During the pandemic doldrums, we all saw how difficult it can be to translate the magic of in-person events from the stage to the screen—but increasingly immersive platforms solve these challenges by enabling a sense of presence within. While not a replacement for the experiences that inspire them, these activations can level up their ambition and become strategic, long-term additions to a brand’s digital strategy. Here’s how two brands were able to transform iconic IRL experiences into significant, long-term elements of their digital experience strategy.

Start with community.

 Metaverse spaces serve as environments where people can connect with one another in real time, much like events in the real world. In fact, communal experiences are a hallmark of successful metaverse-related activations and Web3 projects, making community building a key design consideration. This was the case for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which we marched into the realm of Web3 with a virtual recreation of New York’s Fifth Avenue—the IRL route for the parade—and a series of galleries featuring NFTs inspired by the parade’s iconic balloons and other popular projects like Cool Cats, VeeFriends and more.

Throughout its history, the parade has brought more and more people together through mass media channels: originally broadcast locally in New York in 1939, today more than 44 million people watch the parade each year. By building an immersive space where people can interact and engage with one another, even more attendees could enjoy the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in a totally new way no matter where they are: the event brought in over 90,000 users.

And for some virtual attendees, that’s just the start of the journey. With the ability to buy NFTs from some of the most popular projects, each with their own communities built around them, those who make a purchase are initiated into new entrepreneurial or artistic social circles.

Add value and cohesion through interoperability.

Culture doesn’t happen in a silo, so neither should a brand activation. One of the key promises of metaverse and Web3 technology is interoperability, or the ability of two or more systems to exchange and use information. Interoperability can mean enabling compatibility between different platforms or—perhaps more compelling for virtualizing IRL experiences—seamlessly bringing together both the real and virtual worlds.

For that latter point, look at ComplexLand, a 3D digital platform inspired by ComplexCon—the cultural mecca bringing together the Complex Networks community, the hottest cultural trends and hype-fueled brands. Reimagined in a virtual format, ComplexLand provided a seamless shopping experience so attendees could fill both their physical wardrobes along with their virtual ones. Attendees could even unlock food deliveries by interacting with virtual food trucks parked throughout the world, bringing a little piece of the IRL festival experience to audiences from afar.

When it comes to interoperability in the more technical sense, the virtual Thanksgiving Day Parade was designed for attendees to take a little something with them across the metaverse. After purchasing an NFT, visitors could carry them into other worlds thanks to blockchain technology. They also had the chance to vote for which NFT project on display deserved to become a balloon in next year’s IRL show, further bridging together the real and virtual world (Cool Cats ultimately won).

Build towards the future.

As metaverse spaces mature and the hype cycle winds down, brands are beginning to look beyond one-and-done activations for ways to build meaningful interactions that fuel long-term value. From setting the foundation for new revenue streams to iterating toward increasingly sophisticated metaverse experiences, reimagining an event can become a springboard for innovation.

You can trace this concept in action through the evolution of ComplexLand, with each annual edition building on those of previous years. Originally launched in 2019, the first ComplexLand was a single-player experience, though the following year added more opportunities for attendees to engage with others: sharing drops, having one-to-one conversations and interacting with branded non-player characters. This year’s version added Web3 capabilities—like minting NFTs—to enable new forms of connection and creative expression. The journey has led ComplexLand to become Complex Networks’ second-largest source of revenue and a key part of its events strategy.

The virtual Thanksgiving Day Parade similarly builds on Macy’s earlier Web3 efforts. Last year, the retailer celebrated the 95th anniversary of the parade by launching a series of 9,500 NFTs based on classic balloons. The addition of the immersive parade route and NFT galleries not only brings the magic of the holiday season to people everywhere; and introduces new audiences to both virtual spaces and NFTs.

Build in authenticity by seizing the spirit of the event.

Finally, consider the overall purpose of your event or activation. Reinforcing a sense of purpose helps build authenticity into the overall experience. Macys captured the spirit of Thanksgiving with their virtual parade by donating all proceeds from NFT purchases to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting mentoring relationships for youth.

From the abstract world of ComplexLand to a virtual Fifth Avenue, both Complex Networks and Macy’s were able to expand the reach and relevance of their iconic IRL events. At the very least, these reimagined experiences offered moments of surprise to those familiar with their original in-person iterations. But more significantly, they serve as iterative steps that symbolize both brands’ willingness to continue building maturity in Web3 and the metaverse. By folding their core values into features that are inherently unique to the space, both brands authentically set the stage to meet digital-native audiences where they’re at.

