With COVID-19 affecting so much traditional consumer footfall, brands are faced with the challenge of how to communicate with customers at home, underlining the vital role of digital channels.

We have refocused our popular ‘This Week on Instagram’ column to highlight how different brands — across various categories — are communicating with their audiences during these unprecedented times.

From live-streaming and augmented reality ecommerce to launching new apps and video games, we shine the light on the brands, retailers, airlines and airports that have embraced digital innovation during the crisis.

Sept 3

Puig introduces AI.LICE mobile fragrance technology

Family-owned Spanish fragrance house Puig has introduced AI.LICE, an innovative new mobile technology that allows customers to preview scents in real time without testing or smelling it.

The AI.LICE technology allows customers to use their mobile cameras to scan a QR code, focus on a particular fragrance and reveal key ingredients, olfactory notes and other relevant product information. The tool also recommends similar products available in-store to match each customer’s specific preferences.

Puig-owned heritage fragrance brand Penhaligon’s is the first to introduce the AI.LICE technology through its ‘Magic Monocle’ digital tool. The tool helps customers navigate Penhaligon’s range and enables them to test products and curate their own wish-lists. It is now available in Penhaligon’s boutiques across the UK and Asia Pacific.

August 28

L’Oréal Paris introduces 24/7 ‘Haircolour Concierge’

L’Oréal Paris has unveiled the ‘Haircolour Concierge,’ a new virtual service that offers a variety of personalised tools to help customers colour their hair at home.

Similar to a physical salon, customers can book a video consultation with a professional hair colourist ahead of time. The colourist offers step-by-step advice, from product and shade selection to the colour application process. The service also includes a live chat feature which customers can access seven days a week.

The Haircolour Concierge also features a virtual try-on and diagnostic tool to help customers find the perfect shade. It also offers instructional how-to’s and trend articles that share information about colour trends and techniques.

The innovative tool was launched in response to the increased demand for at-home hair colour products throughout the pandemic crisis. Over the past few months, L’Oréal Paris saw a 40% increase in hair colour inquiries to its customer care centre.

L’Oréal Paris SVP Marketing Maude Brunschwig commented, “We are thrilled to introduce Haircolour Concierge and offer our consumers an on-demand hair colour platform designed specifically to meet all their hair-colouring needs – when and where they want it.

“Haircolour Concierge combines innovative technology with the hair colour expertise and knowledge that only L’Oréal has to inspire, educate and empower our consumers. With more people colouring their hair at home than ever before, we want to be there for them every step of the way – because they’re worth it.”

7 August

Ralph Lauren teams up with Snap Inc. to launch shoppable virtual range

Ralph Lauren has teamed up with social media company Snap Inc. to launch the world’s first branded virtual apparel line. The Ralph Lauren x Bitmoji Collection is fully shoppable and can be matched with Snapchat users’ personal ‘Bitmojis.’

The digital range will be available through Bitmoji’s newly-launched ‘Mix and Match’ feature. It will highlight 12 looks — six menswear and six womenswear — from Ralph Lauren’s archive. The range is the first in a series of digital marketing initiatives, from Ralph Lauren and Snap Inc., that targets younger customers.

Ralph Lauren Chief Digital Officer Alice Delahunt commented, “Ralph Lauren is excited to embark on this innovative partnership with Snap, With Ralph Lauren’s respected reputation as a global leader within the luxury fashion space and Snap’s undeniable creative prowess and expansive reach to a younger consumer, we feel inspired to explore disruptive ways to tell our brand’s story, drive social commerce and engage with a new generation in an authentic and empowering way.”

Bitmoji CEO Ba Blackstock added, “Bitmoji avatars enable millions of people every day to be their true selves in the digital world. Just like in real life, your Bitmoji’s outfit is a powerful form of self-expression. We’re excited to partner with innovative brands like Ralph Lauren to help shape the future of digital fashion by connecting our community with the brands they love.”

3 August

LVMH celebrates ‘timeless’ icons with new IGTV series

Luxury giant LVMH has released a new IGTV series, celebrating its maisons’ timeless icons. The five-episode series highlights the craftsmanship behind some of LVMH’s most unique creations through a series of animated and illustrated videos.

The videos tell the story of how these products have evolved over the years, and how they have transcended trends to become cultural symbols.

The first episode pays tribute to Bvlgari’s serpent symbol. The symbol is one of the Italian jeweller’s most important motifs and has been reinterpreted in a myriad of shapes and colours over the years.

31 July

Burberry opens doors to first ‘social retail’ store in China

Burberry has opened the world’s first social retail store in the luxury MixC Shenzhen Bay Mall in Shenzhen, China. The store was opened in partnership with WeChat owner Tencent, which powers all the in-store technology.

