Title Sponsor: Mercedes-Benz

As title sponsor, Mercedes-Benz had a very visible presence, but kept their staging classy and demure. Producers set the stage for brand interaction with three different activation areas, including two auto displays and an exclusive lounge.

Mercedes integrated their current ad campaign, Icons of Style, into an auto display set as a Hollywood photo shoot. The campaign itself features photographs of supermodel Lara Stone in a vast, barren landscape alongside her get-away car, the SL Roadster. The activation, then, included the actual car set against a similar backdrop and created a chic photo op for show goers. The wild landscape let viewers sense the freedom of a ride in a Roadster while linking the brand to the high style of Fashion Week.

A second auto display featured a Mercedes SUV against a backdrop of a designer boutique turned fine art gallery. Here, Mercedes displayed their paints and wood interiors using a series of multihued stilettos and chic wooden handbags. A finely etched placard directed visitors to a website where they could enter a sweepstakes after creating a Mercedes-themed Polyvore set. This was a great way to carry the activation beyond the event itself, as it engaged consumers in a design experience involving both FW Collections and Mercedes branding.

In addition to the auto displays, Mercedes welcomed fashion's elite into their intimate bar and lounge. The subtly marked entrance created an air of exclusivity that smoothly aligned with their brand positioning. This was the place to be and be seen, alongside celebrities like Kristin Chenoweth and Vera Wang. The space felt intimate and elegant, easily creating positive brand association for visitors who sipped Moet champagne and wooed over cupcakes featuring the Benz logo. Interiors created by a team of renowned designers and contemporary artist Stephanie Hirsch left visitors with the feeling that high fashion and the Mercedes-Benz brand go hand in hand.