Benetton digital retail project: 5 things to know
United Colors of Benetton has joined the list of brands stepping into the metaverse universe. The famous brand is opening a store in the metaverse and a physical store adapted to the same theme in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Milan.
During the Milan Fashion Week, the Italian label will transform its Corso Vittorio Emanuele store by aligning it with the new shop in the digital market. With the launch of this new project, there are many interesting things fans can look forward to.
Five things about Benetton stepping into metaverse
1) Customers don't need cash but gaming points to shop here
The United Colors of Benetton's metaverse store will be taking a fresh approach in the digital world. Customers won't be able to buy new clothes with the traditional way of using cash, instead participating in gaming experiences.
Visitors can accumulate game points that will give them QR codes that can eventually be used to make purchases in the physical shops. This new concept will allow the brand to create a touchpoint with customers as well as enhance its omnichannel strategy.
Chief Digital Officer of Benetton Group, Antonio Patrissi, commented upon their omnichannel strategy by saying:
"We are one of the first brands to experiment with a distributed omnichannel model, one that creates a circular relationship between the physical world and the metaverse. The aim is to offer a dimensional link between the present and the future, the real and the virtual, through a brand experience that is increasingly immersive and, above all, in tune with the language of young people."
2) An emotional connection in the digital world
Metaverse denotes a new generation deemed as virtual reality. New technologies are constantly trying to bridge the gap between online and real-world interactions, and they have been successful so far.
Benetton also wanted to form an emotional connection irrespective of the virtual or real-world interactions. The CEO of Benetton group, Massimo Renon, talked about the motive behind the new metaverse entry:
“We want to turn the immersive experience on its head. We will achieve this by creating the same emotional ecosystem in physical retail as will be available in the new virtual store in the metaverse, which will open in the next few weeks. Anyone visiting our Milan shop in Corso Vittorio Emanuele over the next few days will be able to immerse themselves in a world where physical reality and digital connection come together in an explosion of creativity, color, and sound.”
3) The store is a tribute to the Milan Fashion Week
The virtual store will give shoppers a mirroring experience of the Corso Vittorio Emanuel store, which will open in the coming weeks. The store is paying homage to the Fashion Week. Thus, the Milan flagship store is now redecorated in all-pink.
From the windows to the interiors, all the areas are covered in pink color. Even hangers and shelves are used to emphasize the shades of garments and their colorful approach to the brand.
4) The pink-themed setup is temporary
The pink-themed setup is not going to be permanent. The temporary setup will be present for only four weeks in the store, alongside the Milan Fashion Week.
5) A #playchange project will be accompanying the store opening
The store opening is accompanied by the #playchange project, taking place from February 21 to February 23. In this project, five talented influencers will share their stories with the brand and their personal stories about how the brand changed them. They will be telling their fans about the moments when they reinvented themselves and took a different approach moving forward in their lives.
The five stars present during the playchange project are Andrea Delogu (a radio artist), Stefano De Martino (a TV presenter), and three TikTokers Giulia Paglianiti, Davide Vavalà, and Anna Ciati.
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Ravi Iyer