JAMES BOND SKYFALL PREMIERE AND BOLLINGER BOND THEMED FASHION DAY AT THE CURRAGH RACECOURSE

How:  The popular Best Dressed Day at the Curragh, run annually and sponsored by Bollinger, would take on a special twist in 2012 as the world’s favourite suave spy, James Bond, celebrated 50 years on the silver screen and also 40 years of sipping his favourite bubbly: Champagne Bollinger.

THE IDEA

Pico Communication couldn’t pass up the opportunity to combine fashionable race-goers, the diamond anniversary of cinema’s best-dressed leading man and ultra-premium Champagne, and so set about making it a day to remember.

The day, re-named the ‘Bollinger Bond Day’ for the event, was publicised in national and regional publications in the month before the event, in addition to radio spots on the national Newstalk radio that ensured a wide and deep awareness of the day and its sponsor in the lead up to the event.

THE STRATEGY

Fashion guru Darren Kennedy, VIP Magazine editor Elaine Prendeville, top TV presenter Kirsteen O’Sullivan, top model Alison Canavan were on call to judge the entrants and provide some famous faces and glamour to the day. RTE televised interviews with the judges before and after the winners were announced and presented with on stage. RTE also televised an exclusive Bollinger champagne tasting with Tracy Piggott and a representative from Bollinger, explaining the relationship between the various vintages of Bollinger champagne and the corresponding Bond movie each champagne vintage was seen in.

The marquee at the Curragh was fully branded for the day with both Bollinger and James Bond POS, plus a Jaguar XF outside and a showpiece of the limited-edition Bollinger La Grande Année ‘James Bond 002 for 007’ for extra ‘wow’ effect. Showing on the screens around the marquee were clips of 40 years of James Bond sipping Bollinger, while at the were two 5-metre tall banners of Daniel Craig in full Bond pose. In short there was no doubt what was going on that day! Bollinger also used this as an opportunity to treat some key customers to corporate hospitality throughout the day in the Champagne Bar.

THE RESULT

The event garnered widespread reportage in the major national and local papers and magazines, for example a full-width photograph of the winners with Bollinger Champagne on the front page of the Irish Examiner the day after, plus of course features in glossy magazines such as VIP, Prudence and RSVP.