Kokoro Cuts – best of November

A round-up of the best new experiences and campaigns we’ve seen on our travels. Here’s what you need to know about

Apple dials up desire with arrival of AirPods Pro site

We started November with the latest Apple fix – the launch of AirPods Pro. It’s not the super positive reviews of this product that are blowing us away – it’s the amazing digital experience on Apple’s website to discover them. How can any website have any excuses when Apple can immerse us in this sort of dreamy digital desire?! The site helps bring to life (often boring) technical features with slick interactive animation and high res, beautiful imagery. And it looks just as amazing on mobile as it does on desktop. You even get to see the product in AR – not entirely sure why, but feels cool nonetheless.

Nostalgia sells! Kitsch bars booming

Miracle Christmas bar phenomenon is booming across the pond and we think it’s only a matter of time before the UK follows suit. There’s only one Miracle pop-up franchise in the UK (at the oh so stylish Henrietta Hotel) but, like in the US, it’s a sell-out. With revellers attracted to the promise of full-on Christmas kitsch – from the retro decorations, to cocktails like Christmapolitan served in festive mugs, to a specially crafted Christmas playlist and an ‘Ugly Sweater’ party . What’s behind the boom? This is full-on feel-good in a pretty gloomy climate right now for consumers. There’s something very comforting about getting immersed in all this tinsel nostalgia!

Source: Miracle pop-up

Lush new concepts land in Paris and Florence

Lush, that brand that always manages create Visionary experiences, is at it again – immersing us in even more experiences that stir our senses! In Paris Lush experiments with the concept of ‘fresh’. The new store, called Fresh & Flowers, combines all the classics with flower-infused products (some of which are made on demand in-store) and its own florist selling locally-sourced, seasonal bouquets (such as those recently opened in Liverpool and Tokyo). Whilst in Florence, Lush focuses on perfume – stocking more than 70 lines of the stuff in The Lush Perfume Library. “The Perfume Library had to be in Florence because it was the birthplace of modern perfumery during the Renaissance. It is hard to not take inspiration from such a place and we really indulged ourselves in its history, art and iconic sights,” said Co-Founder of Lush Constantine. On top of this, in the UK Lush has opened a super fun experience for the holidays – the bath bomb conveyor belt adorns its largest stores! Each conveyor belt has over 100 bath bombs – yep you heard it correctly. Now that’s a way to improve dwell time in your store!

World’s largest Starbucks hits Chicago

If only every Starbucks was like this? A massive 10,000 people showed up for the grand opening of the world’s largest Starbucks in Chicago in November. Starbucks has always been a bit ‘cult-like’ in the past with a massive sense of Belonging to the brand from its loyal fans. However, we’ve seen its feel-good experience dip with its loyal followers recently – check out how it performs in our thought piece. This huge four-storey store is certainly memorable! The Starbucks Reserve Roastery has a bakery, an “Experiential Coffee Bar,” a bar that serves alcohol and all coffee beans are roasted on site and transported around the store in Willy Wonka-esque pneumatic tubes! We’re intrigued to see how the brand can roll out elements of this vast concept to rejuvenate its high street following…

Future of the café experience?

A café that kids and adults can both enjoy? Surely not! Well this brand might just have cracked it. The world’s first educational café experience has opened in China – called Lolly-Laputan. It has been designed to house an amazing variety of play ideas in what is called a central wonderland, while adults eat at tables around the outside! We can’t envisage many more things a kid would want here – there’s a giant ball pit, a carousel, a theatrical stage, mini kitchens and supermarkets, toilets inspired by candyfloss and space travel! This is a massive step up from awful soft play options and tired, overpriced Rainforest Café style dining. It even has private dining – winner!

Source: Dezeen