Out with the Old and in with the New: Trading in Marble for Pixels
How Burberry is using AR to bring consumers back into stores with a Pop-up experience.
In 2018 Riccardo Tisci was handed the reins as creative director of Burberry. One of his biggest accomplishments as creative director was his release of the Olympia bag in 2021. The bag speaks true to the essence of the Burberry brand with luxury and craftsmanship at its forefront. The bag is named after the city of Olympia in ancient Greece and is said to celebrate modern classicism.
In May 2021 Burberry launched a global pop-up that celebrated the Olympia bag by using AR. The title of the campaign was “The World of Olympia,” and one of the biggest pop-up locations was in Harrods, London. The AR portion of the pop-up was used to bring a marble statue to life; shoppers were able to watch the statue move around the pop-up location through their phones.
The statue was based on an Elpis statue. Elpis was the ancient Greek goddess of hope, usually depicted as a young beautiful woman with flowers and fruit. The use of AR in the form of a Greek statue was a smart move on Burberry’s part as it plays into the origin and inspiration of the Olympia bag.
Due to Covid-19, in May 2021 many shoppers were hesitant to return to shopping in person. A survey taken in 2021 by the American Psychological Association noted that around half of adults were uncomfortable about returning to in-person interactions. Creating an exciting and buzz-worthy experience helped consumers overcome their hesitation.
In the past few years, the use of AR in luxury brands has largely increased. Other brands like Chanel, Gucci, and Dior are using AR in new and exciting ways to attract consumers. For Burberry to keep up with the insanely competitive market they are in, it was a no-brainer for them to hop on the AR bandwagon.
The implementation of AR in “The World of Olympia” campaign was extremely beneficial to the brand. Not only did it help with the competition, increasing shopper visits and embodying the brand, but it also gained the brand many mentions in earned media. Many articles were written about the campaign, which in turn helped increase brand awareness. So by trading in marble for pixels, Burberry can join the new marketing and technology movement.
