Lounge Act

If we’ve learned anything from the lighthearted movies of the 1980s it’s that sometimes the solution to life’s problems is simply throw a party.

And though this, unfortunately, won’t solve most marketing challenges, it can benefit the right brand at the right time.

When Neil Pryde Maui decided to add fashion from the international Oxbow Surfwear Company to its inventory, we could have created a few quirky print ads, added a dash of radio and called it a day. Instead, for one night only, we turned Maui’s largest watersports super store into “The Oxbow Lounge.”

Enter the velvet furniture, DJ, mood lighting, cold beverages and guest list of loyal customers, island influencers and Oxbow team riders such as Laird Hamilton, Jason Polakow, Levi Siver, Manu Bouvet and Carine Camboulives.

Utilizing 2.0 tools and incorporating creative partnerships with local, on-brand advocates such as Maui Brewing Co., SilverShark Media (who produced the video embedded on our blog), Mana Foods, MauiTime Weekly and the KAOI Radio Group stretched a modest budget to its maximum.

Result? Storewide sales up 20% over same month previous year, a social currency bump, a wave of publicity, a healthy dose of island buzz ... and one happy client.

Now that’s something to party about.




More event photos on the Neil Pryde Maui Facebook page, and check out the Oxbow Lounge "On The Scene" feature from the Maui News, including a shot of the G&A crew from the event.