The first big party kicking off the festivities surrounding the New York International Auto Show was the Tuesday-night cocktail party and launch from Mercedes-Benz at Splashlight Studios, dubbed the House of BlueTEC. Designed and produced by OSK Marketing & Communications, the event debuted BlueTEC—the new, clean diesel technology used in some Mercedes-Benz vehicles—and drew crowds with a live performance by Sheryl Crow.
More than 300 guests showed up to the event to find a design that played on the color blue and the idea of Southern blues and rock. Overseen by Mercedes-Benz's PR and communications team in the U.S. and in Stuttgart, Germany, OSK developed the concept, which aimed to fit with the modern style of the manufacturer as well as hint at the Southern rock motif. Modern lounge furnishings and custom neon signs contrasted with cowhide-print upholstery and a rustic-looking wooden stage.
