Thinking inside the box: reflecting on Norwich’s giant red shoebox
- Eleanor Loveday
- Oct 27
- 3 min read
It’s been exactly a year since a giant red shoebox landed in Norwich’s Castle Quarter.
A project that started as a conversation in our studio, inspired by The Shoebox Enterprises’ story. The Norwich-based social enterprise had nearly lost their community hub, and by extension the underground medieval street home to The Shoebox Experiences’ bestselling Hidden Street Tour.
As the business’ focus shifted from survival to long-term stability, it got us thinking. How could we help The Shoebox to get eyes on their brand, and connect prospective customers with their history tours?
Build a giant red shoebox, of course.
We took The Shoebox’s most distinctive brand asset, and made it into a full-scale experiential space.
Now, a year on, we caught up with Tom Gaskin, CEO of The Shoebox Enterprises CIC and The Shoebox Experiences, and Lisa Willett, Customer Experience Manager, to look back at what happened when the giant shoebox landed. Read on to hear what they had to say, or skip to the end for the video.
What’s in the box?
The first goal was simple: turn heads.
And let’s face it, it’s hard not to take notice of a giant, bright red shoebox in the middle of a shopping centre.
While the outside of the giant red shoebox was coated in core brand assets (the colour, logos, the physical shape of the box with half-on lid), you couldn’t see inside.
As Tom reflected, the sense of mystery was perfectly aligned with The Shoebox’s brand identity and mission to share some of Norwich’s hidden secrets. It sparked intrigue, grabbing the interest of passers-by and making them wonder ‘what’s in the box?’
Step behind the curtain
Visitors were invited to step behind the red curtain and into the shoebox in small groups, meaning the team could deliver a personalised experience for every guest. Tom described the moment of walking into the shoebox as a ‘sort of theatre’, led by the team’s Experience Hosts.
Inside, the environment transformed: going from the bright bustle of Castle Quarter to a dimly lit, enclosed space.
The immersive feeling was exaggerated by sensory cues. The musky scent of beer and whisky barrels lingered in the air. Lanterns flickered. Props helped tell stories of centuries long ago. Every detail was intentional, creating a feeling of being transported to another time (in our experience, the same feeling you get from entering The Shoebox’s hidden street.)
From passing glances to lasting loyalty
Nobody expected to stumble across a giant red shoebox last year. And for those who stepped inside, they probably didn’t expect what they found inside. It created a memorable moment that would stick in the minds of visitors, making The Shoebox more salient when they are looking something unique to do in Norwich.
And the team have seen results to match.
Tom and Lisa explained that many sales have been attributed back to the activation, with people saying they saw the giant shoebox in person or online. Many of these new customers have returned for two or three more tours, bought gift vouchers, or recommended The Shoebox Experiences to others.
Outside the box
Like any marketing tactic, brand experiences are most impactful as part of a wider multi-channel mix. The Shoebox drew on email, web, social media, PR and more to make a splash, with the campaign planned and executed alongside our in-house marketing and design teams.
The giant red shoebox caught the interest of local news, history groups, and influencers, spreading the pool of awareness even further and leading to plenty of user-generated content and PR. It was also noticed by key stakeholders and supporters of The Shoebox Enterprises, leading to lots of positive discussion on social media and within the local business network.
“Working with you guys at Image Experiential was just fantastic.” said Tom. “We’re a little social enterprise based in the heart of Norwich, people wouldn’t necessarily expect us to execute something like that. It was an opportunity to say we can do this, and we can do it really well, and if you like this then come and experience our tours as well.”
When a big idea became reality
We loved making the giant red shoebox a reality, from the initial conversations to the design, campaign planning and content creation, to the full build in Castle Quarter.
Seeing Tom, Lisa, and the team use that momentum to grow their audience, strengthen community ties, and show off the city’s heritage has been even better.
We hope the giant red shoebox inspires other local businesses, showing the power of physical storytelling and what can be achieved with experiential in Norwich.
Watch our full conversation with Tom and Lisa.
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