Best Press Event

Program Name: Art of Progress
Client: Audi
Agency: Siinc Agency

Audi’s “Art of Progress” press reveal for its new 2010 Audi A8 was an artsy affair from start to finish. Held in a sophisticated 45,000 square-foot temporary pavilion against the dramatic backdrop of Design/Miami, one of the most prominent and substantive forums for international design, it unveiled the car in a way that left other press events in the dust.

Audi incorporated key elements of the new A8 into a tangible “Audi world” for 850 international members of the press, Audi executives, dealers and VIP owners on the evening before the start of Design/Miami’s Art Basel Miami Beach. The Rubell Family Collection, one of the most acclaimed private contemporary art collections in the world, lent works to hang inside the pavilion, providing an element of prestige. Audi also commissioned designer Tom Dixon to create an installation inspired by the A8’s craftsmanship that reflected Audi’s technological advancement in design.

The experience began when the international journalists arrived at Miami airport where they were led to an Audi-designated “immigration” line then whisked off to the iconic Fontainebleau Hotel and greeted by hostesses at a special check-in area. In the days leading up to the reveal, they went on art deco tours led by Stefan Sielaff, head of design at Audi, tours of private art collections and a boating tour, all aligned under the theme of “The Art of Progress.”

For the night of the reveal, designer Dixon created an installation using the same LED technology used in the A8’s headlights. Those same lights also comprised an enormous “projection” chandelier that was featured during the A8’s presentation show, right before the car was officially revealed. A game booth showcased Audi’s new interactive character recognition multimedia interface so journalists could experience it while the event was going on. Façade straps, built with the same material used in Audi’s seatbelts, in a color created especially for the event, provided another highlight.

Before the actual reveal, a pre-reveal presentation featured impressive A/V components, such as HD video clips projected onto a giant screen and a live design talk between artists, Audi executives and celebrities. Afterward, the experience continued within the 22,500-square-foot exhibition hall where guests were immersed in art, gastronomy, design and technology.

After the Nov. 30 reveal, doors were opened from Dec. 2 to 5 for the art fair’s visitors and Miami residents. Within the first 10 days, Audi’s Art of Progress generated more than 450 million media impressions and 534 stories in publications such as the New York Post, New York Times, Glamour and more. Now, that’s progress.

Program Name: E3 Media Briefing
Client: Microsoft
Agency: Zed Ink

For the June 2009 E3 Media Briefing in Los Angeles, which revealed Project Natal, Xbox 360’s new “controller-free” technology, along with the Beatles Rock Band title to consumers and the press, Microsoft leveraged live television broadcast on G4 TV, a television station that specializes in tech and video game programs and covers E3 every year. The strategy transformed the briefing into a live television show, designed to be as exciting for the off-site viewers as it was for the live audience.

The set, which served as the television studio, was designed with three concentric, elevated staging circles, with a lighted fiberglass honeycomb cloud backdrop. An Xbox 360-themed green floor finished the look, tracing paths around the stage platforms for the briefing. After the event, fans and reporters hit the rooftop of The Standard Hotel in downtown L.A. to play the new games and try out the Project Natal system. The event garnered more than 9,100 global print, online and broadcast placements and more than 940,000 online video views. All in all, more than 10 million viewers witnessed the event on G4 television and over the Internet.

Program Name: Norton Media Event
Client: Symantec
Agency: Leo Burnett, Arc Worldwide

For the launch of its Norton Internet Security 2010 and Norton AntiVirus 2010 products, the brand needed to bring the reality of cybercrime to the forefront and present its new software as the leading solutions to online threats. To do so, it brought key media professionals from technology, lifestyle and national news publications and blogs to its “black market” showcase, where guests learned the methods, scope and prevalence of otherwise intangible online threats, and how Norton’s products thwarted those threats.

Industry experts led groups through the “BLK MKT,” a faux criminal underground with several exhibits and interactions that illustrated how criminals trade and exploit goods and identities stolen online. After the tours, in the Norton-branded auditorium, the brand presented its solution to combating all this criminal activity. The event closed with the Norton Solution Center, which allowed guests to learn about and interact with Norton’s new products, and to take that first step to protect themselves against digital dangers.