Event: Creating a Buzzing Launch platform with The Big Launch, Machines

Machines, Apple’s Premium Reseller in Malaysia saw its seventh and newest outlet open in Aeon Bukit Tinggi, Klang, earlier this year. The Big Launch on April 16, 2011 saw much excitement and enthusiasm among the attendees. BRANDTHINK was tasked with the event and activation under the Big Launch program, a fast start launch platform designed to create buzz for new stores from Day 1. The platform has been used consistently with other store launches and has proven to be successful in generating crowds and excitement for the new stores.

As with the past launches of other Apple Premium Resellers (Bangsar Shopping Center, Ipoh Parade, etc), fans were queueing up hours before the Big Launch for their chance at a mystery box of goodies. Called the WooHoo! Box, the content is randomized, holding gifts such as food vouchers, merchandise and such. A few WooHoo! Boxes were filled with Apple products like the iPod.

We decided to up the ante for the launch of Machines Aeon Bukit Tinggi and came up with a couple of creative methods to get people to participate in the launch, using tools such as Facebook to create pre-event hype and generate interest. For example, the first five people in the five spots (out of the available hundred) will receive the Super WooHoo! Box. Three of these spots were open to everyone via contests.

The first WooHoo! spot is reserved for the earliest person in line. The second spot can be won through an iOS game challenge. The third spot is available for the winner of the Third Spot App designed by BRANDTHINK and ran through Facebook, while the fourth and fifth spots are for the second and third earliest, respectively.

The iOS game challenge was open to the people in line, where they had to play an iOS game on an iPod touch. The person with the highest game score will be catapulted to the second spot from whichever spot he or she was in. The third spot goes to the person with the highest points on the 3rd Spot app on Facebook. Through this app, every friend whom the user invites entitles the user to one point. The user will get an additional point for every invited friend who accepts the invitation.

The event drew a large crowd before the mall opened, with some camping overnight to be the very first in line. Those who were there were entertained by Jin of Hitz.fm, a self-professed Apple fan himself. Custom signboards were also created to capture the excitement of the moment, with many fans posing with them as our photographers snap away.

The crowd was engaged and ready to step foot into the Machines store at 2pm, when the launch commenced with a flash mob and a lion dance.