Boston’s historic 1900s-era Wilbur Theatre was transformed into a swinging ‘60s night club Thursday night as part of Stella Artois’ Cannes Cinema Club. The goal of the time-traveling affair was to celebrate Stella Artois’ selection as the official beer sponsor of France’s 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival, which begins tomorrow. With palm trees, Roulette tables, and impersonators of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., the swanky lounge set the stage for the evening’s screening of Ocean’s Eleven—the original 1960s version, of course—featuring Rat-Packers Sinatra, Davis Jr., and Dean Martin.
Stella Artois’ brand manager Chris Hanson said his aim for the event was to bring the classic film to life for members of La Société Stella Artois, the online members-only community of Stella Artois enthusiasts, who were the evening’s invitees. “[We wanted to] celebrate the timeless era of the Rat Pack … [and provide] an exclusive consumer experience for members,” he said.
With 150 guests, the event included multiple hostesses—wearing dresses embroidered with Stella Artois’ red and gold logo—to greet guests and hand out popcorn. The movie snack came fresh from two custom popcorn kettle machines in the lounge.
Four bars offered the featured beer on tap, with each bartender following the brand’s signature nine-step pouring ritual from purification to bestowal. Red kerchiefs and bowties, men’s and women’s old-fashioned glasses, and black fedoras were available to guests who wanted to dress in line with the ‘60s theme and have their photos taken by hostesses.
In contrast to the fete’s recreation of the bygone age, the event had its fair share of 21st century marketing technology. “Attendees were given RFID-tagged bracelets allowing them to instantly connect with their social media networks to share their experiences with their friends and earn prizes,” Hanson said. With a tap of the RFID bracelet at Stella Artois kiosks throughout the room, photos and status updates such as “Enjoying a perfectly poured Stella Artois at the Cannes Cinema Club” were instantly transmitted to guests’ Facebook pages.
Along with Eye5 Marketing and Talent’s Sinatra and Davis, Jr. impersonators, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Andy Warhol lookalikes were on hand to encourage guests in their pursuit of fake casino tokens at the Roulette tables. The three-piece Doug Acosta Band from Elan Artists backed up the Sinatra impersonator, who sang classic favorites such as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Bésame Mucho” before the movie screening.
At the end of the five-hour event, guests could catch a free ride home in a luxury town car though a partnership with Uber, an on-demand car service.
