Many of the innovations man has created all stemmed from a question. This inherent curiosity has allowed people to create something new, building upon what already exists.
To celebrate this and to create conversation about evolution and revolution, Philip Morris International’s (PMI) IQOS partnered with world famous Italian design brand Seletti in a multi-sensory exhibit which was displayed at the Milan Design Week earlier this month.
“Our collaboration with Seletti is driven by the shared belief that curiosity paves the way to groundbreaking creativity which inspires us to connect, explore new possibilities beyond the limits and challenge the status quo. Being forever curious at IQOS is what ultimately enables our quest for the continuous development of better smoke-free alternatives versus smoking,” said Stefano Volpetti, PMI’s president of smoke-free products & chief consumer officer.
Seletti CEO and creative director Stefano Seletti shared that when he was approached by PMI regarding the project, he wanted to create something unique.
“The first time they approached me, I said that this is a nice adventure, but we needed to do something unique. Something that has never been done before. That is the concept when we do a product. It should be a product that doesn’t exist,” Seletti said.
Dubbed the Curious X: Sensorium Piazza, the exhibit is a reimagination of the Italian piazza – an integral part of Italian culture. The piazza has always been considered the center of the city where people could come for trade, get-togethers, and discussions. Seletti’s vision transforms the piazza with the use of high-resolution LED installations to create familiar forms while transporting guests throughout the day.
“As an Italian, the concept of ‘piazza’ holds a special place in my heart and in our culture: it is the pulsating engine of our community. It is where we gather to celebrate, socialize, and simply enjoy the beauty of everyday life. It is a symbol of our shared identity,” Seletti said.
The entrance to the installation features an intricate gold geometric pattern that has become Seletti’s signature. Walking past the dark passageway, one is greeted with a radiant display of colors as each LED piece – inspired by the benches, arches, and fountains found in a piazza, transforms into different scenarios in sync with the background sound effects.
The fluttering wings of birds mark the start of the display as the installations shift in color, signifying the start of the new day. Pieces of renaissance art fall from the sky, a nod to the piazza’s Italian heritage. Cartoon-style red bricks serve as backdrops to pop art-designed phrases serve as tributes to modern culture. The hubbub of voices cuts through as the installations flash through different sections of a person’s face – the eye, the mouth, the forehead, the nose.
In the lounge across the main installation, there are multiple pillars with cameras enclosed. Here, guests can have their portraits taken and sections of those photographs will be displayed in the piazza over the course of the sensorium’s run.
“This is an installation with the possibility of interaction between people and installation. You have seen inside, you have a machine that you can take a picture of and then your picture will be composed, projected in the main area,” Seletti said.
Tommaso di Giovanni, PMI’s vice president for communications and engagement said that this installation is one of PMI’s ways to reach traditional cigarette smokers and urge them to switch to different tobacco products.
“We need to convince them because every day they use a cigarette instead of a smoke-free product is a day lost for their health. Partnerships like this one help accelerate the pace of change because it acts on the emotional side of choice,” he said.
“Simply talking about the benefits of the product or making sure that the technology is appealing isn’t enough. We also need to leverage on a more emotional side of the story,” he added.
The Milan sensorium exhibit is only the first of many partnerships that IQOS has in the works. While brand officials remained mum on who the collaborators will be, the brand will be working on similar installations in 20 other countries, all in partnership with respected designers in each of those countries.
