Committed to making the Tommy Bahama online shopping experience as engaging as a trip to one of its stores, brand design/interactive firm Hornall Anderson has re-designed and helped launch the upscale lifestyle brand’s new website (http://www.tommybahama.com). The collaboration between Tommy Bahama, Hornall Anderson, and Acquity Group, a company that has helped build and optimize the retail sites of many leading companies, has produced a beautiful marriage between brand and e-commerce.
Want to see the embossed logo detail on a polo shirt? Thread color on a pocket seam? The pattern used on a blouse button? No problem. Just drag a handy magnifying glass found on every page over the image. Perhaps you’re looking for a way to accessorize the look? The site suggests complementary items, including color and size choices. Online shoppers will also find Tommy Bahama watches, fragrances, body & bath products, barware, candles, music and seasonal items.
Purchasing from the site is as easy as clicking on the “Add to Shopping Bag” icon, found at the lower right-hand corner of product pages. Plus, there’s help for gift giving and information to support customers wishing to return or exchange items.
Meanwhile, devotees of Tommy Bahama stores and the brand’s popular Tropical Cafes, which adjoin select units, can use a robust search feature embedded in the site to find specific locations, learn about future expansion, and store events. There’s also a complete directory of international locations.
While the Tommy Bahama signature tagline reads, “life is one long weekend,” the creation of the full-featured site was anything but. Designers, programmers and writers at Hornall Anderson worked for several months with executives at the Seattle-based upscale lifestyle brand and Acquity Group to create an experience that is authentically and undeniably Tommy Bahama.
“The sophistication of the Tommy Bahama customer and their buying patterns required a deeper dive into design and engineering of the site,” said Jamie Monberg, Director of Interactive at Hornall Anderson. “We looked at every aspect of the customer experience, as well as store issues related to merchandising strategies, buy flow and more. In the end we created a customer experience that bridges the common gap between traditional brand-focused sites and those that rely heavily on e-commerce applications.”
“Tommy Bahama is a company with a very particular feel and philosophy, and it was imperative for them to have an eye-catching, interactive, easy-to-use online presence reflecting who they are,” said Acquity Group CEO Chris Dalton. “We are thrilled we were able to provide them with the technical expertise and support necessary to help take the Tommy Bahama brand to the next level.”
The project involved extensive Flash prototype development, as well as detailed, highly customized coded templates to facilitate easy and intuitive movement around the site. Elements were integrated to create a rich Web 2.0 experience and overall interface that reflects the relaxed elegance of the Tommy Bahama brand.
ABOUT TOMMY BAHAMA
TOMMY BAHAMA, Indigo Palms and Island Soft are divisions of the Tommy Bahama Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE:OXM). Established in August 1992, with corporate headquarters in New York and Seattle, TOMMY BAHAMA is a lifestyle company that defines elegant tropical living with men’s and women’s sportswear, golf wear, swimwear, accessories and a complete home furnishings collection. The company also produces two additional brands, Indigo Palms and Island Soft. TOMMY BAHAMA is available at the country’s finest retailers, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom, as well as high profile resort locations around the world. There are over seventy TOMMY BAHAMA retail locations across the country. Additional stores will be opening this year. For more information, please visit www.tommybahama.com.
About Hornall Anderson
Hornall Anderson is a leading brand design/interactive firm specializing in research-driven, creatively inspired business solutions. Founded in 1982 by award-winning designers John Hornall and Jack Anderson, the firm serves a diverse mix of clients ranging from Fortune 500 brands to emerging growth companies. Hornall Anderson (http://www.hornallanderson.com) is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC).
About Acquity Group
Acquity Group is shaping the way technology is used to extend the most recognized consumer brands in the world. Acquity Group's innovative digital strategy, interactive marketing & design, and powerful IT planning & execution services are the choice of many leading brands. Acquity Group is headquartered in Chicago, IL and has offices in Irvine, CA, Overland Park, KS, Scottsdale, AZ and Dallas, TX. For more information, visit www.acquitygroup.com