The Campaign

When it comes to fashion, most purchases are guided by the heart – impulsive and easily influenced by trends. UMOOD challenged consumers to do the exact opposite. By using neurotechnology in-store to determine their mood, we recommend a t-shirt to match and invited customers to shop with their heads instead of their hearts. Collaborating with Melbourne University and Dentsu ScienceJam Japan, UMOOD utilised proprietary neuroscience technology in a way it had never been used before. In a world-first for the retail industry, UMOOD read the brainwaves of shoppers and made it part of the purchase process – taking the concept of a personalised retail experience to a whole new level.

Creative Execution

With the neuro-headset on at the in-store UMOOD booth, shoppers were shown a range of video stimuli. The neurological responses in their frontal lobe (the part of the brain responsible for mood) were analysed in real-time by a custom-built algorithm that identified their current mood and recommended a t-shirt to match. UMOOD embraced the modern, stylish and simplistic design philosophy of UNIQLO. It also reinforced the innovative nature of the brand throughout the design’s touch points, from screen animation to the lab coats staff wore. We visualised brain data with playful infographics that represented what was going on inside. Animation was an important part of the interface as it guided shoppers through each step and on a journey through the inner workings of their mind. To give a taste of the experience and drive traffic in-store, we integrated the technology into Instagram and UNIQLO.com.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

Success was seen throughout the business – driving in-store traffic, email capture and establishing UNIQLO as the go-to t-shirt destination. However, the most outstanding results were the global coverage and influence. UMOOD was covered by innovation, design and retail media and positioned UNIQLO at the centre of a worldwide debate surrounding the future of retail. Coverage was received from global authorities including Mashable, Huffington Post, Cosmo, Nylon, PSFK, CNET and Trend Hunter, as well as leading local Australia influencers such as Gizmodo, News.com.au, Channel7 News, and CMO. - 20 million+ earned media impressions worth $1.1 million - 2 million+ social media impressions - solidifying UNIQLO’s position as a global retail innovation leader UMOOD allowed shoppers to engage with the brand in a more meaningful way. It demonstrated that a retail giant can have a one-on-one conversation with its customers and, most importantly, paved the way to re-shape the future of retail.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

By incorporating it into the path to purchase in the retail space, UMOOD utilised neurotechnology in new way. It redefined the way we shop and opened up a personal conversation between UNIQLO and the customer. In a retail industry first, UMOOD read the brainwaves of shoppers andchallenged consumers to shop with their heads instead of their hearts to discover the perfect t-shirt to suit their mood. This meant shoppers could cut through the clutter and know instantly what to shop. The activation was personal, engaging and most importantly took people on a journey through their inner most feelings to purchase.

With over 600 different t-shirt designs available at UNIQLO, it was important not to overwhelm the audience (male and female 20-35yrs) with choice. Their shopping experience needed to be transformed to make finding the perfect t-shirt easy, exciting and personal. Although t-shirts are a staple item in everyone’s wardrobe, buying them isn’t as basic as one might think. After all, fashion is influenced by feelings and it’s essential shoppers are able to effectively cut through the clutter. The strategy was to showcase the huge range of t-shirts UNIQLO offered, and to demonstrate that no matter who you were or how you felt, UNIQLO had the t-shirt to suit you. The call to action was simple: Come to UNIQLO and find your perfect t-shirt.