Notting Hill's virtual high street takeover bridges the gap with digital

London’s Notting Hill will be the first area to host a virtual high street takeover, as shoppers benefit from personalised promotions delivered to their smartphones.

Centred around Ledbury Road and Westbourne Grove, it will include retailers like Melt, Hari’s and Petit Bateau.
Bluetooth-enabled VMBeacons will be introduced by technology and design firm Iconeme, which is spearheading the campaign with local retailers.

The beacons can be placed anywhere in the store, from inside a mannequin to on displays, and communicate with customers as they browse the merchandise.

They are designed to help drive sales to websites and collect analytics to help retailers improve customer experience in the future.

Jonathan Berlin, co-founder of Iconeme, said: "We are really excited to see Iconeme used on a mass scale.

"This is game-changing technology for the struggling high street and we plan to expand the initiative to include other key shopping areas in the near future."