Pokemon and Balmain are teaming up to bring near field communication (NFC) technology to the forefront of the fashion industry.
IN In addition to Balmain’s newly announced Pikachu-themed jackets and accessories in its latest collaboration, Pokémon fans can now collect one of 15 limited-edition Balmain x Pokémon patches with NFC available for purchase at nine Balmain boutiques across the US, Europe and Asia. . For a lucky few around the world, the adventure will provide a gamified user experience within Pokémon UNITE by pressing their patch, the company said in an announcement on Wednesday.
The brand partnership is the first to connect a physical touchpoint with digital rewards in the Pokémon UNITE universe. Once purchased, users access the experience by tapping their smartphone on the patches, unlocking a range of digital content and prizes, including VIP tickets to the Balmain Festival in Paris or early access to the Balmain Fashion group at Pokémon UNITE. The NFC patches will only be available in person at Balmain stores.
Pokemon was incredibly successful at directing users to physical, real-world locations with Pokemon GO, and this move seems to demonstrate a way to unlock some of that power.
Showcasing the collaboration are 20 limited edition luxury Balmain x Pokémon jackets. Each jacket features 15 patches embedded with NFC tags, connecting the Balmain army right into the Pokémon universe. There are ten jackets on order worldwide, and ten will be given to celebrities around the world.
Headed by creative director Olivier Rousteing, Balmain has adopted innovative NFC technology to provide an experience for Pokémon fans by connecting their luxury products to their digital realm.
“This is the first time that Balmain has explored NFC technology and as a luxury brand, we are excited about the continued integration of new technologies, offering our customers an engaging, collective experience, making our brand more accessible to a larger audience than ever before,” said Olivier Rousteing, Balmain’s Creative Director, in a press release.
This digital and physical collaboration will allow fans to enjoy a hyper-personalized Pokemon-themed in-game experience, the company says.
The Balmain x Pokémon collaboration works in the following steps:
- Unlock Badge: An NFC tag is found behind the Pokemon in each patch. Users tap their smartphone to ‘unlock’ it, using iOS or Android, automatically launching their browser to access the Balmain x Pokémon digital experience.
- Authentication: The digital experience has launched and users can register and claim their Balmain x Pokémon badge and join the fun.
- Unlock Legend: Users can collect all four unique Pokémon patches in their region and gain access to purchase the fifth legendary badge. Only 35 patches are available in Asia, 25 in the US and 15 in Europe.
- Earn Rewards: Once users enter the experience, there is an opportunity to unlock exclusive rewards and prizes. Prizes range from a Balmain Fashion Set to Pokémon UNITE to VIP tickets to the third edition of the Balmain Paris Festival.
Cameron Worth, CEO and founder of SharpEnd, an Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider involved in the partnership, said: “We are using NFC to create unique opportunities for fans to enjoy a gamified experience – helping Balmain continue to push the boundaries and open new paths for rewarding customers.”
“The experience is designed around pre-purchase and post-purchase, so fans in the store can come and enjoy a pre-purchase/claim experience by accessing some of the digital content. The pre-purchase experience is information on Pokemon characters Once you have registered and requested the NFC product or Balmain jacket as purchased, you will be able to register using your smartphone,” Worth told Benzinga.
