Latest news with #CuriousX
Identity
23-04-2025
- Business
- Identity
Designing Change: Stefano Volpetti on Curiosity, Collaboration, and a Smoke-Free Future
Stefano Volpetti, President Smoke-Free Products & Chief Consumer Officer at Philip Morris International, is one of the key minds behind the company's bold mission to create a smoke-free future. With a deep belief in consumer-centric innovation and behavior change, he's leading a transformation that blends science, technology, and storytelling. We sat down with Stefano during Milan Design Week, where IQOS introduced its latest collaboration with Italian design house Seletti. Under the banner of Curious X, the partnership reimagines public space and product experience through the lens of curiosity, inviting people to see change as something both inspiring and possible. Why did Philip Morris choose to collaborate with Seletti for this project? What made it the right fit for your smoke-free mission? Our vision for the future is truly smoke-free, and that vision inherently challenges the status quo. We've made significant progress in realizing this—today, just 11 years after launching IQOS, millions of adults have switched from cigarettes to our smoke-free alternatives. That's a powerful indicator of change. To challenge convention, we believe curiosity must be at the center of innovation. That's why we launched the global project IQOS CURIOUS X, and for its first edition, we collaborated with Stefano Seletti. He was the perfect partner because he reimagined the traditional Italian piazza—an unchanging symbol of culture and community—using technology, art, and a deep understanding of human experience. His reinvention mirrors what we're doing with IQOS: taking something entrenched and completely transforming it. It's about inspiring people to be curious and embrace change. Focused on, not just in product development but also in how you connect with people? That's a key point. Even the location of this installation—a piazza—is symbolic. It's a space of culture, connection, and daily life. Realizing a smoke-free future isn't just about offering an alternative product; it's about supporting a full lifestyle transformation. We recognize that switching from cigarettes is a journey, so we've created experiences like IQOS CURIOUS X to accompany people through that process. It's about more than functionality. It's emotional, social, and even artistic. The installation is an invitation to explore, feel, and rethink habits. Through such projects, we empower adult smokers to reimagine their routines, moving from the world of cigarettes into a future of smoke-free. What message do you hope people take away from this experience at Milan Design Week? The first reaction we want is: Wow. The core message is that when curiosity drives reinvention, the results are magical. CURIOUS X isn't a one-off—it's a global initiative that will continue throughout 2025 across 20 countries. We'll collaborate with local designers and artists to reimagine smoke-free experiences and bring new perspectives to adult consumers. In Fall 2025, we'll return here to Milan to reflect on the global learnings and outcomes. It will be a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and the incredible transformation that's possible when we dare to challenge the norm. What's the biggest challenge in accelerating global adoption of smoke-free products? We're now 11 years into this journey, and over 40% of our global net revenues come from smoke-free products. Our smoke-free offerings are available in more than 90 markets, and by 2030, we aim for over two-thirds of our revenues to come from these products. The progress is clear. But the biggest accelerator—and also the greatest challenge—remains the regulatory framework. In markets where regulations allow adult smokers to access accurate information about smoke-free alternatives, adoption is much faster. If people aren't aware of better options, they won't change. That's why enabling access to information and ensuring a supportive policy environment is essential to accelerating this transformation. How do creative events like Milan Design Week influence IQOS marketing strategies? Milan Design Week is a global beacon of innovation and creativity. This is our eighth year participating, and it's arguably our most impactful yet. Collaborating with Stefano Seletti on the IQOS Sensory Piazza installation is not just about design—it's a statement of progress. We're showcasing how curiosity drives innovation. Just like our products challenge the conventional cigarette, our presence here challenges the way brands can interact with people. This kind of engagement helps us connect deeply with consumers and inspire them to rethink their habits. In what ways do product designs influence not just consumer choice but broader behavior? That's an essential question. When an adult smoker considers switching, it's not just a product change but it's a lifestyle shift. That's why design plays such a critical role. From day one, we've focused on making IQOS not just functional but seamlessly integrated into everyday life. Our device is something people carry, use, and interact with regularly, so its look, feel, and emotional resonance matter. If the design can support and enhance the user experience, it makes the transition from traditional smoking to smoke-free alternatives smoother and more appealing. Ultimately, design becomes a facilitator of change. With the CURIOUS X concept, how does curiosity-driven innovation influence not just product development but also consumer behavior? Curious X is a combination of curiosity and X, which stands for an experience that's clearly unexpected—and one you truly experience. The idea was to create something that, on one hand, celebrates the IQOS brand, which has become the choice of millions around the world, and on the other hand, celebrates our users. They've made an act of curiosity by moving from traditional cigarettes to smoke-free products. This is our way of creating a project that, throughout 2025, will travel around the world—powered by curiosity, reinvention, creativity, technology, art, and design. It's our way of honoring this incredible shift in the status quo that we've been driving. And we will return here to reflect on the results to celebrate the notion of progress that started right here in Milan over 10 years ago and continues today with this new collaboration with Seletti.
Identity
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Identity
Inside Sensorium Piazza: Where Curiosity Takes the Lead at Milan Design Week
Wandering through Milan Design Week always comes with surprises, but Sensorium Piazza—the result of a collaboration between IQOS and Seletti—stood out for being something truly different. It wasn't just an installation but it felt more like walking into a living, breathing space shaped by art, technology, and a shared sense of curiosity for everyone who attended. Inspired by the traditional Italian piazza, this reimagined version plays with memory, interaction, and sensory experiences. The space evolves as you move through it, with floating text, changing textures, and faces merging into digital structures. There's music, scent, color. It's all designed to respond to you as if the piazza itself is listening and remembering. What made this event feel so alive was actually the collaboration behind it too. Seletti brings its playful and bold design language, while IQOS introduces a layer of deeper intent: a reflection on transformation, change, and the desire to move beyond what's known. At the heart of it all is a simple question: what happens when curiosity leads the way? The experience is part of IQOS's new platform, Curious X, and it doesn't just aim to dazzle. It invites you to engage, leave your mark, and maybe even rethink the spaces to share and how to connect in them. If Milan Design Week is about challenging ideas, Sensorium Piazza is a quiet but striking reminder that sometimes the most powerful changes start with asking 'what if?'
