5 May 2021 7 min read
This article is the third in a four-part series by Carat, examining the beauty industry. Read part one or part two.
There is no doubt that new technology trends in the category pre-pandemic have been accelerated, as brands shifted to cater to an increasingly digital consumer. AR and AI have become the driving forces towards new category experiences that combine digital and physical.
Mixed reality retail
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically shifted our relationship with retail. Sector lockdowns restricted access and redirected category consumption online. Online experiences reset expectations for the category. Ongoing concerns around contagion continue to curb a return to physical retail for some.
Details 14 December 2020
Sweeping gold awards across three categories at this year s Marketing Events Awards is beauty brand Lancôme and its agency Mercury PR. The team came in first for the categories Best Use of Influencers, Best Virtual Event (B2C), and Best Team (Agency). Impressing the judges with its event, the Lancôme Genifique #LiveYourStrength Virtual Flagship Store, the brand and agency also walked away with silver awards for both the Best Digital Integration and Best Pop-up Experience/Environment categories.
Held in the middle of a pandemic-hit year, the Lancôme Genifique #LiveYourStrength Virtual Flagship Store was a immersive online retail experience that ran from 28 August to 20 September 2020. Targeted at females aged 25 to 45, the experience aimed to not only promote its product Lancôme Advanced Génifique, but to dive deep into the science and ingredients behind it. It also sought to inform, inspire and encourage visitor