RALPH LAUREN BOLSTERS ITS DIGITAL PRESENCE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
This year, Ralph Lauren will bring the magic of the holidays to life through a global marketing campaign that features a series of immersive digital-first experiences, engaging the consumer through virtual touchpoints, and reimagining holiday shopping.
In a first-to-market program in partnership with Snapchat, Ralph Lauren will enable users to scan its signature Polo Pony logo to unlock a series of augmented reality experiences. This industry-first technology will allow users to scan any Polo Pony logo wherever it appears and in any medium – printed materials, shopping bags, digital executions, advertisements – and from apparel for the first time ever. Timed to align with the upcoming shopping season, this technology and accompanying holiday-inspired AR experience offers users the opportunity to discover the rich world of Ralph Lauren all the way through point of purchase. On an ongoing basis, the AR experience will routinely refresh with new themes and creative executions.
Continuing the company’s emphasis on digital transformation and connected retail, the Ralph Lauren store experience will be offered to a global audience, for the first time, through a hybrid brick-and-mortar and digital shopping experience, called The RL Virtual Experience. This new way to shop allows consumers to virtually step into the world of Ralph Lauren’s most iconic retail spaces in New York, Beverly Hills, Paris, and Hong Kong. The virtual store will feature the newest collections, along with antique and vintage offerings, all shoppable from the comfort of home. First piloted in the Beverly Hills store in Los Angeles earlier this year, the program has already proven success in increasing foot traffic through virtual visits by over 10x, with thousands of customers visiting every day.
In addition, aligning with the company’s strategic priority to win over a new generation, a social-first execution of the experience will be available on Snapchat in the coming months. Users will be able to virtually enter its stores through a bespoke Snapchat lens and interact with creative elements and shop select pieces.
Other unique digital extensions this holiday will punctuate the consumer experience, including a virtual shoppable game. The iconic Polo Bear will take center stage in “The Holiday Run” Game – the bear will race to iconic Ralph Lauren storefronts around the world to collect gifts and discover new products. The game will be available globally on RalphLauren.com and through Instant Game on Facebook Messenger. In December, Ralph Lauren will invite notable gaming personalities across the UK, France, and Germany to experience “The Holiday Run” at a live gaming event on Twitch.
As for Ralph Lauren’s holiday campaign, the brand celebrates togetherness and features a diverse cast representing a broad spectrum of families – from individual families to communities and groups across the world. The cast includes writer, director and producer Robbie Rogers and his husband Greg Berlanti; native American model and artisan Philip Bread and his family; members from the non-profit community-based prevention program ‘Work to Ride’; the Parisian dance collective ‘La Marche Bleue; professional rugby player Maro Itoje and family; and musician, producer and fashion designer Edison Chen and Chinese supermodel Qin Shupei.
