United Colors of Benetton

Known for their freedom of thought and history rooted in breaking barriers, Benetton partnered with R/GA London to drive the company’s transformation via a 360 rehaul of its global direct-to-consumer experience.

Translating the brand’s signature philosophy into a modern omnichannel experience and giving it a clear and distinctive role in contemporary culture was the key aspect of the brief.

Benetton was looking to achieve triple digit growth and further position itself as a leader in the casual Italian lifestyle category. Creating an e-commerce platform that would engage Gen-Z and utilise digital to encourage omnichannel sales was pivotal for the brand’s ongoing success.

So we came out with one core concept: Blend Different. The ambition behind our creative platform was to empower Benetton customers through unexpected yet highly relevant combinations of products, stories and cultural moments.

• BLEND DIFFERENT• BLEND DIFFERENT• BLEND DIFFERENT

UCB has always challenged stereotypes. The limitations of how we view the world. The perceptions of how we should behave. From fashion not being sustainable. To color not being fashion. To luxury being only for the few. To life existing in just black and white. By looking closer we saw possibilities. The curiosity of combining opposites. The joy of embracing the unknown. To discover the beauty of the unexpected.

The “Blend Different” module was designed to amplify UCB's daring approach to identity and product exploration by encouraging each customer to experiment, combine & express across subcategories, colors, styles and even genders. It promoted unexpected discovery and further exploration.

Signature brand experiences were brought to life through the lens of colour as interface. This foundational concept was applied to product discovery and exploration and allowed us to create actionable moments of wonder that took users deeper into the world of UCB.

Embracing the contrast and clashes of unexpected combinations, we used colour to create focus and a new way to position luxury playfully. Additionally, we tried to bridge the digital and physical domains by getting products closer to customers and making them more tangible online.

Contextual storytelling intelligently brought editorial content and commerce together to inspire and engage Benetton’s wide ranging audiences. Envisaged to have a cross-over appeal while at the same time highly personalised.