Experience First: The latest campaigns from Bentley, Rémy Martin, and more

Some high-end brands are seeking to differentiate themselves from the competition and engage with the consumer by focusing on classic values like provenance and craftsmanship. Other brands are shifting gears to offer an extra edge which goes beyond the traditional realms of luxury, from immersive pop-ups and extended offerings to interactive in-store tech.

Cognac maker Rémy Martin is a brand combining both tradition and modernity by immersing consumers in its heritage through an interactive pop-up.

La Maison Rémy Martin New York invited guests to take a 90-minute experience tour, complete with tastings and the chance to blend their own cognac. As part of this experience, Rémy Martin partnered with French kinetic artist, composer, photographer and designer Vincent Leroy to create a unique artistic centrepiece inspired by the cognac limited editions.

Legendary fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, is expanding his comprehensive lifestyle offering by launching his own hospitality brand, Karl Lagerfeld Hotels & Resorts. The designer is set to translate his unique talent for fashion and lifestyle into a range of bespoke projects including hotels, residential properties, restaurants and private clubs. By extending the brand experience and firmly anchoring it in the luxury lifestyle space, the new offering provides exclusive experiences for high net-worth consumers.

When it comes to pioneering experiences, Burberry is often at the forefront. In its latest initiative, the British brand combined the launch of its new collection with a celebration of craftsmanship by opening an exhibition, ‘Makers House’. Coinciding with London Fashion Week and London Design Festival, Makers House offered a show space to various artists and craftsman, from sculptors and silversmiths to bookbinders and actors.

Customers were invited to experience the craft first-hand and could receive a one-off creation, or have a piece of clothing patched up using fabrics from the new collection, tapping into people’s desire for unique and interesting experiences.

Charlotte Tilbuy is leveraging augmented tech to offer an innovative in-store experience with with the launch of its new virtual ‘magic mirror’.

Shoppers can use the mirror to magically superimpose one of the 10 signature looks from Dolce Vita Bombshell on their own faces. In real-time, skin, eyes and lips are transformed so that consumers can test out the products in an instant. Not only does it provide a realistic experience, but testing out a new look becomes effortless and helps save shoppers’ time.

Bentley is another a brand that is attempting to everyday tasks and make them seamless. The car marque has teamed up with fuel delivery service Filld who will refill tanks on-demand, allowing owners in California to skip a stop at the fuel station.

Instead, whenever a user has less than a quarter of a tank left, Filld will automatically receive a notification and add the vehicle to the delivery queue. A concierge will then bring fuel to the car and refill the tank. To make it even easier for the customer, Filld has remote access to the gas cap, meaning that owners don’t even need to be present when the refill happens. For car owners it’s the ultimate time saving luxury.

Bentley’s focus is on the entire luxury experience, not just the product, so this move helps to further cement itself within luxury lifestyle space. Where it’s a hit or not, it’s an interesting effort to differentiate Bentley from other brands. And if it does take off for Bentley, we could soon see Rolls-Royce rolling out a similar service.

And ultimately that’s the end goal: providing unique experiences that differentiate brands and forge a greater connection with consumers. Whether that’s by making tasks more seamless or extending a brand experience, the opportunities are huge and there for the taking.