Brasil Brand BeBrasil Pop-Up Experience
Brazil is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and its culture, brands and exports will become increasingly influential as the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games focus the global spotlight on the country. To seize on this moment to promote the Brasil brand and its products, Brazil's trade and investment promotion agency, APEX, along with its global marketing firm, Profero, worked with Empire to create a Brasil brand experience in New York City. The resulting project took shape as a week-long, open-to-the-public pop-up experience showcasing Brazilian brands, innovations, products and culture.
To deliver this message in an authentic environment, acclaimed Brazilian architects and design duo, Guto Requena and Mauricio Arruda, were engaged to help design the three story retail space in the heart of SoHo into a vibrant, interactive Brazilian experience. A multi-story work of Brazilian graffiti art, produced directly on the venue's staircase walls by Banzai Studio artists of Brasil, tied together the floors.
Focusing on retail, technology, and cuisine, Brazilian companies and brands including Embraer, Havaianas, Louloux, and Bauducco were represented throughout the interior spaces. On the ground floor guests could “fly” over various regions of Brasil by controlling a custom-designed Kinect app, that manipulated scenic views projected on 30’ of LED screens. On the lower level retail shop, guests could try on (and purchase) jewelry made of natural products found in the Brazilian rainforest, beauty drinks and sample shoes, denim and other fashions. On the second floor guests could relax in the Botequim (Brasilian Café) where traditional Brazilian fare could be sampled.
In addition to the open-to-the-public daily experience, a wide range of additional Brasil-centric programming were presented including private, invitation-only events, musical performances, wine & cachaça tastings, and informative TED-style talks by Brazilian experts in an array of fields, including Chef Alex Atala. Nights at the Be Brasil experience were filled with live music programmed by Empire Brazil Region Director Beco Dranoff and featuring artists Kay Lyra, Alexia Bomtemp, Eliano Bráz and DJ Greg Caz. For this project, Empire served as producer and was responsible for venue selection, café and event food and beverage management, design and decor execution, staffing and management, technical direction and execution, and partner management.
Empire is a leading producer of innovative pop-up and branded experiences for government clients and consumer brands. To learn more about the project, visit: http://bebrasilnyc.com
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