In a comment to Moodie Davitt content partner Jing Daily, Burberry Head of China Josie Zhang said: “In a sense, customers are connected with us once they stand in front of the interactive store window. This feature was inspired by 2020 Fall’s mirrored runway and changes its form with people’s movement.”

Customers are guided through a digital point system measuring their ‘social currency’ based on their digital engagements through the brand’s customised WeChat Mini Programme. The programme offers an array of shoppable content and brand stories. It also allows users to pre-book themed fitting rooms and unlock items they can purchase at the Thomas Café.

Zhang added, “For us, this project is a process of exploration, learning, and innovation. We hope to roll out the social retail concept to other regions and networks with time.”

This story originally appeared on respected Moodie Davitt content partner Jing Daily

22 July

Parfums Christian Dior launches ‘Dior Untold’ podcast series

LVMH-owned beauty and fragrance house Parfums Christian Dior has launched the ‘Dior Untold’ podcast series, revealing the untold story of Christian Dior’s love affair with scent.

It is available on www.dior.com, Deezer, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, SoundCloud and Podcast Addict.

The podcast takes listeners on a virtual voyage through the maison’s rich fragrance history. It begins in 1954, in Christian Dior’s Château de la Colle Noire in Grasse, where the legendary designer would create his most memorable fragrances.

The podcast also features key figures in the world of fragrance, including Dior Perfumer François Demachy, who shares the inspiration behind the Miss Dior and Diorissimo scents.

21 July

Amorepacific and Laneige celebrate ‘Luminous Beauty’ with online video series

Amorepacific-owned beauty brand Laneige has teamed up with visual arts duo Sagmeister & Walsh for the ‘Luminous Beauty’ online video series.

Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh are known for their experimental multi-media artworks encompassing video, graphic design and typography.

The series offers different interpretations of Laneige’s ‘luminous beauty’ mantra, which the brand defines as ‘the beauty that radiates from well-hydrated and vibrant skin.’

The eight mini-films are called Water, Water Bank, Moisture, Luminous, Logo, Monogram, Glow and Holiday.

In the Asia Pacific region, the campaign will be released via Instagram, Tik-Tok, Facebook and YouTube. In North America and Australia, it will be released on Laneige’s social media channels throughout the month of August.

Laneige is also launching an immersive exhibition called ‘Life Oasis’ in South Korea during latter part of 2020. The multi-sensorial exhibition will stimulate each of the five senses enabling audiences to gain a deeper understanding of the brand’s luminous beauty philosophy.

Laneige Senior Vice President Hyejin Lee commented, “This series of intuitive and captivating videos has been designed to deliver the identity and story of the Laneige brand to millennial customers around the world. It will invite customers to a whole new level of experience of the brand.”

“We drew much inspiration from water, and its true nature” added Stefan Sagmeister & Jessica Walsh. “We were given an opportunity to think of how we interact with water in everyday life and how water saves lives.

“Hopefully water, perfection itself and a rich source of inspiration, is beautifully interpreted through Laneige. We would like all viewers to be completely immersed in watching, listening to and embracing these pieces of visual art. Not only to be seen with the eyes, but to also listen to the sound, follow the movement and feel the texture.”

20 July

Gucci Beauty embraces the digital runway format

Luxury fashion house Gucci has embraced the digital runway format by revealing its latest collection through a live-stream held on 17 July. The Gucci Epilogue Collection also featured key Gucci Beauty makeup looks designed by Gucci Global Makeup Artist Thomas De Kluyver.

According to the brand, the featured makeup looks reflected Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele’s disruptive beauty ethos celebrating ‘freedom and self-expression.’

The looks were modelled by the Gucci design office team and featured the latest makeup products from Coty and Gucci Beauty. These were the Mascara L’Obscur, the Éclat De Beauté Effet Lumière multi-use gel gloss and the Crayon Définition Sourcils eyebrow pencils.

Other Gucci Beauty products used in the range were the Poudre de Beauté Mat Naturel and a selection of shades from the Rouge à Lèvres lipstick range.

15 July

Belvedere Vodka launches Google ‘Swirl’ 3D Ad Experience

LVMH-owned spirits company Belvedere Vodka has teamed up with production agency MediaMonks to beta test Google’s latest 3D display ‘Swirl’ mobile ad technology.

The new tech offers an immersive display format that brings three-dimensional assets to mobile advertisements. The Swirl technology enables brands to create interactive banners, allowing customers to rotate, zoom in, or even play an animation while shopping.

Belvedere Vodka beta-tested the new technology for its digital holiday campaign in 2019, which highlighted the brand’s holiday gift sets. The Swirl technology mimicked the physical in-store experience and encouraged customers discover the gift sets as if they were in the store.

According to a brand equity measurement study by data consulting company Kantar, Belvedere’s Swirl ad campaign reached 6.5x higher brand favourability and 4.9x higher purchase intent versus category norms.

