If the ANKO Effect represents the rise of commodity retail, the entertainment economy may define the next era of emotional retail.
The Entertainment-Driven Retail Economy
Over the past decade, global entertainment consumption has exploded through:
- streaming platforms
- gaming ecosystems
- social media fandom
- global franchises
- creator culture
These forces now strongly influence what consumers buy at retail.
Characters and entertainment properties increasingly drive purchasing decisions.
Examples include properties such as:
- Bluey
- Spider-Man
- Barbie
These properties are no longer just media content.
They are retail ecosystems.
The New Consumer Journey
In the past, retail discovery often happened in-store. Today the journey usually begins somewhere else.
Step 1 – Entertainment Exposure
Consumers discover characters through streaming, gaming or social media.
Step 2 – Cultural Engagement
Fans connect through online communities and shared fandom.
Step 3 – Product Demand
Consumers seek physical products connected to those characters.
Step 4 – Retail Activation
Retail becomes the place where fandom converts into purchase.
Why This Matters in the ANKO Era
The rise of highly efficient private-label retail models such as Anko within Kmart Australia has strengthened commodity retail categories.
But those models are less connected to the entertainment ecosystem. This is where brand-driven categories remain powerful.
Retailers that lean into entertainment partnerships can create:
- retail theatre
- fandom engagement
- experiential shopping
These elements transform stores into destinations for fans and families.
Where Retail Opportunity Exists
Retailers such as Big W potentially sit at the intersection of these trends.
They already participate strongly in categories such as:
- toys
- entertainment merchandise
- licensed products
- collectibles
If developed strategically, these categories can create an entertainment-driven retail environment.
The Toy and Licensing Industry’s Hidden Advantage
This is a really interesting insight.
The toy and licensing industry is not simply selling products.
It is selling stories, characters and emotional engagement.
Those elements are exactly what drive the entertainment economy.
Which means the toy and licensing sector may become more strategically important to retail than ever before.
The Big Strategic Insight
The ANKO model represents the industrialisation of retail efficiency.
But the next growth frontier may come from something very different:
The convergence of retail, entertainment and fandom.
This article also appeared in Edition 54 of The Bugg Report Magazine
