EXCLUSIVE: Laneige to Launch First Virtual Store With Obsess
Popular luxury K-beauty brand Laneige is about to launch its first immersive virtual store, thanks to its partnership with experiential commerce firm Obsess, company representatives told WWD.
The hydration skin care company is set to announce the launch sometime on Tuesday. One draft of the release seen by WWD highlights features such as exclusive behind-the-scenes content with actress Sydney Sweeney, as well as the new Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic collection.
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In terms of the environment, shoppers can expect to see a five-room layout decked out with animations, 360-degree video, gamified features and integrated checkout. The store’s themed multiroom setup allows the brand to focus on specific skin care collections.
“The virtual store is a powerful customer engagement tool that will allow shoppers to dive into Laneige’s unique scientific expertise and entertaining digital content, while also helping them select the right product for their skin needs, including our bestselling Water Sleeping Mask and Lip Sleeping Mask,” Julien Bouzitat, chief marketing officer of Laneige parent company AmorePacific US, is quoted as saying.
One room designed as an underwater world was designed to showcase its Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Collection, while another, titled “Dreamland,” is cast as a floating cloud to spotlight the sleeping mask category. “Carousel Candyland” is themed for its number-one lip treatments. The Laneige Lab informs guests about ingredients, and the “On Set with Sydney” room features actress Sydney Sweeney, with exclusive behind-the-scenes video from the Laneige spokesperson’s photo shoots for the brand.
Visitors can wander the rooms and view content, take a skin care quiz for custom product recommendations or go on a scavenger hunt to score free products with purchase.
The trend of virtual storefronts — visually oriented, immersive online shops built on augmented, virtual or mixed-reality platforms — preceded the once-hot, but now waning metaverse trend, though it benefited from the metaverse hype. The last two years saw an accelerated push for 360-degree shopping experiences, and Obsess has been among the retail tech firms at the heart of development, working with brand partners such as Charlotte Tilbury, Fendi, Christian Dior, Vacheron + Constantine, Mytheresa and more.
“Virtual stores are scaling rapidly in both brand and consumer adoption, and data from the 85 million+ user interactions that have happened on the Obsess platform proves that these interactive stores increase customer engagement and purchase behavior,” explained Neha Singh, founder and chief executive officer at Obsess.
“We are thrilled to partner with Laneige on this immersive e-commerce store, which brings 3D shopping to a new generation of consumers who have grown up with gaming.”
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