This may just be the year of the hologram when it comes to ramping up the in-store retail experience. The trend kicked off earlier this year in the U.S. when H&M enacted the hologram technology for a one-month front window activation feature at its Brooklyn, N.Y., pop-up store in order to promote the new “H&M Move” line of athletic wear. The hologram featured various life-sized fitness instructors wearing the clothing while dancing and stretching. The H&M technology was provided by Proto, one of many hologram companies expected to work with retailers this year.
Proto made national news last November when its hologram of the deceased Walmart founder, Sam Walton, was unveiled at the Southeastern Museums Conference. The hologram will become a permanent feature at the Walmart Museum in Bentonville, Ark., which is undergoing renovations and expected to open in early to mid-2024. The hologram, referred to as “Mister Sam the Hologram,” is especially remarkable because it can utilize A.I. technology to answer questions in real time, mimicking Sam Walton’s actual voice and mannerisms. The future of this technology can be especially effective for future in-store retail installations in which celebrity “appearances” can promote product tie-ins, or deceased yet historically famous personalities, such as Coco Chanel, can offer a one-of-a-kind customer experience in Chanel stores.
Another hologram company, ARHT Media, will be working with luxury retailers this year to present its technology, called “CAPSULE,” in which in-store screens will feature a life-sized hologram spokesperson who can provide more details about particular merchandise items. The customer can continue to use a touchscreen to zoom in on favored products for more specific information. This technology is expected to become especially beneficial not only to lure customers into the in-store experience, but to also offset any future employee retention issues that would normally prevent adequate customer service. It can also provide much-needed data analytics on customer preferences and behaviors as they interact with the technology.
ARHT Media also signed a deal with Major Cineplex, Thailand’s largest movie theater operator, which will use the hologram technology in its lobbies. The lobbies are expected to provide features such as life-sized holograms of actors either discussing the movie they are currently in, or engaging in real-time Q&A sessions with customers from another location. It is conceivable that U.S. theater brands will also adopt this same unique technology in the future to further boost theater traffic in the years to come.