Owned digital products designate every digital platform whose code belongs to the brand. The terms “platforms” and “digital products” are often used interchangeably, but while the former can be mistaken for third-party channels like TikTok or IG, the latter is, in my opinion, a better name for a brand’s unique spaces. Marked by flexibility and potential for personalization, these digital products encompass everything from dotcoms to TV apps—and can serve whatever purpose brands deem necessary in meeting their goals and keeping with consumers’ desires.

Because there are no intermediaries, you can have full authority over the brand image that your digital products project. And that’s a big responsibility. What the brand experience looks and feels like on these platforms is how people will perceive your brand to be, so what should you prioritize when it comes to building your own digital products? 

Functionality, efficiency and innovation.

Back in the day, websites were unidirectional and served mostly as a source of information. Now, standards are higher. Whether we’re looking at content hubs or a smartwatch app, successful digital products must strike the right balance between functionality, efficiency and innovation. Consumers won’t stick around for websites that make it hard for them to find what they are looking for—or even worse, that don't fully work—but they will remain loyal to those that provide a seamless user experience.

That said, building functional websites from scratch is no easy feat. Because of this, many brands resort to auto-site builders—especially when it comes to ecommerce integrations. While this may temporarily fix the problem, website templates are not a permanent solution because it begs the question of whether consumers are going to be able to remember it. As they search for product options and scour through multiple tabs, will yours stand out among the rest?

Innovation is about creating the “wow” moments that will remain engraved in people’s minds, and adding interesting features that make a platform completely different from those of your competitors—even if your offering is similar. HP’s Possibility City, for example, is not just another ecommerce platform. Rather, it’s a showcase of HP’s digital printing presses that doubles as a hub to house sales events—from product presentations and webinars to one-on-one demos. And while visitors explore the brand’s lineup, the platform learns from their interests and provides them with tailored content recommendations.

Data and personalization: the next frontier of loyalty.

Provided that your platform is intuitive in its use and delightful in its appearance, the next step is to offer personalized features that make the experience truly unique. To get there, you need the data analytics infrastructure to provide valuable information about your consumers and a team of experts who can turn that into actionable insights.

I always work closely with the data team on both the company and the client side to improve our customer understanding. On one hand, a strong first-party data framework can help you identify how consumers are moving across the ecosystem—where they click, how they behave and where they find friction points. By designing around these general trends, you can deliver a more seamless experience for all.

On the other hand, individual data unlocks a new world of possibilities in terms of personalization. With Possibility City, for example, we included a virtual assistant that learns from visitor preferences—whether they’re looking for efficiency, sustainability, security or other priorities—and guides them through the brand’s offering. We also tied the platform into a CRM funnel that helps automate the closing of sales, keeping us informed of customer needs and how to improve efficiency. 

Designing around your business priority.

In addition to collaborating with data experts, my team and I work closely with the business consulting unit, as they can provide valuable insights into a brand’s digital roadmap and long-term business goals. Digital products should be built around this vision—not only to help brands achieve their goals quicker; also, to ensure their platforms are one-of-a-kind. 

In working with multiple airlines throughout my career, for example, I found that while some needs were universal, no two business models were ever alike. Options like “book a flight,” “check-in,” or “see my reservation” were common currency—but while certain brands simply wanted a functional app to help travelers organize their trips, others sought to raise the average ticket value by encouraging consumers to opt for upgrades, extra bags and other add-ons. The mere act of designing around these priorities made each platform totally different from the next. 

The bottom line is that digital products are as much the translation of your business as they are the embodiment of your brand identity. To get the most out of them, you need to understand your consumers and, above all, your own brand. In working with clients, my goal is to help them create differentiated products that drive their business forward, and it’s the brand’s values and identity that ultimately do the trick. By taking identifiable brand elements and combining them with functional, innovative and personalized digital products, we can create a truly memorable brand experience that forges deeper connections with your audience.

Because they are a direct reflection of a brand’s values, products and services, platforms should embody the brand identity in their look and feel. Above all, they should strike the perfect balance between functionality and impact. That, however, may be easier said than done. The process of developing, implementing and maintaining great platforms calls for a high level of subject-matter expertise—and here are some of our learnings from years of building brand legacies in this space.

The brand impression is determined by the digital ecosystem.

Digital platforms have evolved from playing a supportive role in the customer journey to becoming one of the main destinations in the brand’s ecosystem. That means that the experience they get will dictate their impression of the brand. “I like to say that we need to design for the ‘first date,’ because in that initial encounter, the interface is the brand,” says Creative Director Niels Dortland. "If a dotcom is flat and unremarkable, consumers will extend that perception onto the brand."

