June 19, 2012
Italian automaker Lamborghini is transferring its fleet of historic V12 models from the Lamborghini Museum in Bologna, Italy, to London this week to be shown in an outdoor moving exhibit.
The week-long Lamborghini Uncovered display will be shown in London starting June 18 at four locations including Duke of York Square on Kings Road, Finsbury Avenue Square in the financial district and Tower Bridge. Consumers can follow the exhibit around London on a map on a microsite and participate in a photo competition hosted on Facebook and Twitter.
"The ephemeral and modular aspect of the initiative is a strategy that I believe in because it brings the experience to the customers,” said Garen Moreno, Los Angeles-based partner at CuldeSac.
“London is a large city and has affluent clients in all points,” he said. “If the experience is not close to them, there is a very good chance they will not make it, so the moving museum increases the reach of the initiative.
“Depending on its success, I am sure the modular element will allow Lamborghini to send the museum to a variety of locations all over the world, adapting to the specific market in each country or city.”
Mr. Moreno is not affiliated with Lamborghini, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Lamborghini did not respond before press deadline.
Lamborghini Uncovered is hosted by British luxury car dealer H.R. Owen.
On the move
Taking place June 18-23, the Lamborghini Uncovered display is free to view. No advanced tickets are required.
Models on display include Lamborghini’s 350 GT, Miura SV, Countach 25th, Diablo 6.0 SE, Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster and Aventador LP700-4. This will be the first and only time that these models will be displayed together in Britain, per H.R. Owen.
The display will raise awareness for the Lamborghini V12 product range in 2012 and will coincide with the year of the Olympic Games, per Lamborghini.
Lamborghini Uncovered will begin at Duke of York Square on Kings Road, London.
Lamborghini’s 350GT at Duke of York Square
Next, the display will move to Finsbury Avenue Square in Broadgate, London and then to Potters Field Park.
A grand finale celebration will take place June 23 at the Marble Arch.
H.R. Owen created a microsite at http://www.lamborghiniuncovered.co.uk to raise awareness for the moving car show. Consumers can read news, view images, read more about the cars on display and find daily locations.
Miura SV at Duke of York Square
Lamborghini London is using its Facebook and Twitter pages to raise awareness for the exhibit and host a photo contest.
To enter, consumers must share images taken at the outdoor exhibit on the Facebook Timeline or tweet them to the @Lamborghiniuk Twitter handle.
Prizes include a passenger ride in the Aventador LP700-4 model on display, Lamborghini merchandise and passes to the Lamborghini Museum in Bologna.
The event is also being publicized via the international Lamborghini Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts.
Lamborghini Uncovered exhibit at Duke of York Square
Road trip
Live displays let luxury automakers take vehicles out of the confines of a showroom to spots where affluent consumers will likely be hanging around.
Lamborghini its leveraging history in this moving exhibit, but luxury automakers have a variety of focuses for vehicle tours.
For example, German automaker Porsche raised awareness for its new 2013 Boxster by touring a vehicle down the U.S. East Coast and letting consumers follow the journey via a microsite and Twitter hashtag.
Porsche partnered with Wenner Media’s Men’s Journal and Travel Channel host Dhani Jones for the tour, which probably reached young, male consumers (see story).
Also, many automakers are developing a presence at sporting events that draw target affluent consumers and could strengthen the lifestyle behind the brand.
For instance, German automaker BMW is using its sponsorship of the BMW ClubCorp Best Ball Challenge as an opportunity to offer test drives and build brand awareness.
The tournament will take place June 21-24 at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, OH, where BMW will have exclusive access to an audience with household incomes of approximately $256,000 (see story).
Vehicle displays that show a combination of history and current models will likely help for Lamborghini stand out among affluent consumers.
“Lamborghini Uncovered is a targeted activity for London where bringing together a fleet of historic Lamborghinis creates excitement and buzz for owners and enthusiasts,” Mr. Moreno said. “Showing the brand’s heritage and the rare vehicles that made the Lamborghini name what it is today will be a uniquely Lamborghini experience.
“Luxury brands with a rich history and a unique offering must create experiences that reinforce this added value for its customers and fans,” he said. “If the exhibit offers a rich experience that adds value in all aspects including organization and the variety of vehicles, then playing into the history with this type of initiative is a good tactic.
“It links the vehicles of today with a rich history of success or, in Lamborghini's case, a rich history of speed.”
Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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