Unique! Extraordinary! Luxurious! These are adjectives that spring to mind when thinking about Maserati cars; and their newest offering, the MC20 certainly does not disappoint.
In November 2020, the new Maserati MC20 was presented to selected guests as part of an exclusive preview. EFMP Swiss partner, USP, supported Maserati in the planning and implementation of the Swiss preview at a total of 3 locations, in Lausanne, Zurich and Lugano. Maserati wanted to offer the target group an exclusive, personal and emotional experience with the new MC20 in order to arouse interest, and to create anticipation for the launch of their new super sports car that will soon be available to the public.
The first of its kind: The MC20 super sports car from Maserati heralds a new era for the brand. The MC20 is in a class of its own. It combines performance, sportiness and luxury in the style for which Maserati have become famous.
Suffice it to say, the MC20 is the new Maserati car that everyone has been waiting for.
The preview event was portrayed as an exhibition of contemporary art, with the MC 20 as the undeniable hero of the piece.
The focus of the promotional exercise was to display the new MC20 in pride of place in the exhibition and to make sure to position it in line with the Maserati brand. To achieve this, at the beginning of the presentation, the MC20, was parked on a pedestal and, to add to the mystery, was draped with a white cloth which was to be removed for the reveal. However, even under its camouflage, its sleek lines gave a first impression of its sporty and elegant design and form. The simple and high-quality branding and communication served to enhance the exhibit of the car.
Then, after a warm welcome was extended to the exclusive target group; the moment arrived and the new Mazerati MC 20 super sports car was unveiled and displayed in all its glorious magnificence.
The right mix of video, light and sound effects provided the dramatic impact suitable for the occasion. And this, together with the vision of the new MC20 was all that was needed to get the adrenaline pumping among the guests. After the professional presentation of the MC20 and a more detailed explanation of the most important features of the car by a trained Product Genius, the event was all about “discover it for yourself”. The excited guests then got the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of the MC20, to feel the upholstery materials, to see the internal finishes up close, and to experience the vehicle live. Detailed questions from the guests about the MC20 were then competently answered by the Product Geniuses as the guests were discreetly and professionally accompanied on their journey of discovery.
In addition to experiencing the MC20, guests also had an opportunity to find out about other innovations from the Maserati brand. For example, Maserati also presented an exclusive customization program, “FuoriSerie”, to interested visitors. This is a program which uses high-quality materials and Italian craftsmanship to meet all customer requirements for individuality and exclusivity. The program was demonstrated to the target group using an elaborately customized Maserati Ghibli, and the possibilities offered by the program to have one’s vehicle customised to suit one’s personal style, were also explained and presented by a Product Genius.
The private preview was rounded off in a lounge area decorated to highlight and promote the Maserati brand. Here the guests could gather to talk about the new launch, as well as about the other products offered by the brand, over a glass of wine. And so the event ended, and the evening drew to a close in a relaxed and genial atmosphere.
During this campaign USP went to great lengths to ensure that this exclusive Maserati experience was completely on brand and appropriate in terms of elegant simplicity and up-to-date sophistication. However, they also took the required measures to be compliant with the prescribed Covid 19 protocols, so as to enable the Private Preview Days to be as Coronavirus-risk-free as possible.
So, instead of organizing large promotional events, the consumer journey was based on 1-hour slots with a maximum of 5 to 15 guests (depending on the Covid requirements of the canton in which the event was hosted). This enabled a maximum of 8 groups to be received per day. Thanks to the generously arranged venues with plenty of space available, and the small number of people permitted per time slot, the one-hour experience could be carried out in compliance with the applicable social-distancing rules. The upside of this was that these circumstances created an even more exclusive visitor-experience for the guests. Disinfectant stands were available, and staff who accompanied the consumer journey from start to finish discreetly ensured compliance with all protective measures at all times. At the reception, at the start of the event all guests were registered in the Welcome Area of the venue so that contact tracing could be carried out if necessary. The event was also organised so that guests from the lounge area, which was separate from the presentation location, could leave the venue via a separate exit without being in contact with the guests arriving for the next slot.
The Private Preview Days organised by USP for Maserati provide excellent proof that unique and emotional brand experiences are still possible in the current environment, if creative ways are found to implement the strategy, and if comprehensive protection concepts for compliance with all Coronavirus requirements are integrated into the process from the start.
It was in this way that in a time of pandemic, with the able assistance of USP in Switzerland, the Italian premier brand, Maserati, were able to celebrate with pride, and to great acclaim, the revelation of their latest superb creation, the MC20.