Retailers from all corners of the US offered exciting Black Friday deals and promotions last week, but few had quite as much fun as Photojojo did. The online retailer, which sells novel gadgets for camera buffs and iPhonography fans, had its customers get up off their seats to jump into action. Literally.

Across its website, newsletter and social channels, Photojojo instructed customers to visit its mobile site with their smartphones and tablets. Just enough of a push to pique their curiosity. Once there, they learned that they’d unlocked a new way to get big Black Friday discounts: by jumping.

Recognizing that mobile devices have more to offer than touchscreens and portability, Photojojo made use of movement sensors in modern smartphones to register each time visitors jumped with phones in hand. Not only did that action add to a rapidly-climbing jump meter that tracked jumpers around the world—it also opened up discounts. After every third jump, customers were offered a discount on a particular Photojojo goody. They could take the discount, but where’s the fun in that? If they refused it and kept jumping, bigger and better offers would appear until they found things more to their liking.

Photojojo may be an online retailer, but using your mobile site or app to give shoppers a reason to get up and move seems like a natural fit for those already in brick-and-mortar locations.

In October, Melbourne Central and the GPT Group announced a new initiative: The Kisho Prize, for a local designer who could rise to the challenge of creating a unique installation for display within the center. The prize is named in honor of Kisho Kurokawa, the Japanese architect responsible for designing the center.

A panel of expert judges selected five early to mid-career creatives to develop and deliver design concepts. Last month, these were completed and presented to the judges, including Melbourne Central’s General Manager, Justin Shannon, Melbourne Central Cultural Partner Lucy Feagins of The Design Files, RMIT University Head of the School of Art Professor Jeremy Diggle and respected art and design journalist Dylan Rainforth.

25-year-old sculpture and spatial practice graduate Hamish Munro has been announced as the winner of the prize. His submission is an inflatable sculpture with a shape and form that changes based on movement in the centre.

“Melbournian’s movements and choices contribute the the city’s growth and ever-changing architectural landscape,” Munro explained. “As they move in an throughout shared spaces, new areas of congregation within the city are activated.”

“These spaces can be seen as new pods or modules of life, connecting to pre-existing pathways, lanes, buildings or streets, My vision of Melbourne’s city is a constant evolution driven by the people who live in it, which is reflected in my proposed artwork.”

As the winner of the Kisho Prize, Munro was presented with a $10,000 bursary award and a production budget of $30,000.

The British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) is holding its second annual Opal Awards, and the deadline for entries is almost here. If you’d like your center to be considered for its unique approach to commercial brand opportunities, have your entry in by December 18, 2013.

The awards span seven categories, four of which are new this year. Returning categories are as follow:

• Experiential: High impact bursts of activity, which seek to influence and change customer perceptions of a brand.
• Mall Retail: Attracting small traders, start-ups and established operators alike driving best practice in mall retailing.
• Media: Media in retail environments that communicates and actively influences consumer purchasing decisions.

New categories this year include the following:

• Vending: Innovation and creativity in vending, recognising examples where vending has delivered over and above a simple transactional service to the customer.
• Pop Up Shops/Temporary Lets: Innovative uses of these spaces, timeframes, excellence in delivery and creativity.
• Commercial Events/Markets/Exhibitions: Activations which drive commercial income and are not funded through marketing budgets.
• The Stephen Rister Memorial Award: In 2014 this award will recognise upcoming talent from the industry. An individual aged 35 and under, from any sphere of commercialisation, who is a shining star.

Interested? Take a look at the award website for more information and to enter.

Robina Town Centre has put together a winner of a gift guide this year with its holiday Gift Finder.

The centre has put together a complete microsite to keep shoppers informed and prepared for the holidays. Featuring hours, Christmas promotions, and links to all the important details for the holidays, it’s sure to help shoppers stay organized.

The Gift Finder is a particular joy, however. The site features 24 broad categories of individuals—book worms, beauty addicts, hipsters and foodies, among many others—with heaps of practical and clever gifts for each. Within those categories shoppers can narrow the field further, specifying gender and price range.

Once they’ve picked out a few gifts and added them to their gift lists, they can share their lists on Facebook, email them to friends or print them. Along with the gift lists, the gift finder also provides interactive maps of the center with retailers from the list flagged in red. In green, the center has flagged dining locations and coffee shops—just in case shoppers need somewhere to stop and unwind.

Mid-America Real Estate Group has welcomed its first in-house marketing associate, Emily Dutson. Dutson is now involved with all channels of marketing and public relations for the company.

According to Mid-America Principal/President Mike George, this position was created in tandem with the company’s decision to create and manage these channels in-house.

“We are so fortunate to have worked with Dodier [& Company] for more than 15 years,” said Mr. George. “However, Mid-America has grown so much that it was time to bring the marketing and PR responsibilities in-house. We are excited to have Ms. Dutson here as she will bring in a fresh perspective and provide cohesiveness throughout the companies.”

Dutson will be handling marketing and public relations efforts for Mid-America’s centers in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.

Prior to her employment at Mid-America, Ms. Dutson worked as the marketing and public relations coordinator for a residential real estate and housing company in Ft. Collins, Colo., where for three years, she maintained social media accounts, worked directly with the media, planned industry events and oversaw all marketing and advertising efforts.

Congratulations on the move, Emily!

Have you recently made a move or welcomed someone new to your team? Let us know and you could be featured in our next On the Move.