The success of the campaign serves as an excellent case study of how the drinks industry can explore innovative new digital technologies to reach consumers during these unprecedented times.

MAC Cosmetics takes bespoke makeup advice online

The Estée Lauder Companies-owned makeup brand MAC Cosmetics has launched a new video chat feature that allows customers to receive one-on-one beauty advice from its team of makeup artists.

With traditional makeup demonstrations not adapted to follow physical distancing guidelines, MAC is bringing the expertise of their in-store makeup artist straight to customers’ devices.

The virtual makeup artists are available to offer personalised makeup advice and beauty tips tailored to customers’ specific needs. Customers can also receive free samples to try out different MAC products. The service is available from 10am to 10om on Mondays to Fridays with reduced services on weekends.

2 July

French drinks giant Pernod Ricard is to create a crowdsourcing app that gives consumers and those affected by hate speech on social media the power to identify and report objectionable content directly to brands and companies.

Brands can then leverage their influence with social media platforms to help ensure the content is reviewed and removed, if warranted. The app will be an additional resource for individuals, brands and social media platforms to use in the fight to stop hate speech online, Pernod Ricard said.

“The world is waking up to the reality that we all have a role to play in stopping the spread of hate speech, racism and misinformation on social media platforms,” said Pernod Ricard USA CEO Ann Mukherjee.

“There is a long way to go. Movements like #StopHateForProfit are demonstrating that brands and consumers want them to take more urgent action. This is important, and it is why we are joining the movement for the next 30 days across all paid social media platforms in the US, not just Facebook.

Read the full story here 

29 June

Do What Moves You: Bacardi unveils first-ever remotely shot film campaign

Bacardi Rum has ramped up the creativity during lockdown by launching its first-ever remotely shot film campaign. The campaign is titled ‘Bacardi Roommates’ and authentically depicts how people have been spending their time during quarantine.

The digital short stars three real roommates, who starred, shot, styled, and lit the film, all while in isolation. The three roommates ­– Alina, Kiara and Raisa — shared some relatable at-home activities while enjoying some of Bacardi Rum’s latest releases. These included the Bacardi Superior White rum and the new Bacardi Real Rum Cocktail.

Bacardi tapped creative agency BBDO New York and production company 1stAveMachine to help prepare the roommates for the shoot. The roommates received professional lighting equipment and attended several Zoom tutorials on lighting and interior décor to prep their apartment. The final film was the result of 30 hours of Zoom meetings, two days of filming, 15 boxes of props, and zero physical outsider interference.

Bacardi Limited has also unveiled a new website which showcases the spirit of the company’s ‘celebrating moments that matter’ philosophy. The new website drives the company’s responsible drinking message and offers simplified navigation and an enhanced customer experience.

It also features a careers section that gives audiences a sneak peek into the lives of Bacardi’s employees, in addition to offering a number of talent development programmes.

Bacardi Global Director of Corporate Communications Jessica Merz commented, “Our new Bacardi Limited website reflects our unique family culture and celebrates the people and brands that make us proud to be a part of the team. Our website’s striking design elements, improved navigation, and new sections offer a simplified, yet very engaging, discovery of our business and brands.”

24 June

Nemiroff holds virtual cocktail challenge to support out-of-work bartenders

Ukrainian spirits company Nemiroff launched an online cocktail challenge to support out-of-work bartenders through the COVID-19 crisis. The #NemiroffCocktailChallenge ran from April to May and encouraged bartenders to create cocktail making videos to win cash prizes.

Over 300 bartenders participated in the challenge over four seasons. A total of UAH1,000,000 (US$37,500) worth of cash prizes were awarded to the participating bartenders, with 22 winners selected to win additional cash prizes. The judges also selected 20 bartenders to receive special Nemiroff awards for creativity and professionalism.

Each season focused on a different theme which included: ‘Craft style Bloody Mary’, ‘Cinema Twist’, ‘Future Smash’ and ‘The Indomitable Bar-man.’

“It was important for Nemiroff to support the bartenders who were with us all this time, but were temporarily unemployed during the quarantine period,” said Nemiroff CEO Yuriy Sorochynskiy. “This competition is different from other cocktail competitions as it combines professional skills and a creative approach to serving.

“After the first season of the contest, we received pleasant feedback from the participants, who were grateful for both the material support and the motivation to be creative with their newfound blogging skills. I am sure this is just the beginning, as Nemiroff plans to continue to collaborate with the bartending community and develop a culture of creative alcohol consumption.”

Nemiroff Brand Ambassador and Competition Judge Julia Terletskaya said: “The Nemiroff Cocktail Challenge has taken hundreds of bartenders on an incredible cocktail trip. This competition has become a priceless contribution to the prosperity of the bar community. The experience also helped the community support each other during a difficult period.”

