Pop-Up Creates Experiential Tour of All Things British

April 19, 2013

After getting plenty of attention for the London Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee last year, British Airways and VisitBritain hope to put the U.K. back in the spotlight with a a global initiative dubbed the Big British Invite. As part of the effort, the airline and national tourism agency built a pop-up in New York—housed in 15,000 square feet of space inside SoHo's 82 Mercer—showcasing the current and past cultures of England, Scotland, and Wales to encourage tourism across the pond. Held March 23 and 24, the experiential promotion was produced by ExtraExtra and backed by No. 10 Great Campaign.

"The concept of the event was to contextualize the two brands—British Airways and VisitBritain—into an event experience that afforded guests the opportunity to choose their own experience," said ExtraExtra creative director Nicky Balestrieri. "Designed as a 'choose-your-own-adventure novel' in event form, guests started their journey by checking into a B.A.-stylized departures lounge, and were released into the experience in small groups on specified departures times. Each experience thereafter was an interactive representation of what is new and next in Great Britain."

Entertainment within the makeshift city included fashion retailers, food and drink vendors, a British-inspired nail-painting station, and a silent disco rave where guests could wear headphones playing music by British DJs. Details like actors playing cab drivers, sculptures of Parliament and Big Ben made from candy, and a backdrops of the streets of London played throughout the venue, immersing visitors in a whimsical simulation of the U.K.

A British flag was constructed out of 256 hanging blue, red, and white teacups. The wall on which they were arranged separated the Worship Street Whistling Shop bar and the Mad Hatter's Tea room, which offered tastes of the popular tea brand and small bites from Luna & Curious.

Photo: Destiny Martinez/BizBash

The tour began in the Departures Lounge, where a flight attendant gave each guest a boarding pass that contained a map, Wi-Fi information, and the event hashtag. The lounge also featured a first-class seat from a British Airways plane, where guests were invited to sit before they took off for their tour.

Photo: Nilaya Sabnis

Floral and event design company Hatch Creative arranged the flowers in the Liberty of London room. The floral display, paired with the black and white backdrop, was designed to look like the entrance to the famous Liberty Store in the English capital.

Photo: Destiny Martinez/BizBash

Sandwiched between two iconic British telephone booths, the "GREAT" structure was made out of foam core. Guests were invited to fill in the blank on stickers that read, "... is GREAT Britain," and then paste them to the block letters to create a sticker graffiti piece, a trending art form in the U.K.

Photo: Nilaya Sabnis

To become a cab driver in Britain, you must first pass an exam about the history and geography of the area. Guests were invited into the taxi frame by an actor playing one of the notoriously outspoken black cabbies to play the Black Cab Challenge, a series of trivia questions about British culture. Players were entered in a raffle to win two round-trip British Airways tickets and a three-night stay at the Sanderson Hotel.

Photo: Destiny Martinez/BizBash

Highlighting the past culture of the U.K., the "Story of Punk" installation, styled by ExtraExtra creative director Nicky Balestrieri and stylist-designer Vaughan Alexander, featured mannequins with mohawks dressed like the rockers and rebels of the movement. Inspired by icons Malcolm McLaren, Vivienne Westood, and the Sex Pistols, the styles of the 1970s are still very much present in today's trends. A plaque present at the display explained the movement and the "story of punk."

Photo: Destiny Martinez/BizBash

A paper chandelier that hung over a bar featured cocktail recipes that guests could take home, as well as vintage photos of Great Britain and pages from British literature. At the bar beneath, London bartending collective Fluid Movement prepared drinks for guests incorporating Beefeater 24, a new version of the classic gin brand. Two of the collective's concepts, Worship Street Whistling Shop and Purl, performed cocktail-making demonstrations from behind Victorian-style bars.

Photo: Nilaya Sabnis

Wah Nails, an East London nail bar, offered speedy manicures featuring U.K.-inspired designs like the Union Jack, black-and-white houndstooth print, and other blue, white, and red patterns. Both women and men lined up to get their nails painted.

Photo: Nilaya Sabnis

The walls surrounding the Wah Nails station were covered in cutout pages from British fashion magazines like Dazed and Confused and i-D, similar to the real salon's walls. The pages were scanned and printed as one image on giant sheets of paper and then pasted on the walls as one application.

Photo: Destiny Martinez/BizBash

"The Edible Cityscapes" installation, a table featuring a display of landmarks from England, Scotland, and Wales made entirely out of sweets, was created by New York-based food designer Maeve Sheriden. The London Candy Company provided the confections which included Time Out bars, Jammy Dodgers, Cadbury Crunchie bars, and Digestive Biscuits. Other culinary offerings included tastes of Scotland from the West Village's Highlands Restaurant Group and cheese like Caerphilly, Collier's Cheddar, and Red Dragon from Wales.

Photo: Destiny Martinez/BizBash