CultureLabel

Ted Baker and the London Transport Museum – not two brands that you might necessarily think have a natural affinity. However, step into the museum’s impressive new retail outlet in Covent Garden and you release there is nothing cosmetic about the changes the organisation has undergone over the last few years, which go well beyond the dramatic £22 million physical refurbishment. One symbol of the mind and brand shift is the institution reaching out to a new generation of partners.

Ted was apparently only too happy to team up with the museum and this creative collaboration resulted in the creation of the ‘ultimate travel suit’ (on sale in Ted Baker store near you – and also doubling as a new uniform for the LTM team). The design has drawn inspiration from tube upholstery with its moquette-style lining. A further collaboration has produced a range of culture merchandise for the museum store including clothing with the Ted Baker brand which has been prominently displayed in the shop window. There is arguably no better positioned store in the capital and Ted Baker have recognised the value of the cultural branding, especially if their brand is seen to be helping to reposition and enhance the experience of a much-loved institution. The partnership allows Ted Baker to tap into the iconic archive of imagery, heritage and icons of the museum and, in turn, help bring it straight into ‘consumer cool’ status.

Mike Walton, the museum’s Head of Trading is behind much of the change and is determined to convert the passing hordes into footfall:

So what about the impact? Well for one I suspect there have not been too many previous features on the museum in Vogue Magazine – the link-up has already paid off in terms of PR alone. LTM further leveraged the partnership with a competition in free sheet newspaper, Metro, offering commuters the chance to win one of the suits.

When you drill down into LTM’s retail catalogue you realise there has been something of a revolution going on here to match the shiny new store. Collaborations with London artists have produced a range of travel wallets, a nod to the success of Arts Council England’s Art in Your Hand scheme which saw Transport for London (ultimate owner of LTM) commission artists such as Tracy Emin to produce Oyster card wallets, encouraging greater take-up of the scheme (and celebrating 60 years of Arts Council England).

In another shrewd move, the museum website is now fully integrated in the main Transport for London site, creating another new shop window in the overcrowded web arena.

The quality of retail product has also grown dramatically and this received the ultimate endorsement when Wallpaper* Magazine named the museum’s new moquette fabric (as used for seating fabric on London’s public transport) furniture range in it’s Top 10 of the 2008 London Design Festival.

The success of the range is about successful partnership with suppliers. Cost effective production of expensive moquette material is justified by adding to orders already being manufactured. Furniture is made to order, without recourse to expensive and wasteful stockholdings, and all ‘waste’ from furniture production is sent to other suppliers to produce craft based accessories. Every last scrap is useable and used. There is really no major risk.

Additionally, as most of the products (and material) are made in England, this is a powerful selling mechanism in a market now rather belatedly keen on all things made within these shores. In the 6 months since formal launch, London Transport Museum has sold over 200 moquette cushions at £35 each and 50 cubes at £145 each.

Look out for their exciting plans at this year’s London Design Festival in September.