Burberry fetes largest Asia-Pacific store via 4D spectacle

British fashion label Burberry is beginning its large-scale event series tonight in Taiwan that ignites its global campaign focused on fashion, weather and the combination of physical and digital channels that could redefine the brand experience going forward.

The label will begin its first fully-immersive event experience called Burberry World Live tonight in Taipei City, Taiwan, to celebrate the opening of its first flagship store in the country. The event will focus on weather, labeling Burberry as a brand that will protect consumers from the elements with fashion.

“The Burberry 360-degree experience tour should produce the ultimate dopamine rush, which is an integral step in creating long-term brand apostles and sales,” said Chris Ramey, president of Affluent Insights, Miami.

“This experience is a complete immersion that takes the brand beyond something tactile to all five senses,” he said. “Burberry may come to define brand experience.

“This certainly takes one-brand experience to another step on the ladder.”

Mr. Ramey is not affiliated with Burberry, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Burberry declined comment for this article.

In the trenches

Burberry chief creative officer Christopher Bailey will host the first Burberry World Live event in Taipei this evening.

The timing of the premiere event corresponds with the opening of the first Burberry flagship store in Taiwan in Taipei’s 101 Mall. This will be the largest brand store in the Asia-Pacific region.

Taiwanese singer and actress Jolin Tsai will co-host the event.

Mr. Bailey has designed a cylindrical event space that will bring to life the Burberry worlds of British heritage, fashion and weather, per the label.

Special performers at the Taipei event include British musician Tom Odell and local DJ Tom Price.

Film, musical performance and weather will be the focus of the experience.

For instance, an eight-part film will be played on screens that completely surround the audience from all angles. Burberry has not disclosed exactly how weather will be integrated into the event.

Highlights from the event will be revealed on Burberry’s Web site April 27 at 5 a.m. Eastern Time. There will be a countdown to this content.

Event highlights posted April 27 

Burberry released an 18-second teaser for its Burberry Weather event series. The brand posted this to its Web site, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The video shows a young man dressed in a Burberry trench coat engulfed in a wind storm.

Teaser video

This new experience should help the brand blur the lines between its existing digital and physical presence.

“Taiwan is a fashion-forward and young market and seems like the perfect place to hold the new 360-degree experience,” Mr. Ramey said. “It will be interesting to see the changes when it plays in Chicago.

“Buying a Burberry product is the direct result of connecting with the brand,” he said. “If done properly, and Burberry seems to do most things properly these days, it will drive sales in any market they choose to enter.”

Burberry World Live will also tour London, Hong Kong and Chicago later this year.

Weather the storm
Burberry tested a similar event in Beijing last April. The large audience was surrounded by towering video screens on the walls and ceilings that showed various scenes with umbrellas and rainwear.

Music played that corresponded to the actions on the screen. There were eight songs featured including "Someone Like You" by Adele and "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)" by Muse.

Guests in attendance turned their heads constantly to view different parts of the event.

The experience seems to use darkness and light to engage guests.

Beijing event video

In addition, Burberry celebrated the opening of its newest and most technologically-advanced flagship store in Beijing with a multifaceted event combining animation, live models and music at Beijing Television Centre last year (see story).

This new campaign has the potential to redefine Burberry as a pioneer of branded events and position itself in new global markets.

“It is all about emotion,” Mr. Ramey said. “A successful brand touches the heart of a consumer before the consumer touches their wallet.

“Every brand has, to some degree, limited resources, but we live in a world that is changing at warp-speed where innovation thrives,” he said. “It is the brands that consider creativity as an integral part of their brand DNA that will prosper.”

Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York