United Colors of Benetton will transform its Corso Vittorio Emanuele store during Milan Fashion Week, aligning it with the brand’s new shop in the metaverse, which will open at the same time with the same experiential look and feel.
The term metaverse denotes a new generation of virtual reality, in which new technologies will make online interaction increasingly like that experienced in the real world. Thanks to investments announced in this area by companies like Facebook, the metaverse has established itself in just a few months as the computing platform of the future, with incredible potential from a media and creative perspective.
The United Colors of Benetton store in the metaverse will, however, take a fresh approach. ‘Visitors’ will not buy clothes but will instead participate in gaming experiences that will allow them to accumulate QR codes, which can then be used to make purchases in physical shops. In this manner, the brand creates an additional touchpoint with the consumer, enhancing its omnichannel strategy.
The virtual store will offer an experience mirroring what shoppers can expect when they visit the Corso Vittorio Emanuele location in the coming weeks. To mark Fashion Week, the Milan flagship store has been redecorated in pink, covering all areas – from the windows to the store interior itself, from hangers to shelves – and naturally emphasizing the shades of the Benetton garments.
This temporary set-up, which will feature in the store for four weeks, is accompanied by the #playchange project. Talented individuals will be sharing their personal stories of change with Benetton, recounting the moments in their lives when they have had to reinvent themselves and take a different approach to allow them to move forward.
