The objects of art (and desire) on display at the Heller Gallery weren't the type normally found at a downtown art gallery. And unlike most gallery art, they weren't for sale—at least not that night, anyway.
The event was Bentley's Pure Anticipation party, which promoted the launch of the company's new Continental GT model. But there were a plethora of other high-end playthings on hand to admire in addition to the sleek GT on display. The party showcased Breitling watches, and diamond company Fabrikant had $800,000 worth of jewels on display. Private plane company NetJets sponsored the first room of the gallery, and the Connaught Hotel (part of the Savoy Group) in London had information on display.
The pre-New York Auto Show marketing blitz was another example of cross-marketing partnerships in our cost-conscious times. "The smart thing to do [these days] is to have parties that focus on products but don't have competing brands," said Joe Lupo, a partner at Visual Therapy, the PR and event production company that produced the event. "The Bentley customer could also buy Fabrikant diamonds, and they don't take away from each other."
The crowd of 360 guests—including Kim Cattrall and Kyle MacLachlan—might not all have been current Bentley customers, but most looked well on their way to being able to buy one. "The whole thought process was: 'This is not your father's Bentley,'" Lupo said. "It's the next generation of Bentley, so we wanted [the event] to be downtown, with a very hip, forward downtown groove."
To create that atmosphere, Lupo played a mix of lounge music from CDs by DJs Honey Dijon and Luke Hope of London, and brought in independent lighting designer Arthur Weinstein to light the spare gallery. Weinstein stretched sheer white fabric across support beams in the gallery, and showed video images of Bentley race cars on the makeshift movie screen.
Creative Edge provided a menu of puff pastry Napoleons, fish and chips, grilled lemon-coriander shrimp with avocado dipping sauce, white truffle risotto cakes, chicken rice paper rolls and filet of beef on bruschetta. Champagne Taittinger provided the bubbly.
—Erika Rasmusson
MORE AUTO SHOW COVERAGE:
Read our Q&A with show director Candida Romanelli...
Read about the coolest booths on the show floor...
Read about the gala benefit preview sponsored by Ferrari...
Read about Volvo's awards event...
Read about Bentley's promotional party...
Read about a GQ party with lots of marketing partnerships...
The event was Bentley's Pure Anticipation party, which promoted the launch of the company's new Continental GT model. But there were a plethora of other high-end playthings on hand to admire in addition to the sleek GT on display. The party showcased Breitling watches, and diamond company Fabrikant had $800,000 worth of jewels on display. Private plane company NetJets sponsored the first room of the gallery, and the Connaught Hotel (part of the Savoy Group) in London had information on display.
The pre-New York Auto Show marketing blitz was another example of cross-marketing partnerships in our cost-conscious times. "The smart thing to do [these days] is to have parties that focus on products but don't have competing brands," said Joe Lupo, a partner at Visual Therapy, the PR and event production company that produced the event. "The Bentley customer could also buy Fabrikant diamonds, and they don't take away from each other."
The crowd of 360 guests—including Kim Cattrall and Kyle MacLachlan—might not all have been current Bentley customers, but most looked well on their way to being able to buy one. "The whole thought process was: 'This is not your father's Bentley,'" Lupo said. "It's the next generation of Bentley, so we wanted [the event] to be downtown, with a very hip, forward downtown groove."
To create that atmosphere, Lupo played a mix of lounge music from CDs by DJs Honey Dijon and Luke Hope of London, and brought in independent lighting designer Arthur Weinstein to light the spare gallery. Weinstein stretched sheer white fabric across support beams in the gallery, and showed video images of Bentley race cars on the makeshift movie screen.
Creative Edge provided a menu of puff pastry Napoleons, fish and chips, grilled lemon-coriander shrimp with avocado dipping sauce, white truffle risotto cakes, chicken rice paper rolls and filet of beef on bruschetta. Champagne Taittinger provided the bubbly.
—Erika Rasmusson
MORE AUTO SHOW COVERAGE:
Read our Q&A with show director Candida Romanelli...
Read about the coolest booths on the show floor...
Read about the gala benefit preview sponsored by Ferrari...
Read about Volvo's awards event...
Read about Bentley's promotional party...
Read about a GQ party with lots of marketing partnerships...
Bentley parked its new Continental GT model outside a party filled with an assortment of other high-end playthings marketed to its high-spending target audience.
Lighting designer Arthur Weinstein stretched sheer white fabric across support beams in the Heller Gallery and showed video images of Bentley race cars on the makeshift movie screen.
Creative Edge's hors d'oeuvres menu included grilled lemon-coriander shrimp with avocado dipping sauce.
Floral arrangements from decorated the gallery.
