Lindt Is Going High-Tech For The Holidays With A 3D Virtual Store

Who doesn't have childhood memories of walking into a candy store, mouth agape, a dizzying array of colors and aromas whirling through sugar-frenzied senses? In a Willy Wonka-esque stupor, you carefully choose the allotted quota given by the adult in your life, then tuck the sweet melt-in-your-mouth treasures away for later indulgence. But what if you're now an adult and there's a virtual space for deep-diving into an always-open land of chocolate? Lindt Chocolate may be hoping that countless confection lovers across the world see one of its latest creations as the gift of virtual chocolate shopping.

In a timely release just before the holiday season, Lindt announced the opening of its first 3D virtual online store, presumably so that chocolate aficionados will treat it as a space where they can dream and drool to their heart's content. And like any physical storefront, the experience doesn't have to end when customers exit the cyberspace door – they can definitely buy those premium chocolates and have them show up at their real-life physical door. Here's a look at how the high-tech Lindt 3D virtual store works.

Entering the new virtual space, developed by ByondXR for Lindt & Sprüngli USA, is about as easy as it gets, as long as shoppers have online access. When crossing the Lindt threshold, the shopper is welcomed by Ann Czaja, a renowned Lindt Master Chocolatier, who becomes the guide throughout the interactive experience. But customers will also be greeted by a gigantic flowing chocolate fountain and a color explosion of Lindt truffles framing the back wall. A simple click makes it possible to view minutia for more than two dozen truffles, from pistachio to stracciatella, dark caramel sea salt, snickerdoodle, and white strawberries & cream.

Separate rooms branch off from the entry, including a seasonal room for gift-buying. Visitors will find bags, tins, and ballotin boxes featuring chocolates such as tiramisu, crème brulée, and caramel éclairs. After shopping for a while, folks can take a rest inside the seasonal living room where a crackling virtual fireplace puts them in good company with fellow chocolate lovers via a large wall screen. Czaja plays host in the room and invites people to play the Lindt memory game to answer questions and win prizes.

The Chocolate Bars and Figures room lets people explore the Lindt Classic and Excellence bar chocolates and pick up some holiday-themed chocolate figurines, including a snowman, Santa, and Santa's sleigh. And finally, there's the Chocolate Lab, featuring immersive videos such as the Bean to Bar journey from cocoa beans to creamy confections.