Founded in 1968 as the first dermatologist-created prestige cosmetic brand, Clinique now joins major industry players and emerging brands alike to explore the new opportunities for beauty brands in the virtual worlds. The latest example, The Clinique Lab, is a new digital retail concept for online and mobile in a photorealistic 3D environment, offering plenty of experiences for visitors and consumers.
— I’d describe it as a virtual take on the iconic Clinique Beauty Counter found in NYC, says Charmi Panchal, Executive Director, Clinique Global Ecommerce. The advanced virtual storefront brings access to all customers to discover, interact, play, learn, and shop all at the touch of one’s fingertips, allowing users to experience a sensorial universe that explores brand, product ingredient stories, as well as brand history.
— True to our brand DNA, it’s also highly educational. Users can research product ingredients, formulation, benefits and application techniques, via interactive elements and explorative storytelling. Consumers will be able to browse and purchase hero products directly in the virtual shop, with exclusive offers.
What was the reason you created it?
— The concept is to democratize access for all, not only cities that host flagship stores but truly everyone who has access to wifi and deliver our brand mission of great skin for all.
What was the most challenging part of making it?
— Unlike our retail footprint, the virtual lab is an open world with no physical boundaries, which allowed for endless possibilities in terms of design and storytelling, says Panchal. There were so many things we wanted to show in the lab and we went through many iterations to land on the very best expression of our brand. Throughout the process, I’ve learned that our rich history is one of our greatest strengths, and we should lean into it more. There are ways to tell our heritage stories in a way that is still modern and relevant in today’s world and we will continue to push the envelope when it comes to innovation and technology.
