Washington, D.C. — L’Occitane en Provence, the prestige beauty brand, continues to evolve its experiential retail strategy with the launch of the L’Occi Truck — the first-ever traveling shop experience for the brand. The unique retail store, encapsulated on wheels, presents a new direct-to-consumer shopping model, bringing the spirit and beauty of Provence across North America.
“We are constantly challenging ourselves to surprise and delight our customers and, as a result of this, our in-store shopping experience has evolved dramatically in recent years. From our FLATIRON Experiential Community Flagship boutique in New York, to the new Sunshine retail concept that was launched in 2017, and most recently the digitally enhanced and multisensory flagship boutique at Yorkdale, we are addressing customers varying shopping needs in a variety of unique and unexpected ways,” says Paul Blackburn, vice president, concept design, construction & merchandising, North America. “Continuing this trend, and inspired by the food-truck revolution, we are ‘driving’ our customer-first strategy even further by launching the #LOcciTruck. The L’Occi Truck will allow us to bring the best of our magical brand directly to our customers, in a modern and agile way.”
Inspired by the vintage French Citroën H Van, often used by small-town French farmers, the retro-like design truck is cladded in L’Occitane’s signature Provençal sunshine yellow and is approximately 16 feet long by 7 feet high. Two window-like openings, featured at the truck’s side spanning across the entire length and rear, invite customers to view an internal shelving display filled with a curated-assortment of product as well as relevant campaign imagery. A tester-rail and foldable display counter anchored under the truck’s side opening will feature an interactive station for passerby to test-and-play with product. For a connected shopping experience, a large exterior screen is to display video content showcasing the spirited Provençal lifestyle and brand history. At each destination, expert beauty associates will accompany the truck to guide and captivate the guests’ senses through exclusive demonstration rituals with hero product ranges and an assortment tailored to each regional area.
“Entering a boutique can often be intimidating to a consumer; this dynamic concept is truly more approachable while still an extension of the multi-sensory and hospitable customer experience from our boutiques. We are excited to bring Provence to our customers, including areas we may not have a brick-and-mortar presence,” says Caroline Le Roch, commercial chief officer, North America. “The L’Occi Truck is a great discovery tool for those who have yet to be introduced to L’Occitane. The bright and festive exterior of the truck is sure to capture your attention, especially on social media where we look to see a rise in user-generated content.”
Kicking off in Washington, D.C. at the Cherry Blossom Festival on April 7, 2018, the truck will stop throughout key cities and regions with and without brick-and-mortar as well as buzz-worthy events and festivals that align with the brand’s DNA. Additionally, the L’Occi Truck will serve as a supporting asset for future store closings due to renovations to ensure the brand is always present for the consumer’s needs. Upcoming stops include the following destinations:
- April 7, 2018: Cherry Blossom Festival’s Petalpalooza! event in Washington, D.C.
- April 21-22, 2018: Beautycon at Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
- October 2018: Pop-up at The Grove in Los Angeles.
For more information on the next stops and future ones to be scheduled, visit usa.loccitane.com/theloccitruck.
Founded by Olivier Baussan over 40 years ago, L’Occitane captures the true art de vivre of Provence, offering a sensorial immersion in the natural beauty, fragrance and lifestyle of the south of France. L’Occitane products are available at usa.loccitane.com and in more than 20 boutiques throughout the U.S.
SOURCE: L’Occitane