The Good Store: Integrating Social Impact into Dubai's Retail Landscape

TECOM to relaunch The Good Store for Ramadan in 2024. Powered by TECOM Group with Hill & Knowlton (H&K) and in partnership with Emirates Red Crescent, The Good Store is an immersive and innovative shopping experience placed across high-density customer touchpoints during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, including grocery stores, pop-up shops, and outdoor shopping carts.

Social Impact and Consumer Behavior

Research by global consulting company Kantar shows 80 per cent of consumers claim to “make an effort” to buy from companies that support causes important to them. These principles form the bedrock of The Good Store, an award-winning social impact campaign that TECOM Group is reactivating in 2024. The city-wide campaign activates the Group’s 124,000+ community of professionals, students, and freelancers across 10 business destinations in Dubai, empowering them as agents of positive social change.

Findings by the agency’s behavioural science team showed UAE residents are more likely to donate if they can tangibly visualise whom their contribution will benefit. Data insights helped to establish robust link between the campaign and the principles of piety, charity, and blessings associated with Ramadan. This included key market insights, such as estimations of e-commerce spending worth about $6.2 billion during Ramadan 2022 in the MENA region, and a global preference for donors to distribute charity online rather than in-person.

The Phygital Shopping Experience

While its roots in charity and donation strengthen its relatability and value proposition to encourage participation, The Good Store’s uniqueness lies in its simple but integrated approach to raising awareness to inspire – not compel – donations. True to the campaign’s phygital nature, the pop-up store was unstaffed, and the products never left the store, instead serving as a point-of-sale for cash donations towards Emirates Red Crescent. The Good Store optimises retail spaces such as supermarkets and pop-up zones as well as outdoor community areas and storefronts, directing 8.9 million people online and offline to a specially designed microsite linked to Emirates Red Crescent’s donation platform.

Retail Infrastructure in Barsha Heights (Tecom)

The campaign operates within high-density customer touchpoints, including established retail locations. Below is a summary of the supermarket landscape in the Barsha Heights area:

• Safestway Supermarket: Located in Al Fosool Street, Barsha Heights (Tecom). Building: Al Shafar Tower 1, Ground Floor. Landmarks include Aster Pharmacy and Aster Clinic.
• West Zone Supermarket: Located in 2 Street, Barsha Heights (Tecom). Building: Al Hawai Residence, Ground Floor. Operating hours: Mon-Sun 07:00 - 00:00. Landmarks: Al shaffar tower 2, next To Broccoli Pizza & pasta.
• Viva Supermarket: Located in Al Khareef St, Barsha Heights (Tecom). Building: Crown Time Residence, Ground Floor. Operating hours: Mon-Fri 08:00 - 00:00; Sat-Sun 08:00 - 01:00. Landmarks: Spaga Hotel, Daal Chawal Restaurant.
• Speed Way Mini Mart: Located in 14B Street, Barsha Heights (Tecom). Building: Saraya Avenue, Ground Floor. Operating hours: Mon-Sun 05:30 - 02:00 (Friday hours: 06:00 - 12:30 and 13:30 - 03:00). Landmarks: I rise business center, Ramee rose hotel.

Measurable Impact and Success

During Ramadan or otherwise, campaigns founded in a clearly defined purpose – be it awareness, engagement, or relationship-building – lead to more realistic goals and success. To us, The Good Store’s success in 2023 was marked by the participation of more than 7,500 people who purchased items including food and clothing for refugees, with an average donation of AED 20 per shopper in just over two weeks. All proceeds, worth over more than AED100,000, were directed to the Emirates Red Crescent to share with those who most needed the items.

As noted by Jon Barber – VP of Marketing and Communications at TECOM Group, brands must not only inform their audience about their understanding of local culture and traditions, but truly foster the spirit of generosity and goodness that the holy month represents. Careful planning and culturally flavoured creativity can enhance the role of Ramadan as a bridge to build meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.