Joe
Pettet
Smith

This is the age of the experience economy. Millennials and Generation Z are fuelling this shift; a recent study found that 76% of the demographic prefer to spend money on experiences instead of buying desirable possessions, and that experiences are improved when shared on social media. This trend is taken to its logical conclusion with the arrival of the Selfie Factory; a colourful touring interactive pop-up offering paying customers eye catching sets to take selfies in. Following the popularity of the Selfie Factory several similar experiences have been set up around the country; The Wonder Factory in Dalston, Selfie Store in Glasgow and The Post Room in Sheffield.

The phenomenon is not exclusive to the UK. There are similarities to American pop-ups 29Rooms, The Museum of Ice Cream and The Color Factory. But whereas they present and market themselves as being photogenic interactive art exhibits, the UK equivalent is purely a paid for experience, usually in empty retail units in shopping malls, set up with the sole purpose of visitors taking pictures of themselves for Instagram likes. Traditionally, factories are places where commodities and products are mass produced, each identical to the last. The only commodity that is produced in these Factories is social media content. According to one company website the space aims to “promote happiness, positivity and self-love”.