Our first automotive launch. A brand most of Europe had never heard of. Three vehicles across three markets. And the start of a relationship that’s still going strong today.
OVERVIEW
BEHIND THE SCENES
Genesis arrived in Europe with an almost impossible brief: establish a premium automotive brand in the home of premium, from a standing start, during a pandemic, with a name most European consumers had never encountered.
Within six months of launch, media were road-testing Genesis against those established players. Customers were cross-shopping against them. Almost entirely as planned, the market had accepted Genesis as a premium brand and Brightspace was part of the team that made the launch experiences happen.
Engaged through Performance Communications — the PR agency driving the campaign — this was our first automotive launch, and the beginning of a relationship with both Performance Communications and Genesis that we are genuinely proud of.
BRIEF
INTRODUCING A NEW LUXURY BRAND
The brief was to create premium launch experiences for three Genesis vehicles; the GV60, GV70 and G70 Shooting Brake, across the European press, fleet buyers and influencer community in the UK, Germany and Switzerland. Each event needed to feel exceptional: befitting a brand positioning itself against the very best names in automotive.
These weren’t simply car launches. They were brand-building moments; each one a carefully designed opportunity to shift perception and earn a place in a conversation that Genesis had no right to be in yet, and every ambition to own.
CHALLENGES
MULTIPLE MARKETS, MOVING TARGETS
The pandemic made everything harder. Factory shutdowns caused repeated vehicle delivery delays, which meant launch timelines shifted continuously and planning had to be rebuilt from scratch more than once. Every venue, date and supplier had to be held lightly and renegotiated as restrictions changed across different countries at different rates.
Delivering a cohesive premium experience across three different markets with different COVID protocols, different media cultures and different expectations of what luxury looks and feels like added a layer of complexity that demanded genuine creativity and flexibility. We loved every minute of it!
SCOPE
THREE MARKETS,
ONE PREMIUM EXPERIENCE
UK LAUNCH
A multi-day residential experience at Windmill Hill at Waddesdon Manor — a setting that matched the premium Genesis positioning in every detail. Korean-inspired catering, first-class service, and full Brightspace delivery across all logistics, delegate management and on-site execution.
EUROPEAN TEST DRIVE
When restrictions eased enough for an international in-person launch, we delivered the very first Genesis Pan-European test drive at the Penha Longa resort in Portugal. Excellent driving routes, a premium venue and Genesis’s reputation for open engagement made it the ideal setting.
MARKET CO-ORDINATION
Planning, supplier management, delegate logistics, communications and full event delivery across UK, Germany and Switzerland — continuously adapting to changing restrictions while maintaining the premium experience standard that Genesis required.
OUTCOME
COVERAGE,
CREDIBILITY
AND IMPACT
The launch programme generated 41 high-quality pieces of coverage across the European press, including a 4-star review in Autocar. Social and influencer content performed strongly across all markets. But the number that mattered most was the one Jon Walsh, Head of PR described: within six months of launch, European media were road-testing Genesis against Mercedes, BMW and Audi. The market had accepted them as premium. The mission was accomplished.
For Brightspace, the impact was equally significant. This was our first major car launch and it was also the beginning of our relationship with Performance Communications, which led directly to our work on 3 other brands and their launch and activation events.
"THANK YOU SARAH AND TO EVERYONE AT BRIGHTSPACE EVENTS - THE TEAM COULD NOT HAVE DELIVERED THESE RESULTS WITHOUT YOUR GARGANTUAN SUPPORT. COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU GUYS! THANK YOU!!"
JOHN WALSH
PR & Communications Manager at Genesis
EVENT MOMENTS
From the Buckinghamshire countryside to the Portuguese coast — three vehicles, three markets, and the beginning of a brand that now sits comfortably alongside the names that ruled Europe before it arrived.
HOW WE'VE HELPED
EXPLORE OUR OUR CASE STUDIES
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THE NEW YORK TIMES
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READY TO DELIVER RESULTS
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