Ready for the Implant?

I am working with a client that has an amazing story to tell. They are a New York fashion icon, they have worked tirelessly to further social awareness for causes they believe in. They are cool, fashion-forward, and as inherently New York as a SoHo loft, with texture, style and an abundance of history.

They produce amazing campaigns that connect with their customers on an artistic and emotional level. Written editorials advise on lifestyle and fashion trends, personal grooming, places to visit, things to experience, and even what to eat. They also provide personal style recommendations during the purchase process: When you’re selecting a product, they recommend a matching product based on your style choices, fashion trends and your purchase history – all according to size and fit, and style preferences.

They speak your language, whether it be English, Spanish or Korean. You can pay for the product wherever you are. There are never any lines. There is no waiting for the fitting room or an alternative size while selecting. Your size is always available. They don’t mind that you price-check. They also deliver the product to your home, so you don’t have to carry it home. Amazingly, they want to hear from customers; they want you to tell them what you like, how you wear it, and how their brand fits into your life. They share this with pride. You feel cool because your image is right next to that of a celebrity endorsement – and at the end of the day, it’s about style and fashion.

Today in retail, digital equals brand perfection. When you walk into the physical store, so much of this connection evaporates. It’s almost as if an invisible wall appears around the store, keeping you from the brand. With the high expectations created by digital, analog leads to brand apathy. (In all fairness, this brand and many others do an incredible job of reinforcing the narrative and brand experience in store.)

The Second Coming. That’s my headline for virtual reality, and, unlike The Stone Roses album of the same name, it took only 10 years or so to make the sequel. It feels a little like Groundhog Day – didn’t we go through a rebirth with 3-D TV recently?

Virtual reality is the latest and greatest technology. From Oculus Rift to a cardboard box holding your Galaxy phone strapped to your head by an elastic band, it’s being touted as the next leap forward in small-big screen interaction. For entertainment, there’s no doubt this is one of the ways we will consume media and interactive experiences. However, for retail, I am not sure I can see it getting traction in the same way. What’s the benefit of walking around a virtual mall? For brand connection and storytelling, it’s powerful: Imagine being at a New York fashion show with front-row seats “virtually.” But, for shopping, it feels cumbersome. Now, if I could walk my reality dog, virtually, I am sold.

So, how can a lack of digital engagement in the physical store be tied together with and virtual reality? With augmented reality? By this, I mean that any and all digital, or maybe even analog, technologies that overlay information and facilitate interaction. Imagine a connected overlay of personalized information updating live as you shop. A personal shopper, a personal assistant, even a personal brand ambassador alongside you on your shopping journey. An overlaid style suggestion, “Hey, if you like this shoe, here is a shoe in your size that you may also like,” or perhaps, “I’ve had it sent with matching dress to fitting room four.” Even as sophisticated as, “The wool used in this sweater is from Lucy, reared on a sustainable farm in the Shetlands isles,” accompanied by a corresponding video.

If this information exists in an e-commerce database’s algorithm, then what’s the consumer barrier? Our smartphone is currently our window to this information, but it’s somewhat cumbersome to use, and takes active participation. Rather, service should be provided or offered in a more effortless way.  Google tried it with its Glass, but the style and functionality weren’t quite there yet. Those who say they will never tether a device to their head are forgetting that, at one point, sticking white wires into your ear to listen to music felt and looked strange and holding a slab of computer to your ear to talk was odd.

Let’s face it, we are already living an augmented reality lifestyle. When was the last time you looked at a map before driving, or bought a product blindly in-store without using your mobile to check out online reviews and price match? Augmented reality in an evolved form will become the glue between e-commerce, brand narrative and the physical world. Ready for the implant?

As a new creative director for retail at dash design, Peter Burgoyne has built a reputation for elevating retail design by combining disparate elements into a cohesive, strategic vision. His passion for technology and drive to make the retail experience powerful, memorable and results-driven has allowed him to work with clients such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Tumi, Kenneth Cole, Lord & Taylor, Duane Reade, Printemps, Shinsegae and Holt Renfrew, to name a few. Peter’s background in industrial design also allows him to take a holistic approach to design and view opportunities through “different lenses.” It also keeps him laser-focused in his journey to answer the question: “Is there a better way of doing this?” Burgoyne is a member of VMSD’s Editorial Advisory Board.