Meet our partner: Momenti

We’re delighted to present an esteemed collaborator, Momenti, an immersive media platform revolutionizing interactive video creation and sharing.

“Our collaboration with Emperia takes the digital hyper-reality experience to another level, truly paving the way for a fresh genre.“

– Soong Kim, Managing Director, MENA at Momenti.

Emperia has partnered with Momenti, a pioneering media-tech company specializing in ‘Gesture Interactive Video’ (.GIV). Emperia’s commitment to delivering top-tier virtual store experiences is further strengthened by this strategic partnership. With .GIV technology seamlessly integrated into Emperia’s offerings, customers can now enjoy an enhanced and interactive shopping experience. Emperia’s virtual stores empower brands and retailers to connect with their audience on a deeper level, transforming passive viewers into active, engaged shoppers. This collaboration marks a significant step in Emperia’s journey to redefine the future of online retail and solidify its position as an industry leader.

We had the privilege of engaging in a conversation with Soong Kim, Managing Director, MENA at Momenti, and Michelle You, Product Development Director, MENA at Momenti, to delve deeper into our recent collaboration with L’Occitane En Provence’s virtual store.

Can you please talk a bit about Momenti and what your service offers?

“Momenti is a media-tech company that focuses on brining touch to videos. We’ve developed a unique approach called ‘Gesture Interactive Video’, or simply ‘.GIV’. 

Imagine watching a video, and instead of just seeing a product, you can virtually interact with it, almost like touching it in real life. What’s great about .GIV is that it works seamlessly on any web browser without needing any extra apps or plugins. So, for brands and retailers, it offers a lifelike online experience where customers can truly engage with products, making them not just watchable, but touchable and shoppable too.”

How did the partnership between Momenti and Emperia come about? What were the driving factors behind this collaboration?

“Well, both Emperia and Momenti were handpicked for the L’Occitane Accelerator Program, an initiative by The Greenhouse of Chalhoub Group, which is the Middle East’s premier luxury retail group. Emperia is known for its high-quality design-driven tech, creating captivating digital spaces that beautifully mirror a brand’s essence. On the other hand, Momenti is all about giving digital life to a brand’s product features, offering a unique ‘phygital’ (physical + digital) experience.

Though both companies revolve around interactivity, we have distinct approaches to brand needs. Emperia functions as a versatile platform open to various content, while Momenti has set a new standard for digital content that can seamlessly integrate into any space.

When we first met during the Accelerator program, there was this mutual curiosity about the potential of combining our strengths.

This intrigue wasn’t just limited to us; others in the program sensed it too. After some informal chats with Emperia, Momenti proposed a partnership. Emperia was happily receptive, and we ventured into integrating our offerings. In hindsight, it’s amazing to see how curiosity, combined with the spirit of a scaleup, led to this collaboration.“

What specific challenges did you encounter during the virtual store creation process, and how did you overcome them?

“The crux of our challenge in crafting a ‘phygital’ experience using our GIV technology was ensuring our digital offerings didn’t merely mimic the physical world, but enhanced it. During the height of the Covid Pandemic, digital twins were all the rage, filling the void left by diminished physical interactions. But as times evolved, simply replicating the physical wasn’t enough. We needed to bring something novel to the table that only digital could provide.

Our aim shifted to creating unique experiences that users wouldn’t get even in brick-and-mortar stores. A key aspect of this was ‘gamification’. We integrated gaming elements to allow users to engage more deeply, turning their interactions with products into a playful and personal journey with the brand.“

How do you feel Momenti’s collaboration with Emperia contributes to improving the overall user experience within L’Occitanes virtual store?

“Our collaboration with Emperia takes the digital hyper-reality experience to another level, truly paving the way for a fresh genre. A single tool or medium can’t encapsulate a brand’s complete ethos. Just as physical stores, with their inherent limitations, utilize multiple elements like videos, images, and pop-up events to convey a brand’s values, the digital realm demands its own set of tools. 

