Lancôme Sparks a Virtual Makeup Revolution at Paris Store
In recent years, the beauty industry has become highly competitive, prompting brands to look for innovative ways to capture consumer attention and loyalty. French luxury beauty brand Lancôme partnered with Wilkins Avenue AR to create an immersive experience at their Paris flagship store. They used Magic Leap AR headsets and spatial computing to transport customers to the rose gardens of Grasse, France and the streets of Paris, where they could learn about the origin and quality of their products.
How Lancôme Uses AR to Engage Customers
In December 2020, Lancôme partnered with Wilkins Avenue AR, a creative studio specializing in spatial computing, to launch an AR experience at its Paris flagship store. The experience, called “La Rose Lancome,” is a four-minute immersive journey that uses Magic Leap AR headsets and spatial audio to transport customers to the brand’s rose garden in Grasse, France, and the streets of Paris.
Engaging activities
I think it’s a fascinating campaign that illustrates how luxury beauty brands can use AR to create a memorable and engaging shopping event that blends the real and digital worlds. It caters well to the expectations of Millennials and Generation Z for an interactive retail experience. It also demonstrates how AR can be used to tell a story and communicate a brand’s values and identity. By inviting customers to visit their rose garden, Lancôme emphasized their commitment to sustainability and organic farming, as well as their expertise in perfumery. By showing them the streets of Paris, Lancôme is reinforcing their image as a sophisticated and elegant French brand.
How does it help Lancôme achieve its marketing goals?
I believe this AR deployment helps Lancôme increase in-store conversions, enhance brand innovation awareness and gain customer insights. The fun, personalized experience sets Lancôme apart from their competitors and drives more sales on the floor. It also reinforced their modern, tech-savvy image. Finally, the virtual makeup trial enabled Lancôme to collect data on customer product preferences to inform future marketing.
In my opinion, this trend of branded in-store AR for virtual makeup trials will continue, not go away. According to a report by Startup Savant, the global AR market will be $17.67 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43.8% from 2021 to 2028. The report also states that AR can bring several benefits to retailers and brands, such as increased customer engagement, improved brand awareness, and reduced return rates. Therefore, I see AR as a valuable and innovative tool that can help marketers achieve their goals and differentiate themselves from their competitors.
