With Pandora pulling together a concert featuring multi-award-winning artist Ne-Yo, Ashley tricked out Goya Studios in Hollywood with an engaging, hands-on experience for 1,000 fans. The retailer recreated home environments using Urbanology, the new mid-century modern style line that is now "retro-cool" to that target audience. Stationed between fresh donuts in the "kitchen" and Air Guitar challenges in the "den", well-known DJ Jerzy spun songs at the pre-show while influencers such as the Stauffer twins bounced on the bed in the "bedroom" and Bachelorettes and others milled around striking poses with press and fans. (It bears noting that the print and digital collateral for the furniture line, dubbed as city-inspired, is curiously lacking in models of color, but a multi-cultural representation of influencers was present for the live event.)
Senior marketing director Kelly Davis (pictured below right) found some time to speak with me as last-minute touches were set in place — from motion-triggered house plants rigged to play music to an engraving machine customizing cocktail coasters for the guests. ( Note: The $80,000 worth of furniture from the night's display was donated to nonprofit A Sense of Home , which creates homes for youth transitioning out of the foster care system. )
The following is an edited topline of our conversation. Listen here to the quick chat, which describes the brand marketer's goals for the event, how they're approaching the use of sound, and more about a refreshing corporate initiative to aid lower-income families. Also subscribe or listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts: Apple, GooglePodcasts, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and YouTube.