Puig has created AILICE, a new technology that enables fragrance consumers to preview the scent of a perfume in real time without actually testing or smelling it.
This is how AILICE, which name is inspired by Alice through the looking-glass, works: When they enter a perfume store, customers are invited to scan a QR code with their smartphones. Then, at the counter, when the camera of their device is focused on the bottle or packaging of a particular fragrance, AILICE automatically analyzes the information, retrieves relevant content from a perfume database, and displays the results on the smartphone’s screen. AILICE immediately relays to the shopper a fragrance’s olfactive family and its dominant ingredients. The tool also provides information on related products available in the store which match the customer’s preferences.
To introduce AILICE, Puig worked with Penhaligon’s to create the Magic Monocle. This digital tool, being piloted in Penhaligon’s boutiques across the UK and Asia, will help consumers navigate Penhaligon’s olfactive offering while creating a wish list of products to test and purchase.
For the first time, fragrance shoppers can now easily narrow down the offerings available at perfume counters to those which correspond to their personal tastes – without feeling lost or confused by too many options.