16 June

KrisShop launches KrisShop Live to engage with customers in self-isolation

Omnichannel retailer KrisShop has unveiled a cross-category Instagram Live series called ‘KrisShop Live’ to engage with customers during the self-isolation period. The campaign will run throughout June.

The social media campaign’s inaugural episode launched on 13 June and starred Singaporean KOL Christabel Chua, who shared her personal beauty tips. The next episode will be released on 20 June and star MasterChef Asia Alumni Chef Lennard Yeong, who will be sharing his 30-minute Tai Ochazuke recipe.

Upcoming sessions will feature Food & Drinks Writer Sihan Lee, who will share her favourite summer cocktail recipes; and TV Presenter/Eco-Activist Yumika Hoskin, who will discuss how audiences can adopt more sustainable lifestyle habits.

Customers who tune in also have the chance to win a range of products from KrisShop. These include the Foreo Luna Play Plus Fuchsia Set, in addition to KrisShop vouchers.

4 June

Singapore Airlines opens eLibrary for KrisFlyer members

Singapore Airlines has given KrisFlyer members complete access to its eLibrary throughout the month of June.

Members can access over 150 international newspapers, magazines and other reading materials free of charge and download them for later use. There is no limit to the number of publications that members can download.

The titles were previously only available to KrisFlyer members 48 hours before departure and up to seven days after their flight.

Singapore Loyalty Marketing Manager Renee Chong said, “We hope the additional reading materials will be useful during this stay-at-home period.”

Prada unveils the ‘Prada Virtual Reality’ project

Prada has launched the Prada Virtual Reality project, which offers a series of interactive digital content on YouTube VR, VEER, Oculus, Youku and Facebook.

The Prada Virtual Reality project invites customers to discover the world of Prada from the comfort of their homes. It features a series of immersive experiences that take customers on a journey to key Prada locations all around the world; making stops in Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles and culminating at the Fondazione Prada in Milan and Venice.

It also highlights Prada’s Spring range and gives customers a closer look at its made-to-measure collection, men’s footwear range and the making of the Prada Cahier bag.

The project is part of Prada Group’s wider strategy to embrace digital innovation amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. In May, the group struck an agreement with customer experience management company Sprinklr to develop a social advertising and engagement strategy to drive its digital transformation.

Prada Group Head of Marketing Lorenzo Bertelli commented, “Today, digital transformation is changing relationships with consumers, giving them an unlimited amount of purchasing choices. In this world, it’s even more crucial to effectively reach out and engage our customers. Sprinklr’s platform will help our efforts to reinforce a digital culture within the Prada Group while improving customer experiences.”

Diageo provides online hosting tips with ‘Virtual Good Host Guide’ social campaign

Spirits company Diageo has launched the ‘Virtual Good Host Guide’ social media campaign to help customers navigate the world of virtual hosting.

The campaign features a series of short animations that provide digital hosting tips which include picking a theme for online celebrations, planning the perfect playlist, and reminding people to measure their pours.

It is currently running on Diageo’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter channels and builds on the company’s long-standing commitment to promote positive drinking through moderation.

Diageo Chief Sustainability Officer Ewan Andrew commented: “While we all navigate the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to provide tips to help people be good virtual hosts as they socialise with friends and family. This guide serves up great tips in an accessible format and will help people make positive and responsible choices about alcohol at home.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=858R9GIJxyk

Parfums Christian Dior digitally recreates Champs-Élysées boutique

Parfums Christian Dior has recreated its Champs-Élysées store using augmented reality. The boutique was launched in partnership with ObsessVR and features the brand’s complete fragrance, makeup, bath & body lines.

It invites customers to ‘step into’ the store and browse the Parfums Christian Dior’s selection. Each section features interactive category-specific content that give customers information about different products. According to the company, the virtual boutique will be updated with different animations six times per year.

Moët & Chandon reveals ‘The Perfect Match’ Instagram series

LVMH-owned champagne house Moët & Chandon has launched ‘The Perfect Match’ Instagram series, which pairs Moët & Chandon signature cuvées with Michelin-star recipes.

The online series stars the company’s Chef de Cave Benoît Gouez and Michelin-starred Chef and Moët & Chandon Ambassador Yannick Alléno, as they share memorable food and wine pairings on Instagram.

The series is comprised of four episodes, each one proposing a pairing between one of the brand’s champagnes and a dish especially crated to match.

The first episode featured the house’s flagship champagne, Moët Imperial; while Alléno prepared a simple shrimp, olive tapenade and brioche canapé dish to match. The other three episodes will feature custom recipes for Moët & Chandon’s Rosé Impérial, Grand Vintage 2012 and Imperial 1869 cocktail.