Power Plant Mall shows ‘it’s a Rockwell Christmas after all’Polar bears, check. Softly lighted Christmas trees and the pine scent that heightens the yuletide feel, check. Santa Claus? Of course!

Power Plant Mall walkways have been wrapped with their customary lush garlands and soft lights. The polar bears and other animals are in their usual spots. The Christmas trees, including the giant one at the R1 Level, have gone gold and green.

Despite the rampaging pandemic, Power Plant Mall still delights and uplifts shoppers with a festive Rockwell-style Christmas.

As their holiday tagline cheerfully proclaims: “It’s a Rockwell Christmas after all.”

“Our garlands, playlights and stuffed animals are always part and parcel of our classic Christmas theme,” notes Jacko Zialcita, Rockwell Land Assistant Vice President for Design, of Power Plant Mall’s yuletide look.

Zialcita and his team work on the mall’s next décor scheme practically as soon as the current holiday season ends—almost a full year in advance—and have it approved by mall management by the middle of the year.

For this year, they did not buy any new Christmas décor details. “We go as far as two years back and mix and match them. This way they look like we have new details,” says Zialcita, a pioneering landscape architect who first joined Rockwell in 1998.

By October, the assembly and installation crew, which was organized into small separate groups to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols, started assembling the décor. They were able to finish the job while maintaining regular working hours due to the décor’s toned-down details, Zialcita adds.

Tin Coqueiro, for her part, realized that the shopping behavior of Power Plant Mall customers had changed as the lockdown dragged on, and this figured as a “very big factor” in planning for the holiday season.

“During the first couple of months, only a fourth of the mall was open. It was a period of adjustment for us and our customers. As we eased into more relaxed quarantines, both business and foot traffic gradually increased,” she shares.

For Christmas 2020, the retail team opted for offerings and activities that assure customer safety but still with the distinct Rockwell touch, says Rockwell Land’s Vice President for Retail Development. These include a gift delivery service, e-gift certificates and a new ecommerce store.

Santa’s Corner went online this year for one-on-one meet and greets with Santa’s kiddie followers through “Dear Santa.” Shoppers with a minimum accumulated or single-receipt spend of P50,000 from Nov. 20-30 scored a Christmas kit and an exclusive virtual experience with Santa. The special meet and greet took place on Dec. 12.

Coqueiro’s team also tweaked Baker’s Dozen, the 14- year-old pastry fair that remains a crowd favorite.

“Our shoppers can now purchase their favorite baked goodies online along with other gift items from participating stores,” she says.

For those who shop in person, the mall has put in place an improved contact tracing program that takes away the pain point of having to fill up a form every time customers visit a store.

These customers also have the option to use the Rockwellist Post, which reduces face-toface interaction between giver and recipient by allowing one to buy gifts at the mall and then send these to their loved ones through Power Plant Mall’s logistics partner.

According to Coqueiro, the return of “Rockwell Streetside,” which promotes safer outdoor dining, further helps customers feel more comfortable about going to the mall.

“Providing our customers with the best Christmas experience has always been our mission. We want to deliver the same Christmas feeling to them while still prioritizing their safety,” Coqueiro emphasizes.

POLAR bears, check. Softly lighted Christmas trees and the pine scent that heightens the yuletide feel, check. Santa Claus? Of course

Power Plant Mall shows ‘it’s a Rockwell Christmas after all’