To celebrate the completion of the latest phase of the £150m extension programme, the centre management shelled out for three top acts to perform in the mall. But rather than throwing the doors open to all and sundry they guaranteed that the bands would be performing to a select audience of just 200. To qualify for the draw for tickets shoppers had to either register on the centre's website or visit the centre and register via a touch screen.

The winners - VIPs for a night - were treated to the full C-list treatment, with a red carpet, velvet ropes and jostling paparazzi. The beauty of this approach is that the sheer exclusivity of the event created a far greater buzz than a mass-market concert, a real case of less is more.

The event can't have been cheap to organise but the Arndale has captured the contact details of more than 12,000 shoppers who are known to visit the mall, and has generated massive press coverage. And equally importantly the event was closely targeted at young shoppers, a high-spending demographic.

Obviously the Pru and CSC have given the Arndale a much bigger marketing budget than many centres, but genuine originality of this sort could leverage even the most parsimonious of landlords' promotional spend.

This is exactly the sort of original thinking and meticulous execution we will be recognising at our annual SCEPTRE Awards night, which takes place this year on Wednesday June 28 at the London Marriott Hotel on Grosvenor Square.

Places are still available for what promises to be a memorable evening so why not join us to celebrate the brightest and the best of our industry?

Contact the William Reed events team on 01293 867629.

Graham Parker, Editor

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