As opposed to other channels in the ecosystem, dotcoms offer a fully ownable space. Because of this, astute marketers strive to make them the number one place where consumers interact with the brand. “You can’t be certain where the consumer will land within the digital ecosystem, but you can make sure your dotcom is the one they choose to come back to,” explains Dortland. “Investing in platforms that offer a great digital experience is investing in relationship-building with customers and business growth.” 

While simplicity and clarity are great attributes for a platform to have, it doesn’t stop there. To stand out in a sea of sameness, we need to add another layer to the experience. Here’s the secret: the key to uniqueness lies in the brand’s identity.

Use your brand’s truth to rise above the noise.

Digital platforms are part of a broader ecosystem, and each one of these touchpoints should reflect the brand’s identity while serving a strategic purpose in the customer journey. “The way in which we add texture to an experience and make it truly authentic is by finding the brand’s truth and designing around it,” says Dortland. “If every platform is branded around that truth, that means they will be completely different to that of their competitors.”

On The Climate Pledge platform, which we built in collaboration with Amazon, content comes to life through interactive elements and rich textures that fit WCAG 2.0 accessibility guidelines. When landing on the home page, visitors first see an animated intro video that spreads the optimistic ambition of the project, making for an impactful first impression. On Toblerone’s D2C platform, meanwhile, users are not only captivated by the stunning color palette, but also by the interactive features that allow them to create personalized gifts. Because they reflect the brand’s identity and tone of voice, both of these platforms are widely different, yet equally memorable.

Of course, what visitors find impactful is always a moving target. With people seamlessly jumping from offline to online and into digital spaces where everything is customizable, expectations are high for what a bespoke user experience should look like. There’s a higher demand for creator-led experiences and personalization—which spurs brands to leverage the user data in ways that benefit consumers. 

First-party data elevates the potential of digital platforms.

The brand truth dictates the look and feel of your digital platforms, and data should also inform the design. Platforms facilitate interactions like product search and the purchase of goods and services, providing brands with new information about their consumers. In that process, any data collected should be used to offer experiences that are tailored to people’s needs, interests and even personalities.

What’s more, when the value exchange for someone’s data is clear, brands can establish a healthy feedback loop where they are providing a great service and gathering more information in the process. “The key to designing the right experience is listening to people’s behavior as they interact with the digital ecosystem,” says Dortland. “Our value lies in using data for customer understanding, which will ultimately help us design experiences that elevate brands, drive conversation and growth.” The more engaging the experience, the more data it will generate in return, meaning platforms can become increasingly more effective.

Platforms are more successful in a consistent brand ecosystem.

Essentially, platforms are key to enabling consumers to interact and transact with brands. They host digital experiences that optimize the customer journey and drive consumers’ loyalty. However, platforms are part of a larger brand ecosystem that needs to be consistent.

If these touchpoints can’t be disconnected, neither should the teams that focus on each one. Working with partners that can develop an app from the ground up, create content for your brand’s social media or even deliver branded activations leads to a more cohesive narrative—a single truth that manifests itself across channels.

All of these considerations will help you forge deeper connections with your audience—and while building the perfect platform may not be easy, the good news is they are fully under your control. The customer journey never looks the same, but one thing is certain: behind every meaningful interaction is a bespoke platform strategy connecting the dots between people’s needs and a brand’s offering.

Contrary to the trappings of the traditional agency with siloed data and creative teams passing the baton, our teams work together from day one to come up with truly integrated and innovative solutions for clients. “The key,” says Liam Osbourne, Global Client Partner for FLUX, “is in maintaining the delicate balance between insight and instinct to preserve the aesthetics and signature style of a brand while exploring different channels, experiences and even audiences.” 

As the industry has transformed, the FLUX.Monks have been busy helping brands reimagine how they connect with customers across numerous channels and experiences by interlacing data-driven insight, purposeful creativity and world-class production capabilities to elicit elegant and meaningful campaigns, activations and experiences. And this past year has been nothing short of amazing, both in what we’ve been able to achieve for fashion and beauty brands during this remarkable time, and what we’ve learned. 

