. Joining a growing list of household brands, leading Australian department store chain MYER is just one of the latest brands to invest in the BARE Hygiene solution, opting for the Vogue Stand Up to be distributed nationally to their stores.
