Opinion: Zavvi.co.uk? We think its going to be a bit of a Fopp.

The signs are not good. Green and Lime and an internet URL cobbled onto it [which one could
deduce meant that Savvy, Savi, Saavvy and Even Zavvi.com ? were already taken?] – The zavvi.co.uk signs have been rolled out onto the high streets in the last few weeks, but in the mother of all cock-ups the Virgin Megastore yellow/black branding is still lingering around - and apparently will remain around as the Virgin Phones and Media concessions remain trading from the new zavvi.co.uk premises. And it gets a little more confusing when you consider the Irish stores with the uk suffix?- .co.uk? Not Savvy.

And with retailers under the most pressure being the ones owned by private equity [ Yes we know that zavvi.co.uk is a a MBO management buyout by by existing Virgin Megastores MD Simon Douglas and finance director Steve Peckham ] being the most under pressure this festive season [New Look, Pets at Home, not to forget Foop and Music Zone which have gone into administration - and Choices UK - the DVD rental company, failing to find a buyer..] zavvi.co.uk seems like it is already going wrong. And on top of that even the WEBSITE - which is the name of the 125 or so stores isn't ready. It will be in January - but really - it should be done now and opening without it is a crucial error.

The creative execution Cathy Kebbeh mentions in the below Creativematch interview - seems non existentEven 'non-corporate' identities [with 2 employees] have working websites. And if they were clever about the retail spaces they had - the signs and branding - would be the last consideration. What the main question is: "Why do you exist?" Currently, there is no reason to go into a zavvi / Virgin Megastore - like the Oxford st. Anchor - as HMV just a short
skip down the street does it infinitely better. And does vinyl as well as a specialist - with better instores, and ontop of that - the partnership with West country music gear sellers Sound Control in the basement of the Oxford St. store - never really worked out?

On visits to three of their stores yesterday there was no obvious signs, forgive the pun, except for thesign outside. And for a moment, when seeing it for the first time, the sign was wrong. If i had to guess the sector- it would be Food possibly, or an organic frozen yogurt stand... it has resonances of the M&S colour scheme and the tacky URL in the name that Schooldisco.com has - but it says absolutely nothing about music retailing.

When the re-branding of the Virgin Megastores was being formulated I'm sure they looked at the designs for Reading Festival - the colours, the fonts, the typography, everything. Because the Carling Reading Festival to use its completely commerical name - screams music, screams bands, screams to the kids who actually go to record stores.

Now unlike Rough Trade and to some extent Phonica records, who have found a glorious future in the niche areas- with absolutely focused stocks, digital arms that are interesting and a point to exist - zavvi.co.uk right now is just a sign change. A very expensive sign change. The Internet site isn't ready, the stores aren't changing - really, the Live & Breath [see http://www.creativematch.co.uk/viewNews/?95006] entire re brand is starting too look
very confused. And on top of it - in this massively difficult music retailing environment - you have to ask yourself- who is going to bail out zavvi.co.uk this year now that the charismatic Billionaire has sold ?

For physical media retailers like zavvi.co.uk 2008 is set to be a disaster. zavvi.co.uk is set to be the biggest music retail story of 2008 for all the wrong reasons. There is the wall. Seems like they're already up against it.