How This Gin Brand Had Guests 'Bid' With Their Minds at Its Sensory Auction

NEW YORK—To coincide with International Gin & Tonic Day on Oct. 19, Bombay Sapphire and contemporary sculptor Dan Lam hosted a “sensory auction”—where your mood is worth more than your money.

Held at Lume Studios in New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood, folks were able to “bid” on Lam’s bespoke artwork, which was inspired by the spirits brand’s classic G&T, with their senses using neuroaesthetic technology.

A somewhat controversial field of study, neuroaesthetics aims to understand the brain’s reactions to art, music or any object that can give rise to aesthetic judgments.

Jaime Keller, brand director for Bombay Sapphire, explained that the auction, which was open to the public through designated time slots, was an extension of the brand’s latest Senses Stirred global campaign. “The sensory auction was designed to communicate that the Bombay & Tonic is more than just a cocktail. It is an artful experience for the senses.”

Bombay Sapphire worked with creative agency BBDO New York and experiential company TXG to produce the activation.

The brand also partnered with Lam, who is known for her blob-like sculptures that are made of painted polyurethane foam and appear to melt and drip, to create a visual representation that brought the “sensorial experience of the drink to life.”

The brand partnered with Dan Lam, who is known for her blob-like sculptures that are made of painted polyurethane foam and appear to melt and drip, to create a visual representation that brought the “sensorial experience of the drink to life.”Photo: Courtesy of Bombay Sapphire“Dan’s work is a veritable study of the senses, where she uses unconventional materials that result in tactile, technicolor and interactive pieces that create an immersive experience for viewers,” Keller said.

To determine the piece’s most impassioned viewer (and auction winner), bidders’ reactions to the sculpture were measured using neuroaesthetic technology, including an electroencephalogram, a preliminary brain scan that involves electrodes being placed along the scalp, which measured brain activity from the moment they set their eyes on the piece.

The collection of data was translated to scientifically prove who had exhibited the strongest, most genuine response to the art.Photo: Courtesy of Bombay SapphireFrom there, participants were fitted with skin galvanic response technologies that picked up the most minute reaction such as sweat drops to help measure emotional intensity, while eye-tracking technology measured their focus and engagement. The data was then translated to scientifically prove who had exhibited the strongest, most genuine response to the art. Chloe Tsakiris won Lam’s original artwork, “Mouthfeel.”

“Our goal with the event was to help in the efforts to democratize the art world, making it a more inclusive and accessible space,” Keller explained. “It was rewarding for all to share [Lam’s] creativity far and wide with people who might not otherwise get a chance to experience her work.”

See more from inside the auction below.

The auction, which was open to the public through designated time slots, was an extension of the brand’s latest Senses Stirred global campaign.Photo: Courtesy of Bombay Sapphire

The event was held at Lume Studios in New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood.Photo: Courtesy of Bombay Sapphire

The event featured an exclusive cocktail named the Dan & Tonic, made with Bombay Sapphire and blackberry puree.Photo: Courtesy of Bombay Sapphire