A Standout Retail Display
Amore Pacific
For small boutique retailers in the heart of Soho, in New York City, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. This is especially true for companies just breaking into the American market. That’s why Amore Pacific, Korea’s largest cosmetics manufacturer, commissioned frog to develop an interactive display system for its flagship New York City location. The store needed to draw passersby out of the fray and then hold their attention inside to inspire sales.
The Amore Pacific store is a pioneering example of creating an interactive, immersive environment in a retail setting. It's useful on the inside and attractive on the outside.
The Amore Pacific store is a pioneering example of creating an interactive, immersive environment in a retail setting using motion-sensors, computer graphics, projectors, and directed sound. Instead of static displays or basic interactive kiosks, the store detects where customers are and projects imagery based on their motion and the products they are standing in front of to create an engaging—and informative—experience.
Even before its opening, the projection wall attracted a nightly crowd; as intended, its novelty, dynamic energy, and visual appeal served to generate new interest in the brand. The installation acts as its own advertisement, distinguishing Amore Pacific from the competition in an area of heavy foot traffic. The flagship store has helped the Korean cosmetics company make a strong entry into the US market.
One of the main challenges for the frog team was making a strong display that also harmonized with the interior structure. Architecture firm Yabu Pushelberg designed the store interior to represent the five elements of the Eastern tradition—water, metal, fire, earth, and tree, so frog
explored these same textures onscreen, using light to evoke life, movement, and energy — the hallmarks of the Amore Pacific brand.
An Immersive Sensory Experience
The motion and clarity of water provided the ultimate theme for the in-store display. Products are showcased on circular resin pads that appear to float on a shelf of continuously running water. Behind them, the interactive display suggests a wall of water that ripples in the wake of customer motion through the space. When a customer approaches a product display, words emerge from within the watery surface or on the wall behind the product, promoting thoughts of balance and purity, then wash away as the customer moves elsewhere in the store.
This direct connection between interest and information builds an immediate bond between user and product, increasing the likelihood that browsing will become buying. And because the textual display is sufficiently prominent to be legible to other people in the store, it provides a silent, elegant way for customers to share their experiences.
