Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 8.3
The introduction of the first digital product, the Louis Vuitton
Soundwalk, as well as the development of the Vivienne Tam-HP ultra-portable
laptop clutch, are likely to herald a new era in the range of luxury products and
services, from the traditional to the modern, driven by technology. While the
former is an intangible product based on sound and voice narration existing
in an MP3 format, the latter is a personal computer created to be as mobile
as the modern user. These two products share the common characteristic of
being transported as personal companions and are a response to the evolution
of the mind-sets of current luxury clients, which has resulted from 20 years of
interacting with the Internet and digital media
EZ Reader; those that publish print magazines will need to re-think the rele-
vance of paper versus e-paper; and those brands that provide concierge serv-
ices will need to re-evaluate the accessibility of these services and perhaps
introduce devices with e-applications for 360ยบ interaction round the clock.
And why not client recognition cards with multiple personalized functions
provided to the brand's VIP clients? Or a digital-based service that enables
VIP clients to communicate instantly with their dedicated sales representa-
tive? Or even watches equipped with noise and CO
2
sensors to monitor air
pollution? Or a branded pedometer to encourage walking, discovery and
well-being? The possibilities are endless and luxury brands will have to find
ways to adopt new technologies extensively across products and services
categories. Introducing iPod cases and iPhone cases in the product range is
no longer enough. In an age where devices like the EZ Reader, a feather-
weight digital topic, that is able to display up to 8,000 pages of text without
