Title	BOUCHERON: A TRADITIONAL JEWELRY HOUSE CONNECTS WITH ITS AUDIENCE USING PHYGITAL
Brand	BOUCHERON
Product/Service	JEWELRY
Category	C03. Exhibitions / Installations
Entrant	EMAKINA Brussels, BELGIUM
Idea Creation	EMAKINA Brussels, BELGIUM
Production	EMAKINA Brussels, BELGIUM

Name	Company	Position
Santi Ploussos	Emakina.BE	Technical Creative Lead & Motion Supervisor
Julie Latour	Boucheron	Chef de Projet Retail
Elodie Laurent	Emakina	Account Manager
Fayrouze El Guarouani	Emakina	Project Manager
Benjamin Robson	Emakina	Designer
Patrick Jones	Emakina	Designer
Christophe Deaconescu	Emakina	Developer
Sylvain Nolot	Emakina	Developer
Yonic Surny	Emakina	Developer
Sammy De Cooman	Emakina

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation ?

Let's get Phygital! The traditional and highly exclusive world of top jewelers mostly remains inaccessible for a broad audience. It is also quite often reticent to share its work and stories using cutting-edge digital experiences. Our team and this remarkable client together succeeded in doing both: reach a broad audience, and share an exciting digital and physical encounter, packed with fun and interactive action.And in doing so, truly activate existing and new brand fans, to share their enthusiasm generated in a striking exhibition, #Vendorama .

Background

Maison Boucheron is one of the most prestigious jewelry houses in the world. It was the first to set up shop at the Place Vendôme in Paris, 160 years ago. The brief: To celebrate its birthday, the iconic brand wanted to share its pride and stories about its quality craftsmanship. We were asked to create a real-life exhibition, to connect with a broader audience, especially with young people, their future clients. Our goal: let a broad audience experience the creativity and craftsmanship of the jewelry experts, and create a digital universe for a traditional luxury brand. And in doing so, open up a traditional house towards the next generation.

Describe the creative idea

Let’s get Phygital, with Wladimir! We decided to make the iconic jeweller's family cat Wladimir the entertaining guide of a major "phygital" event in Paris, the Vendôrama, at the Place de La Monnaie. Our team produced this major exhibition, packed with engaging digital action, fully using the codes of a new generation. And of course, our app also gave you ticketing options beforehand and managed your reservation. We made sure to cover all key elements in the Boucheron story, creating several scenes, while the visitors could also see the jewels on display. And for every step, we combined real world interaction with digital magic.

Describe the strategy

For the very first time Boucheron embraced multiple interactive digital tools to tell its rich story. We created a dynamic experience, targeting the general public but playing into the codes of young people, producing not only a real ‘wow effect’ but also sharing the top brand’s heritage, know how, creativity, creations, and craftsmanship. The mobile VR app and a website, in combination with social media and street graffiti made noise about the event. In the 'Vendôrama' dome the audience entered a surprising world, where real actors welcomed them, in combination with animation via our digital app, where a Virtual reality cat danced around the exhibition, leading you from one surprise to the next.

Describe the execution

Wladimir, the feline star of Boucheron's mobile application, shared anecdotes about the house and its history. He accompanied the visitors during the four key moments in a jewel’s creation: inspiration, design, manufacture and revelation. Visitors participated in a setting where exclusive jewels blended with real life actors and digital marvels: • Become a jeweler at work, at the interactive wall of craftsmanship. • Learn how to color jewelry sketches in a 3D environment. • Admire the craftsmen’s precision and graceful actions at the digital multi-touch table • Flip through the 3 interactive books telling the compelling story of the House • Share a 360° video, with your 3D image integrated on Place Vendôme!

List the results

Wladimir steals the show The exhibition with our fun AR app at its center was a great success. More than 20,000 visitors were enchanted by Wladimir and the phygital journey they made with him. And Boucheron was purring with the response. The broad audience warmed to their heritage and craft, clearly enjoying the fun and futuristic touches.