In Paris alone, immersive spaces for the discovery of a new fragrance have flourished over the course of 2024: The experiential café Nina Illusion for Nina Ricci (in March), the House of Tilbury at the Palais Brongniart for the launch of Charlotte Tilbury’s emotional fragrance collection (in May), and, in September, the metro station for L’Interdit Absolu for Givenchy, the golden catwalk for Million Gold by Paco Rabanne as well as the trail dedicated to MYSLF Le Parfum and Libre Flowers and Flames, created under the canopy of Les Halles by YSL Beauté in partnership with Sephora. Together with trendy evenings and intimate dinners, pop-up stores are increasingly central to launch strategies.
A growing demand for brand experience
“Today, we are witnessing an expansion of the luxury segment, and perfume brands are following this trend by also offering lifestyle experiences: Exhibitions such as ‘Le Grand Numéro de Chanel’, Prada’s flower kiosks or the pastries at the Café Nina Illusion were all part of this approach,” explains Laure Braive, luxury creative strategy consultant.
Initially perceived as a versatile space, less risky than a full-fledged shop, pop-up stores have gradually become an essential tool in terms of sales, image, communication and, above all, an essential experience builder.
“We see more and more brands expressing themselves through brand experiences and getting more and more requests. Pop-ups are one aspect of this experience. In fact, we prefer referring to them as a living space dedicated to brands rather than a pop-up,” stresses Jules Lacombe, Associate Director of Wild Buzz Agency (WBA), which oversaw the design of the Café Nina Illusion.
The aim of such events, which usually require pre-registration and play on the scarcity effect, is to increase brand loyalty. “A pop-up is a very interesting possibility, a blank page that has nothing to do with the sales area. When customers leave, they come away with a strengthened relationship with the brand and a sense of belonging. They become ambassadors. This is particularly effective for perfumes because the sense of smell is a particularly emotional sense, linked to memories,” analyses Laure Braive.
Bertrand Mialet, founder of WBA, points to a paradigm shift in terms of communication and marketing: “Events are playing an increasingly important role and are driving digital. Today, brands prioritise events. They question us when the TV copy is being made. In the process, we start from the meeting place that welcomes the influencers, rather than getting involved at the end of the process. We often work in partnership with the advertising agency. Ultimately, the event could become an advertising copy.“
A measurable impact
But the pop-up is just one link in a wider scheme where desirability plays an active role in success. For example, the One Million Gold pop-up included a pre-opening day for TikTok influencers.
“We create amplification right from the start. Upstream, we develop appeal. The agency has four dedicated departments that work to create desire through national media, the drive-to, influence and social. To generate that excitement, you have to find the insight, the place, and the concept, and be where others don’t expect you to be,” explains Jules Lacombe.
The WBA agency suggests the pop-up location by finding unusual but central venues that have an affinity with the target audience, such as the Café Nina Illusion situated in a space currently being renovated in the heart of Les Halles in Paris.
ROI depends on the brand’s budget and ambitions. “Our target is clearly identified. Our clients give us objectives that are measurable in terms of brand awareness and image, but most importantly in terms of traffic and volume. Sales or order KPIs are also taken into account. Our software tracks all brand-related publications over a given period. It analyses both images and hashtags and delivers media value,” emphasizes Bertrand Mialet.
For the Café Nina Ricci, the reach (influencers + media + general public) was increased to 15 million views, with a flow of around 9,500 visitors over three days. “These pop-ups are laboratories for testing and measuring a brand’s appeal to the public through differentiated experiences,” concludes the expert.
