In New York, Mastercard Unveils Immersive Dining Experience – But is it Priceless?

 

 

 

If you haven’t noticed, MasterCard, the 53-year old financial services company, is finally moving into the 21^st century with an entirely new identity geared towards the ever-evolving Millennial consumer.

 

Earlier this year Mastercard deleted its name and now only uses those familiar merging dots. Then in February, they added a “sonic” identity, an audio tagline designed to be used anywhere the brand is facing or connecting with the consumer, whether at point of sale, advertising, or when you’re on the phone on hold.

 

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 PRICELESS is a highly immersive, multi-sensory environment designed to elevate your image of Mastercard.

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Virtually every brand is embracing the minimal brand identity – fewer (or no) words, fewer colors. A logo that’s more gesture than broad symbol.

Mastercard’s shift in brand identity couldn’t be more succinct, or relevant at a time when less is more.

 

Simplicity is “priceless.”

 

You bet. And now that tagline has even more brand value than ever before.

 

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These kinds of commercial environments, disguised as cool Instagrammable moments, are critical for seeding brand relevance.

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This month, Mastercard unveils an “International culinary collective” with a rotating menu of iconic restaurants taking up residence at 6 St. John’s Lane in New York’s Tribeca.

 

At top, the re-creation of Lyaness in London; below, Takayoshi Watanabe, the head chef at Teruzushi in Kitakyushu, Japan.

This is perhaps one of the most extraordinary experiential retail concepts to date. PRICELESS is a highly immersive, multi-sensory environment designed to elevate your image of Mastercard.

 

For its debut, PRICELESS features The Rock, a tiny island restaurant in Tanzania that can only be reached at low tide; Lyaness, a swanky London cocktail bar; and Teruzushi, one of Japan’s hottest sushi bars.

 

Spring Studios New York was hired to develop the highly-detailed spaces and ensure they are faithful to the originals. In the case of The Rock, window views feature digital screens with views of the Indian Ocean, complete with sounds of crashing waves. Even tableware and furniture is replicated to help transport diners to these far-flung culinary destinations.

 

 

At top, The Rock, a restaurant off the coast of Tanzania; below, the fabricated version in New York created by Spring Studios.

What’s a credit card company doing getting into the food business?

 

Plenty. In today’s world, there is really no arena that is off-limits for a brand seeking to connect more deeply with its stakeholders, and with a generation obsessed with “experiences” – think Coachella or the Museum of Ice Cream – these kinds of commercial environments disguised as cool Instagram moments, are critical for seeding brand relevance.

 

The fact is, consumers are constantly demanding deeper connections to how and where they spend their money. Mastercard is increasing their brand value by being the impresario for “meaningful” ways to spend your money.

 

> Watch Mastercard’s video introducing Priceless.

 

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