Louis Vuitton targets affluent travelers with augmented reality iPhone app

Louis Vuitton launches Amble iPhone app for travelers

The launch of the new Amble with Louis Vuitton iPhone application provides consumers with new ways to capture travel memories. The application is designed to encourage travelers to save favorite travel destinations and to take personal pictures, notes, videos and sounds along their journey.

“Louis Vuitton has a high taste level that will appeal to luxury consumers who are traveling and are seeking direction on where to explore,” said Sean Rosenberg, managing director of Grapple Mobile, New York.

“Amble is a very natural extension of the Louis Vuitton brand that should prove to be a practical utility for their core demographic,” he said.

Grapple Mobile did not develop the application. Mr. Rosenberg agreed to comment as a third-party expert.

The application interacts with the Amble Web site, which enables travelers to prepare their journey on an iPad or computer.

It is available for free in the App Store. Interested users can sign up for an Amble account at http://www.louisvuittonamble.com.

Travel diary

Amble with Louis Vuitton is essentially a travel diary. It lets users record favorite travel memories and visit celebrity-favored hot spots.

The application is designed not merely to facilitate travel, but to transform it into a personal experience.

Record a location

When travelers make serendipitous discoveries, they can record them on their iPhone in photo, video, audio or note format. A delicious restaurant, a store and even a street can all be part of the app’s personal itinerary.

These personal experiences can be recorded in the “My Amble” section of the application.

Users can find inspiration from other Amble users to further their travels.

Once a favorite spot is discovered, users can submit them to Louis Vuitton, where they can be published on the Web site. Users can also share their favorite spots along the way via email, Facebook or Twitter.

Users can also click on the “Around Me” icon, which incorporates the GPS iPhone capability to discover places of interest near their position, using augmented reality.

Augmented reality capability

City guides

The Amble with Louis Vuitton app draws on the information found in the “Louis Vuitton City Guide.” A portion of the guide is available within the application, including addresses for various cities.

The full Louis Vuitton City Guide can be purchased from iTunes. It is $14.99.

Unique fusion

Louis Vuitton has found a way to fuse travel memories in a social media application perfect for the affluent traveler.

It is a centralized place where travelers can store all their memories from trips.

Louis Vuitton has consistently incorporated social media into its marketing mix. More recently, the luxury brand has begun to stream runway shows and major events live on its Facebook page.

The brand has done it again with the launch of this travel app. Mr. Rosenberg believes the next step Louis Vuitton needs to take is extending the app to other mobile platforms.

“The next natural step is to reach more consumers by taking Amble to Android, BlackBerry and Nokia devices,” Mr. Rosenberg said.

Final take

Amble with Louis Vuitton