With the rise of the digital-native and mobile-native generation, we faced the challenge of articulating L’Occitane’s philosophy in a dialect they resonate with. Judging by the responses, I’d say we’re on the right track in successfully translating the brand’s essence for this new audience.“

Looking ahead, what future possibilities and opportunities do you see Momenti providing virtual store experiences, and how do you envision further collaboration with Emperia in this domain?

“Like afore-mentioned I think Emperia and Momenti have created a new genre of digital hyper-reality for brands, and it will evolve from now onwards. Two companies have capability to collaboratively forge captivating immersive experiences, and moreover it is going to be new e-commerce, and more narrowly, m-commerce (mobile commerce) experiences.

Envisioning this hyper-realistic domain expanding, I imagine it becoming an increasingly pivotal determinant influencing customer preferences and viewpoints towards specific brands. It could eventually become a pivotal determinant affecting the conversion process. Consider a scenario where a Generation Z consumer explores a given brand’s physical store and experiences hesitant to make a purchase, but then the same individual engages with the brand’s hyper-realistic environment crafted by Emperia, enriched by the innovative product demonstrations crafted by Momenti. Then, experience the alignment between the brand’s ethos and the customer’s preference resonates profoundly, to culminate in making a purchase decision.“

Could you provide us with any insights or data on how Momenti’s service has influenced customer engagement and product sales?

“We’ve observed measurable shifts in consumer behavior. Specifically, there’s a marked increase in the time spent by users within the online store when they interact with GIVs. This engagement is not just cursory; it translates to tangible commercial outcomes. For instance, users who have engaged with GIVs have shown a consistently higher cart value compared to those who haven’t.

While our primary aim at Momenti isn’t strictly purchase conversion optimization, the data undeniably indicates a strong correlation between GIV interactions and heightened consumer engagement and spend. This enhanced user experience and the added layer of interactivity foster a deeper connection between the customer and the product, leading to more informed and confident purchase decisions.“

What other applications have you seen for Momenti, beyond cosmetics?

“Beyond cosmetics, Momenti’s GIV technology is reshaping how consumers interact with and understand products across various industries. Whether it’s fashion labels showcasing the intricate details of their designs, consumer electronics brands enabling users to virtually “feel” their devices, or the F&B sector presenting a richer pre-purchase experience of their offerings, our platform elevates product understanding to a new level. 

By making interactions more tactile, even in digital art exhibitions, viewers and consumers gain a deeper appreciation and comprehension of what they’re engaging with. It’s not just about displaying a product; it’s about experiencing it, and that’s the added dimension Momenti brings to the table.“

Why is collaboration so important in Web3?
And, what new technologies are shaping the future of this field?

“The beauty of Web3 lies in its community-driven approach, where diverse stakeholders come together to build interconnected platforms. For retail tech is all about leveraging collective strengths to redefine consumer experiences. Web3 platforms can empower retailers to provide richer, more interactive experiences, blending augmented reality, virtual try-ons, and real-time inventory management etc.

Momenti has embarked on a strategic integration of generative AI technology, aimed at enriching user experiences by expanding the possibilities and creative autonomy within our content offerings. 

In parallel, our initiatives will soon include an exploration of the dynamic landscape of haptic functionality, which is a rapidly evolving domain, incorporated into our GIVs. This pivotal advancement will not only augment user interactions, but also introduce the tactile dimension, enabling users to physically perceive textures and sensations beyond the screen.“

Lastly, is there anything else you would like to add or highlight about the collaborative journey between Momenti and Emperia?

“Absolutely. The journey between Momenti and Emperia isn’t just a testament to the power of partnership but also an embodiment of forward-thinking in the retail tech space. Both of our companies entered this collaboration with open minds, leveraging each other’s strengths to redefine what’s possible in the realm of digital interaction.

I’d like to express gratitude to the entire teams on both sides. Their dedication, creativity, and resilience have been the driving force behind this successful partnership. We remain excited about the myriad of opportunities and innovations the future holds for us.“

To learn more about this collaborations, tune in to our recent LinkedIn livestream ‘Enhancing beauty’s customer experience with virtual reality’ joined by Momenti, L’Occitane and Chalhoub Greenhouse Group.

To find out more about becoming a partner with Emperia, reach out to our team.