It’s official, you can’t do everything. For a business as vast and complex as a shopping center, communicating with an endless array of interested parties can become a logistical nightmare. Before you make your next advertising or communications outsourcing decision, take a moment to talk to these sources.

Encouraging entrepreneurial spirit among young people ages 6 to 15 was the focus at St. Albert Centre. Kids were invited to get a head-start on their future business careers with a program that helped them to set up shop and sell their products in the mall’s common area.

Lehigh Valley Mall created a Teen Board to assist with various events. In return for their help, the teens learn about retailing, gain valuable experience, and get to take on special roles—merchandising, sampling, and modeling.

Games of chance, along with contests and sweepstakes, are making consumers pay attention. Whatever the prize, shoppers want the chance to win and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a high-end payoff.

Richmond Centre’s advertising campaign,  “The Hunt”, aims to identify with anyone who’s bagged the ultimate shopping trophy.

Galleria at Tyler knows the value of its marketing tools. Its revamped ‘Shopperewards’ gift-with-purchase and customer loyalty program is designed to increase sales and visit frequency, and it certainly does so.

Very often, wayfinding and security fall under the operational umbrella. If your mall’s signage isn’t helping drive traffic, and your security lacks perception, then it’s likely affecting your marketing initiatives.

A column on gifts with purchase.

Bluewater uses “quiet” advertising to offer its shoppers the gift of travel.

Alan Jones of Bluewater brings a fresh approach to shopping centre marketing.