Paul Bayley, creative director at Hyper, shares the secrets to transforming retail spaces into in-store theatres that make shoppers stop.
How do you balance execution with creating engaging shopper experiences?
I always start with the functional brief – what needs to happen, what the retailer’s priorities are – and then I look for where the magic can live within those constraints.
The best ideas come from genuinely putting yourself in the shopper’s shoes. Once you understand what they’re feeling and thinking at that moment in-store, the creative answers tend to surface pretty naturally. What I’m always chasing is that “oh wow” or “what’s that?” moment. A bit of in-store theatre that makes someone stop. But it has to be grounded in reality. If it can’t be rolled out consistently across a retail environment, it’s just
an idea on a page. We pride ourselves on creative solutions that actually work in the moment.
What’s a new creative idea you’re excited to explore?
I’m really drawn to the space where physical and digital retail start to blur. Stores have an incredible opportunity to become genuinely engaging and interactive environments rather than just somewhere people pass through on autopilot.
I think AI has a real role to play in that, not as a gimmick, but as a way to make the in-store experience feel more personal and genuinely useful to the shopper in that moment. Sales will likely follow innovation here and that’s the goal we’re always striving to achieve for our clients.
Is there a piece of professional advice that still guides your approach as a creative director?
If your creative needs explaining, it’s not working. That’s something I come back to constantly.
The best retail creative is immediately understood and immediately felt – shoppers aren’t standing there waiting to be convinced. If people get it straight away and it resonates, you’ve done the job.
Quick fire 5
- Eggs your way?
Love a poached egg. - Home-cooked, takeout or eating out?
Home-cooked for the win, but I’m a sucker for takeout. - One thing you value most in a team member?
Passion. Passion for the job. - Sketchbook or straight to screen?
Sketchbook is always my starting point. - Favourite way to de-stress?
Tinkering away on my wooden tide clocks, and getting out on the water always does the trick.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 87, June-August 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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