Credit: South Motors Infiniti
Auto shows have always been great opportunities for car buyers and enthusiasts to see and touch the latest new products. There’s only so much you can get online (though we think we do a pretty good job…) and most people don’t carve out time to go to a dealership until they’re well into the buying process. Wandering a large convention center with the kids is an easy way to figure out what might be the next family car, or simply a way to get excited about future sports cars or off-roaders that may or may not ever end up in your driveway.
Rather than treat car launches as traditional press conferences, car companies and the shows would be wise to think unconventionally, perhaps streaming them on their own website, or partnering with streaming companies such as Amazon Prime and packaging them up to create content that is interesting for consumers, highlights the new products and casts a sheen back onto the shows themselves.
What else can automakers do if not take part in traditional car shows?
Last year, Infiniti unveiled its 2022 lineup of opulent SUVs and crossovers, including the new 2022 QX60 and QX55, the QX50, and the upgraded 2022 QX80 through art. Specifically, through an art piece at the Oculus Transportation Hub in New York City.
Daniel Wurtzel, a kinetic sculpture and installation artist best recognised for his work with air and light elements, created the artwork.
The New York Auto Show’s cancellation forces automakers to find other ways to introduce their newest models.
Through an art piece at the Oculus Transportation Hub in New York City from August 18 to 20, Infiniti unveiled its 2022 lineup of opulent SUVs and crossovers, including the new 2022 QX60 and QX55, the QX50, and the upgraded 2022 QX80. Daniel Wurtzel, a kinetic sculpture and installation artist best recognised for his work with air and light elements, created the artwork.
Photo: Courtesy of Infiniti
“We reached out to and chose Daniel Wurtzel, a New York-based sculptor and artist, to celebrate our growing lineup of SUVs and crossovers at Oculus via a beautiful display of design and art that captures the hallmarks of our brand—daring, forward and human—called ‘Sine Wave,’” explained Phil O’Connor, director of marketing communications and media at Infiniti.
“Our Oculus activation dates gave us three full days of commuters passing by the cars during their commutes. Consumers who may have been disappointed about the show’s cancel had the ability to see Infiniti’s new 2022 crossover and SUV line in a convenient, socially distanced manner,” explained Phil O’Connor, director of marketing communications and media at Infiniti.
He added that the downtown space was chosen “because of its iconic design and prime location, allowing many consumers the chance to see, touch and feel these vehicles first hand in New York, our largest market. More than 23,000 people passed by our display and about 40% of them engaged with our vehicles.”
The automaker had made the decision to skip the trade show in New York in favour of the LYRIQ Electriq Kitchen presented by Cadillac at Vespertine, which took place on August 15 in Culver City, California. The combined five-course meal, created by chefs Niki Nakayama of n/naka and Jordan Kahn of Vespertine, which is renowned for both its innovative cuisine and design, was inspired by the electric car for the completely immersive dining experience.
“The imaginative design and intricate details of Vespertine made for a great fit, presenting a multilevel journey through its dynamic environments, and made for a perfect setting for an immersive dining experience,” explained Jake Avnet, CEO of Indigenous Media and 60 Second Docs, the team who captured the process, including menu ideation, execution, event setup and guest experience.
The chefs created the tasting meal over a period of six weeks after the Cadillac designers gave them a thorough walkaround of the new car. The transparent glow of the car’s front grill and lighting served as the inspiration for the luminescence of melon, kohlrabi, black carrot, and horseradish dish, as well as wild turbot, praline of Sichuan pepper, and porridge of yeast beech mushroom and tapioca, which gave off a tingling sensation to represent the LYRIQ’s energy.
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