Just a few days before Southwest Airlines launched service into LaGuardia Airport on June 28, a small outdoor cafe and patio opened in Byrant Park. A collaboration between Southwest, Bryant Park Corporation, and celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, the pop-up venue—dubbed the Southwest Porch—has since hosted packed crowds on a nightly basis, while subtly informing guests about the airline's new flights—at least that's what Southwest hopes.
"We were looking for a creative way to let people know about our new service and to take the opportunity to refresh the brand in one of the biggest media markets in the country," said Southwest vice president of communications and strategic outreach Linda Rutherford. "Buying advertising in this town is typically expensive, so with a relatively modest budget, we wanted to make the money work harder for us."
Southwest turned to longtime marketing partner Civic Entertainment Group to come up with a concept for an experiential campaign with legs. The Civic team reached out to Bryant Park Corporation and Colicchio, whose 'Wichcraft sandwich chain operates several stands in the park, about creating a branded summer lounge and cafe around one of the 'Wichcraft kiosks, which was only being used for storage.
After the partnership formed, architect Nancy Thiel was hired to build and design a porch around the small kitchen. The resulting space includes a bar and more than 1,000 square feet of trellis-covered seating that hosts guests looking for food as well as people looking to sit in the porch swings or Adirondack chairs.
Aside from the alfresco locale, the selling point for Southwest Porch has been the menu. Several companies have hosted private events at the space, and the nightly happy hour has been standing room only. Colicchio's 'Wichcraft designed a custom menu for the restaurant that played off markets served by the airline. Sandwiches representing New York, Chicago, Balitmore, and the Southwest are served during lunch and dinner, and in the evening, small plates of charcuterie and olives top the bar.
"The whole project really has exceeded our expectations," said Rutherford. "Right now our current agreement is that it be open through Labor Day, but all parties involved have expressed interest in extending it. We're in talks right now to have it be available through the end of the year."
