From Rolls-Royce exhibition
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is responding to the enthusiasm following a behind-the-scenes documentary earlier in the year with an interactive, free exhibition that will travel to key cities throughout the world.
After the "Inside Rolls-Royce" film aired on Britain's Channel 4, the automaker realized just how much people admired the brand and its achievements and wanted to show some gratitude by creating a more immersive experience. Behind-the-scenes campaigns have generated a lot of attention for luxury brands, since they open up a world of design and craftsmanship that previously remained hidden.
“There’s always been this wonderful notion that Rolls-Royce transcends its target audience," said James Warren, communications manager at Rolls-Royce, Goodwood, Britain. "We've sought to open the brand up in an appropriate way for people who are passionate about what the cars stand for.
“We were very much inspired by the documentary and the amazing public reaction," he said.
"[The exhibition] is not just us bringing the assembly line from Goodwood and plunking it down. We’re doing it in a fun, abstract, cool way."
Open sense
Over a six-month period in 2013, British television station Channel 4 navigated the world of Rolls-Royce to collect a comprehensive view of the brand for the “Inside Rolls-Royce” documentary.
Much of the documentary consists of following the brand’s craftsmen and women at the Goodwood factory developing a Celestial Phantom, the most expensive bespoke model to date.
Craftswomen from Rolls-Royce's 1001 Nights video
Among other tasks, fans were able to see workers stitch some of the 446 diamonds into the commissioned car’s interior (see story).
Rolls-Royce wanted to keep the positive reaction to documentary alive and give fans a more intimate look at the brand's operations and vision through an exhibition.
Unlike the documentary, however, the exhibition is far more abstract, aiming to capture the spirit of the brand's craft rather than the exact details.
The first stop of the exhibition is Nov. 13-16 at the Saatchi Gallery on London’s King’s Road. The multi-sensory journey explores the brand's engineering, design and craftsmanship.
Each of the gallery's nine rooms will feature a different component of the brand and iBeacons will allow guests to engage with materials on tablets and smartphones.
In the first room, guests will be able to choose from the brand's 44,000 color palette on a digital display. Once selected and placed on a color activation table, the room will change to that color.
From Rolls-Royce color palette contest
Jagged sculptures of the brand's in-door umbrella feature will adorn the second room.
In another room, guests will be able to experience the Wraith vehicle in the game Forza Motorsports 5.
The automaker made its first foray into the world of gaming with an appearance in Forza Motorsports 5 for Xbox One.
Track in Forza Motorsports 5
As one of the most popular racing video game franchises on the market, Forza will help to bring Rolls-Royce to a younger and highly engaged audience (see story).
Another section lets guests chat with the craftsmen and women who work on the vehicles as they demonstrate their skills.
Other areas of the exhibition include an interactive particle-light video feature, a room in which guests can feel the wood used in Rolls-Royces and a room that showcases the leather.
At the end, guests will be able to view a Wraith model. Ultimately, the stop in London will help the brand get to know the interests of its most dedicated fans and bolster its relations with Britain.
In 2015, the brand will bring the exhibition to other top cities in the world.
Fan dreams
Automakers tend to recognize and satiate the adoration of fans through insider-exhibitions.
For instance, German automaker Porsche is giving enthusiasts a special look at “top secret” models in a new exhibition at its museum in Stuttgart, Germany through Jan. 15.
The “Porsche: Top Secret!” exhibition features many vehicles that have never been revealed to the public and were originally created for experimental purposes. For serious fans of the brand, this rare glimpse at its vehicle development will be appreciated (see story).
Since Rolls-Royce is opening the exhibition to all consumers, not just buyers, it will likely go a long way in increasing fan interaction.
"Brand exhibitions that travel to various markets are a solid way to generate consumer attention within the luxury market," said Taylor Rains, managing partner of Flugel Consulting, Charleston, SC. "Brands like Rolls-Royce have an intensely loyal following, as evidenced by the various societies and organizations available to owners.
"A traveling exhibition for the brand will without a doubt draw impassioned brand loyalists out to experience the automobile in a new and innovative way," he said. "By demonstrating the brand's direction through an exhibit, Rolls-Royce is likely to generate sales within this audience."
"Such an exhibit has the added benefit of improving the overall brand image and brand equity among a wider audience, not necessarily Rolls-Royce buyers. Interested people can experience firsthand what makes the brand the pinnacle of luxury in the automotive market, therefore sustaining its position at the top."
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, staff writer on Luxury Daily, New York