The challenge

In 2019, we were asked to create an experience that connected Café appliances to a target audience of designers and style stewards. We designed an activation that invited attendees to personally curate mood board representations of their individual style using Café appliances as the jumping off point. Designers and attendees were delighted to sort through the mix of various materials and finishes while interacting with each other as well as with some of the actual designers behind the Café brand.

As a brand focused on bringing customizable appliances with interchangeable hardware finishes to the luxury mass market the exhibit was a hit for Café. The client was so enamored with the experience that naturally the reaction was “2020? Let’s do it again!”

The challenge was recreating the magic of an award-winning activation while evolving it. If 2019 was about connecting with designers, 2020 would be about continuing the conversation and introducing them to some new tools to access inspiration while they create wow designs centered around Café Appliances.

The solution

Like the previous year, we wanted to create an activity hub in the center of the booth that would be surrounded by trend forward kitchen vignettes. We created a jewelry store setting drawing on the Café vision of presenting beautiful changeable hardware as jewelry for your appliances. Guests were greeted with a flute of champagne to set the tone for a high-end shopping experience. The jewelry case was filled with five still life displays representing the five surrounding kitchens. Actual tile, hardware and colors were artfully arranged with decadent fashion accessories to drive home the idea that just as an outfit can be curated to reflect personal style, Café appliances can be fully customized to reflect individuality.

Pincodes were developed for each kitchen and displayed with the mood boards, providing attendees a shoppable link to everything in the kitchen of their choice, from the appliances to the tile and right down to the dishes and art on display. This solved the problem of how to answer an audience of thousands who are curious about every detail without relying on print materials. As a brand that sets out to influence trends, giving designers everything they need to shop the inspiration truly set Café apart. 

Attendees were presented with a branded “jewelry box” premium give-away, filled with each of the five hardware finishes and three base finishes. This armed them with everything they needed to incorporate Café into their designs and presentations.

What set the activation over the top for designer attendees was the partnership with Material Bank, the largest material marketplace in the architecture and design industry. Launched only a year earlier, Material Bank was a relatively new service already creating a huge buzz in the design community. Café was only the second appliance company to partner with the service that brings hundreds of material samples right to a designer’s door, often times next day delivery and the best part is it is always free to designers and they are able to send back materials if they choose.  This partnership not only made it possible for Café to reach a wider audience and get their samples out quickly, but it also showed designers that Café understands how they go about designing and wants to help eliminate any hurdles to incorporating innovative Café appliances in their most inspired designs.

The results

We distributed 1500 Café jewelry boxes during the activation. Material Bank representatives were on hand to register designers to the platform and fill any additional sample requests after the jewelry display was depleted. In the month following the show, 280 additional Café samples were ordered from Material Bank. Over 28,000 impressions were generated by the Pinterest pin codes, a number that continues to grow every month. Through the partnership we forged with Material Bank, GE acquired hundreds of qualified leads resulting in a 2,200% ROI.