Page 49 - #201 September 2025

VOGUE, Inventing the Runway ECH TITANS IN RETAIL primarily refer to was set in a villa-like setting with fully-transpar-
SPECIAL FEATURE T the large, influential technology companies ent walls, allowing visitors free movement, while
that have significantly impacted the retail industry. exploring the various items, encouraging explo-
- Tech Titans Shaping Retail’s Future Key players include Amazon, Apple, Google and Ali- ration and provoking curiosity; all leading to a
baba, who have transformed how consumers shop
holiday courtyard, accessible to loyalty members,
and how retailers operate. These companies have called the Private Garden. The Private Garden
redefined customer expectations, driven e-com- offers a glimpse into the benefits of becoming a
merce growth and are now shaping the future of BOSS XP member, including a raffle, event invita-
both online and in-store retail experiences. tions, exclusive experience access, complimentary
In an article entitled ‘The future of shopping alterations and product sneak peeks, all animated
in retail: What to expect in the next 10 years’ by and clickable, offering visitor-education and
James Robins, Chief Marketing Officer at Yodeck reflecting the brand’s shopper appreciation. With
he explains that retail has transformed signif- a simple click, guests could explore items from the
icantly in recent years and the pace will only menswear, womenswear, footwear, accessory and
accelerate. Over the next decade, technology will fragrance collections, view product details and
redefine how consumers discover, interact with add items to their cart.
and ultimately purchase from brands. The store The British luxury fashion house Burberry is
of the future will evolve beyond being a place to another institutional brand that is using technol-
buy - it will be a hub for engagement, storytelling ogy to transform its offering to customers. In her
and connection. Robins continues by saying that report ‘5 ways Burberry is using tech to trans -
over the next decade, consumers will increasingly form high-end retail’, Ann-Marie Corvin highlights
seek more engaging shopping experiences driven that over the last decade, fashion retailers have
by dynamic, personalised digital content that invested heavily in social media to target upmar-
reinforces the messaging and information that ket millennials and revamp their image. However,
customers have already seen online and on social with platforms like Facebook and Instagram
media. With the right technology, traditional retail banned in China, one of Burberry’s biggest territo -
spaces can be transformed into immersive envi- ries, retailers need to rethink their approach in this
ronments that attract customers and enhance the market. Burberry decided to partner with China’s
likelihood of purchases. tech giant Tencent to create a ‘Social Retail Store’
Amazon is actively expanding its Just Walk in Shenzhen, which merges online interactions
Out technology to new locations, including sta- with physical retail experiences. The 539sq m
diums, universities and airports, both in the US
store comprises ten spaces celebrating Burberry’s
The Next and internationally. This expansion includes more heritage while offering interactive encounters.
The store’s entrance features a window which
third-party locations than ever before as of last
year, more than doubling the number of stores
responds to body movements, creating immer-
sive moments that can be shared on social media.
with the technology. In the US, several NFL teams
Inside the store, three immersive fitting rooms
are adopting the technology for their stadiums,
Era of including Lumen Field in Seattle, Commanders offer personalised experiences, with QR codes -
Field outside of Washington D.C. and M&T Bank
linking products to digital screens for additional
Stadium in Baltimore. Meanwhile in the UK, The
content and storytelling. Tencent also developed
O2 arena in London became the first indoor arena
a custom-made, in-store WeChat application (Chi
na’s answer to WhatsApp) that provides exclusive
in England to feature the technology.
Audi, one of the world’s leading luxury car man-
Customer ufacturers, is known not only for its advanced content, audio guides, appointments and events.
Through gamification, customers also received
playful digital animal characters evolving with
engineering but also for creating an excep -
interactions and QR codes that facilitated access
tional customer experience (CX). By integrating
to new collections and store exclusives.
cutting-edge immersive technologies into its deal-
ership services and customer journey, Audi offers
Last year saw the first North American addition
Centric a tailored, engaging and highly personalised CX. to the Coca-Cola Trademark in more than three
years as Coca-Cola Spiced and Coca-Cola Spiced
From virtual reality (VR) in showrooms to online
Zero hit shelves across the US and Canada. Coin-
configuration tools, Audi has set a new benchmark
for how customers experience luxury car buying.
ciding with the launch was a two-day activation
Audi’s VR showrooms enable customers to take
experiential art installation and immersive, Artifi-
virtual test drives, giving them the ability to expe - called The Spiced Shop in New York City. It was an
rience the feel of a car without being physically cial Intelligence (AI)-driven sampling experience.
present. Meanwhile, Audi City locations in cities Guests could express what they taste and feel to
As the retail and leisure landscape continues to like London, Berlin and Paris use floor-to-ceiling create a visual manifestation of their unique Coca-
evolve at pace, RLI will take this opportunity to digital screens to display a full catalogue of Audi Cola Spiced experience. The brand partnered with
Emmy-winning actress, producer and entrepre-
models, configurations and customisation options.
spotlight the visionary companies, platforms and Customers can interact with the digital displays to neur Storm Reid, to bring the installation to life at
216 Lafayette in SoHo. Coca-Cola Spiced demon-
see real-time updates on vehicle features, colours
pioneers harnessing innovation, AI, immersive and specs, ensuring a tailored experience. strated the company’s accelerated approach to
Launched last year, the BOSS Holiday Virtual
technology and digital infrastructure to transform Experience, developed by Emperia using Creator consumer-centric innovation. The brand came to

life - from idea to shelf - in record time.
how, where and why consumers engage with Tools, was centred on BOSS XP, the brand’s loy- For one night only back in March, fans attending
brands globally. Over the pages ahead, companies alty membership program, while accessible to the the LA Clippers game at the Intuit Dome arena in
Los Angeles were invited to mint a free digital col-
general public. As the holidays were approaching,
and brands from around the world will be BOSS aimed to encourage consumers to engage lectible, powered by Coinbase and built by Noomo.
The experience was designed to be fast, mobile-
more deeply with the brand to discover, shop and
highlighted as they lead the sector into the next gift its sophisticated range of 24/7 lifestyle prod - first and deeply integrated with the rhythm of
era of customer centric retail. ucts. With this in mind, BOSS fans were invited the game itself. As the tension on the court built
to enjoy an immersive virtual experience that
toward a dramatic last-second victory, fans were
brought the festive spirit to life. This allowed con- simultaneously able to claim a unique on-chain
sumers to explore the curated product selection NFT - not just as a keepsake, but as a ticket to
in a gamified environment and the virtual world real-world perks, including exclusive jerseys and
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