Maserati 250F
Italian automaker Maserati is honoring its centennial with an exhibit at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy.
The exhibition rewinds through the past 100 years of the most important road and racing cars from the brand. Hosting the historical celebration in the Enzo Ferrari Museum will likely attract individuals who are fans and consumers of luxury cars and racing.
"The Maserati brand returned from the dead to become a vibrant brand. Maserati has a lot to celebrate," said Chris Ramey, president of Affluent Insights, Miami, FL.
Mr. Ramey is not affiliated with Maserati but agreed to comment as a third party expert.
Maserati was unable to respond by press deadline.
Trident exhibit
"Maserati 100- A Century of Pure Italian Luxury Sports Cars" will be on display through January 2015. It will showcase 21 permanent Maseratis and 30 others will cycle through the exhibition during the six months.
The 30 automobiles will travel between the exhibit and other celebrations of the centennial worldwide. These cars represent the best models in terms of engineering and significance in the brand’s racing history.
Maserati exhibit
One model is the Tipo 26, the first car to have the Maserati trident. Another is the Maserati 250F, the winner of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1954 and 1957.
Maserati's exhibit also features a 19-projector show about the most significant events in the brand’s racing and road car history.
The inauguration of the new exhibit was attended by the sons of the Maserati brothers and the CEO of the brand. However, the guest of honor was Sir Stirling Moss, a 1950s Maserati racing driver.
Maserati Birdcage
This exhibit is staying true to the Maserati brand and the curator is the grandson and son of Adolfo and Omer Orsi, who owned Maserati from 1937 to 1967.
The museum is located in Modena, Italy, which is near the Maserati headquarters in Viale Ciro Menotti. This will likely engage locals and tourists with the exhibit.
Similar brands
Exhibitions present engagement opportunities for previous and present consumers and can generate a connection between the brand and potential consumers.
Rolls-Royce has implemented several celebrations to engage its fans with the brand’s history and the current collections.
Once, Rolls-Royce marketed a special collection of vehicles to celebrate 10 years since it started production at its headquarters in Goodwood, England.
The model line was titled “Home of Rolls-Royce Collection” and was designed by the automaker’s Bespoke team. Rolls-Royce was celebrating this anniversary throughout the year and plans to host exclusive events during 2013 (see story).
In another instance, Rolls-Royce put its craftsmanship and history on display in its first museum exhibition at the BMW Museum in Munich, Germany.
The exhibition titled “Strive for Perfection” celebrated the 10th year of the BMW Group’s ownership of Rolls-Royce and the 150th anniversary of Sir Henry Royce’s birth. By hosting an exhibit in an already-known luxury vehicle museum, Rolls-Royce was catering to car enthusiasts and possibly gained more brand followers (see story).
The notion of showcasing a brand’s history in another automaker’s museum seems unusual, but luxury car brands attract similar consumers. Placing the Maserati celebration in the Ferrari museum will likely drive greater traffic of fans and consumers.
"Ferrari and Maserati are owned by the same Italian car manufacturer," Mr. Ramey said.
"Much of their narrative is shared too: a passion for racing, quality, design along with an Italian heritage," he said.
Final Take
Nancy Buckley, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York