From the beginning of COVID-19 to now, numerous companies within retail commercial real estate have faced the brutal reality of nationwide economic distress. However, these companies have reasons to believe in a promising future courtesy of a marketing campaign on behalf of the entire retail real estate industry.

Recently, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) released “Back Together,” an initiative that conveys optimism for the industry along with an emphasis on the role retail plays in our lives. ICSC builds a community for the industry through its membership organization that connects professionals and highlights the importance of retail real estate. With this campaign, ICSC projects a strong message about unity.

Rae Logsdon, Senior Vice President, Communications, Marketing, Publishing and Research at ICSC, explains on how “Back Together” will promote the industry.

”Our members have faced incredible hardship over the past several months—and our communities are hurting because of it,’ said Logsdon. ‘Back. Together. appropriately balances sensitivity to potential consumer anxieties and optimism about re-openings and returning to our communities and centers.  The campaign showcases the relationships and the experiences that our shops and centers bring to life and marks just how integral retail real estate spaces are to our social fabric.”

“Back Together” features expertise from agency partner Makeable to instill a deeper meaning behind the revival of normal operations for retail. Brian Flatow, Partner, Brand Innovation at Makeable, elaborates on the campaign’s impact.

“We created the branding platform and creative campaign ‘Back. Together.’ for ICSC and its members to celebrate the community and relationships that exist within retail environments for shopping, restaurants, hair salons, gyms, and more,’ said Brian Flatow. “‘Back. Together.’ is not about pressuring people to come back.  It’s about saying, ‘we’re here when you’re ready and we’re doing things responsibly’ and acknowledging we’ve been missing each other – maybe more than we expected.”

With a positive outlook on the industry’s recovery, ICSC launches “Back Together” with the intentions of widespread hope and appreciation for retail real estate. To read the full article, click here.