Stepping Off the Catwalk and Into an Interactive World

Over the past eighteen months, fashion shows around the world have enjoyed a period of digital experimentation. Stepping off the catwalk and onto immersive digital channels, fashion houses have had to reimagine the way they tell their stories and represent new collections. Digital experiences have enabled unparalleled access to the previously insider-only world of fashion shows. Now untethered from the catwalk, it’s likely that show formats will never return to the previous constraints of time and space. And with deep category expertise and world-class capabilities across new and emerging technologies, the FLUX.Monks are uniquely positioned to bring the fashion show of the future to life. The trick is in creating immersive, tactile experiences that engage new consumers without alienating, or inadvertently excluding, brand loyals.

Osbourne goes on to add: “They’re the most digitally sophisticated consumers to date and brands need to work with a team of experts that have deep understanding of platforms and emerging technologies while also being fluid in the nuances of fashion to succeed.”

As Italian fashion luxury brand Moncler’s official interactive broadstream partner, the FLUX.Monks helped bring the brand’s 2021 #MONCLERGENIUS Fashion Show to life with an experience that took attendees on an immersive, game-like journey—a fantastical trip around the world. Working closely with Moncler’s physical installation and design agency, Villa Eugenie, our team helped build interactive, virtual worlds inspired by installations spanning New York, Shanghai, Milan, Seoul and Tokyo to bring a new dimension to Moncler’s physical events that allowed the brand to reach a broader audience.

Central to the show itself—which was broadcast on YouTube Live—was interactivity. From animation to live event support, our teams worked alongside Moncler to give users unprecedented access to the show as they interacted with other viewers and contributors via the live-chat system. More than 4 million people visited the dedicated microsite—numbers that will only continue to rise as the platform lives on long after the live event—and 80% engaged with the livestream, with viewing times 4.5 x longer on the interactive (vs non-interactive) livestream. 

Catering to Geographically Diverse Audiences

For most brands, no two markets are exactly alike. And that goes double in fashion and beauty where consumer tastes can be highly nuanced within even a single market. Global brands working to grow adoption across a number of markets need a multicultural partner who can help them show up meaningfully and authentically. So when Amazon Fashion Europe wanted to raise brand awareness and their cred in the fashion space, they turned to our FLUX team. 

Challenged with penetrating five key but distinctly different markets within Europe—UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain—the team not only brought their fashion expertise, but worked very closely with our social influencer and data teams to become a relevant part of the fashion conversation and strengthen Amazon Fashion’s presence in the channels where fashion and lifestyle are the main drivers.

Spanning content and asset creation, social and influencer marketing, and community management, FLUX established the Amazon Fashion Council to ensure a humanized feel to the brand’s wide offering. Each member of the council—stylists, designers and fashion influencers—represents a key European market and shares their words of wisdom across the Amazon Fashion channel, engaging consumers in a targeted and personalized manner. Complete with language and translation support—all under one umbrella.

Bringing It All Together for an Iconic Brand

When Burberry wanted to expand their omnichannel presence and develop a 360-degree vision that includes digital, they selected our FLUX.Monks as lead social, creative, strategic and production partner. “Burberry is one of the most technologically innovative and digitally expressive brands in fashion,” says Osbourne, “and we have been equal parts awed and inspired to be partnering with them on numerous integrated campaigns and initiatives designed to reach millions of people globally.”

As part of the fifth installment of the “Burberry Generation” artist collaboration project, our team was tasked with creating bespoke storytelling and driving buzz on social platforms to promote the brand’s iconic handbag—the Olympia bag. We scouted and collaborated with installation and balance artists to build four breakthrough balancing art pieces that incorporated the bag, and delivered four hero short films and a pack of key visuals to showcase execution of the balancing installation. All launched across WeChat, Little Red Book, and social video platforms while the installations were covered in several media publications.

When asked to support Burberry on the launch of their smart retail store with Tencent in Shenzhen, we sought to create social buzz and to drive traffic, online and offline. Our strategy was to tap into media and various content creators, within both the fashion and tech worlds, to cater to Shenzhen as a high-tech hub, and to collaborate with celebrities and local influencers covering WeChat, RED, Weibo, Douyin and beyond usual platforms with Bilibili. Thanks to our launch strategy and local market insights the store was a destination—both online and bricks and mortar—generating massive social buzz and setting the benchmark for a flagship launch for the sector.

And to celebrate this year's monogram campaign for Burberry, our team worked with four land artists to reimagine Riccardo Tisci's contemporary monogram design on the Welsh shoreline, where it stood for hours before being swept back into the sea. Our second installation featured a series of 300 drones choreographed to create the iconic monogram pattern in the Colorado sky—a striking constellation above a remote mountain reserve. Together, both embody Burberry's celebration of exploration and the unexpected, and the inspiration of the great outdoors.