Why iProspect is Combining Luxury & Tech at Cannes Lions 2017

The luxury market is not what it once was. Luxury brands are under immense pressure, driven by shifting consumer, economic, social and political trends. Moreover, new opportunities have changed traditional market norms, forcing luxury brands to adjust and adapt.

This once protected and shielded vertical has now been forced into the mainstream by the proliferation of connectivity and the realization that access to the luxury market is no longer limited to the few. During my career in advertising, I have seen the luxury market evolve and mature into one that now embraces consumer-oriented and in so many ways, social-first marketing.

There is one facet of luxury consumers that hasn’t changed — they want access to the most gratifying experience with the least path of resistance. This is why the promise of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence seems to create the perfect balance and a failsafe way to elevate the luxury experience. What used to happen only in well-heeled stores on Bond Street or 5th Avenue has now made its way straight into the living rooms of millions.

This shift in access has left us with a paradox. How can luxury brands harness revolutionary technology such as Augmented Reality to reach not only the Millennial who may be ‘rich, young and redefining luxury’, but also the traditional luxury customer? How does the new technology map to the wider marketplace?

During this exciting discussion, we’ll explore the intersection of luxury and technology, the new luxury consumer in the digital marketplace, the implications of access to luxury with the click of a button or a tap on a smartphone, and where the future is headed.

Join iProspect in Cannes Lions, along with Facebook and Gucci, at the Facebook Beach on Tuesday June 20th at 4pm, for “Fashion, Forward: The Digital Revitalization of Gucci” where we will address how luxury brands can stay ahead of technology trends.