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Luxury Brands Embrace Futuristic Technology
Holition announces fifth luxury augmented retail brand – one year on
London, UK, 4th January, 2011 - Formed only a year ago, Holition has been leading the way in 3D and augmented reality solutions for luxury retail brands. Calling itself “a disparate group of innovator drivers” Holition’s extraordinary year has ended on a high note. Having worked with some of the world’s leading luxury brands including De Beers Jewellers, Boucheron, Tissot and Tag Heuer to develop visionary augmented reality campaigns, Holition has just announced its collaboration with Tacori in the US for a 3D touch screen campaign in Bloomingdales in time for the festive season.
From 3D touch screen window displays in London, New York and Japan, to its ground breaking application with Boucheron where customers can virtually ‘try on’ the finest jewels in real time via the internet. Holition is providing a unique opportunity for luxury brands that are keen to embrace technology and engage with the online customer and extend the in store experience further – without compromising on quality. It is this attention to detail and the new scope for customer interaction that Holition believes has helped the luxury market open up to 3D technology.
Jonathan Chippindale, chief executive, commented that: “We are focusing on delivering the best quality CAD; to ensure the quality of the product and the experience isn’t undermined in any way. While some might be interested in just the wow factor, luxury won’t touch it unless it’s the best, and the fact that these luxury brands are interested means that we’ve broken the barrier – soon the question won’t be why, but why aren’t companies using it.”
In July Holition created a 3D film for De Beers Jewellers, which was played in its Japanese store window display at Isetan in Tokyo. The film was customised on an auto stereoscopyan ascreen that doesn’t require viewers to wear 3D glasses. It offered a less intrusive and advanced 3D experience as viewers could experience the wonder and beauty of De Beers’ jewels without the hassle of having to put on glasses. . The 3D campaign has proved so successful that De Beers is rolling out a new campaign in London and New York during the festive season.
Charles Bonas, Holition chairman and leading light in the diamond industry says: “Coming from a family that has been in the luxury goods industry that is based on established traditions for five generations,, being at the cutting edge of technology really shows how we can engage more personally with the consumer by exploring and engaging with new ways of merging tradition with modern business methods.”
The possibilities for 3D technology are vast. Through a webcam the consumer is able to see for themselves the elements of the physical real-world environment being augmented by virtual computer-generated imagery. By taking the 3D technology out of the stores and onto the internet, luxury brands such as Boucheron and Tissot are becoming more accessible and helping shoppers who might be intimidated by entering a store, experience the brand in the comfort of their own home.
“We’re not saying it’s the same as trying on a product but its taking the consumer one step closer to the brand,” continued Chippindale.
Part of the challenge has been convincing brands that their target customers will interact with 3D and the social networking aspects attached to such campaigns. “Luxury goods wouldn’t have thought that social media users would be their target customers, but 46 percent of mass-affluents use social media; it’s no longer just teenagers in their bedrooms but CEOs in their offices,” says Chippindale. “We’re taking a traditional market and helping it to talk to today’s consumers.”
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