Introduction: In this guest column, EssilorLuxottica talks about the importance of connecting with travellers through a targeted, storytelling approach. The eyewear company also discusses the three pillars of its strategy to delivering memorable shopping moments: immersive experience, localisation and theatricalisation.
As shopper behaviour evolves, brands can no longer rely on products alone; customers want authentic engagement and memorable shopping experiences, which we deliver through the power of engaging storytelling. Through immersive storytelling we can tap into human emotions, values and history to go beyond the surface and truly connect with travelling shoppers – even in the busiest of airport environments.
Powered by our passion for constant innovation in the eyewear industry, EssilorLuxottica is committed to connecting with travellers around the world through storytelling. Beyond showcasing our innovative services and products, we create a distinct identity around every brand through narratives. This allows EssilorLuxottica to build brand loyalty and memorable experiences that last long after passengers have left our store or activation.
According to travel retail research experts m1nd-set, consumers value the purchasing experience along with product quality[i]. This is especially true for emerging Gen Z travellers, who prioritise how a brand tells their story. Gen Z customers already represent 30% of the global consumer market, a number that will inevitably grow as they enter the job market, travel more and spend more when travelling.
To capture this growing market and the wider travelling population, we incorporate three key strategies to deliver memorable shopping moments: immersive experience, localisation and theatricalisation. Through this approach, we engage consumers, creating a sense of excitement and loyalty.
Immersive experience
This is especially important in travel retail where consumers come from all corners of the world. Whether through captivating online campaigns, virtual storefronts or gamified interactions, brands can establish a dynamic and responsive connection with travelling shoppers.
By harnessing cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and interactive apps, EssilorLuxottica aims to transport consumers into a duty free world where engagement is not just visual but multisensory. Through these innovative approaches, our brands not only stay at the forefront of technological trends but also demonstrate a commitment to providing passengers with memorable and evolving encounters that extend beyond traditional marketing methods.
The Polo Ralph Lauren activation at Heathrow Airport allowed consumers to play with, purchase and create memories with the dedicated Wimbledon eyewear. Powered by magic mirror technology, the pop-up transported consumers into the world of Wimbledon – each pair of sunglasses triggered a different digital background and enabled consumers to share selfies as GIFs. Fun, interactive and immersive, this activation drew consumer traffic and brand awareness to the eyewear made for the legendary tennis tournament.
Localisation
Locally relevant campaigns wield a rare and powerful influence, proving to be exceptionally effective in engaging audiences on a personal level. M1nd-set reports that 23% of travel retail shoppers purchase items that have a local touch. By tailoring campaigns to resonate with a region, we create an immediate sense of familiarity and entice the local-touch seeker and emotional brand-image seeker.
In addition, it presents us with an exciting opportunity to host geo-localised events. We have one of the most robust portfolios in travel retail, made up of powerful partnerships that allow us to tap into the hype and excitement around popular events worldwide.
Our partnership with Ferrari is a great example that highlights how the power of localisation captures consumer excitement around an event while creating a connection. Since last year, we launched several high-profile Ray-Ban for Scuderia Ferrari activations, leveraging on the GP Calendar worldwide with a presence in Miami, Milan, Mexico and Las Vegas. In particular, the travel retail teams in Italy and Mexico recreated exclusive and immersive experiences through car simulators, also highlighting limited editions.
M1nd-set reports that 18% of travel retail shoppers gravitate towards exclusive items; having this element in the campaign enhances our value proposition to customers while delivering an unforgettable shopping moment.
Theatricalisation
Theatricalisation is a powerful technique where we create immersive, interactive experiences to engage with consumers in an impactful way. Through innovative touchpoints, we transform a regular interaction into a theatrical event, capturing the attention and interest of customers. Airports offer us an exciting avenue to execute this through full takeovers that deliver a targeted approach.
In addition, we can leverage store spaces as well as media spaces across terminals and implement LED walls, media spaces and wraps to effectively increase brand awareness, loyalty and engagement.
Theatricalisation allows us to go beyond traditional methods and create memorable experiences. With evolving technology and constant innovation, we are dedicated to creating more theatricalisation moments through multiple touchpoints raising upon our standards, both physical and digital.
As we look ahead to the new year that will bring new eyewear trends and technology, EssilorLuxottica will remain committed to creating an immersive shopping experience in travel retail and beyond. Our goal is to enhance our activations to better engage and entertain travellers while showcasing our innovative approach to eyewear. It is important for engaging customers, enhancing brand image, and driving sales and revenue growth. ✈
