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Maybach World Premiere

Maybach world premiere – an image captures the world’s imagination

It is an image that grabbed attention worldwide and wrote a new chapter in the automotive history books. It shows a helicopter against the Manhattan skyline transporting the new Maybach to its world premiere on Wall Street. The spectacular operation was staged by OSK.

The unveiling of the new premium sedan in the global metropolis of New York marked the culmination of a symbolic journey from the Old to the New World that reflected the itineraries of wealthy travelers and luxury automobile customers during the first Maybach era in the 1920s and 30s.

The new Maybach, built to represent the last word in luxury and tradition, crossed the Atlantic in a glass case on the first-class sun deck of the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2, giving the liner’s passengers the first exclusive glimpse of the new sedan bearing the time-honored name. Upon arrival in New York, the car’s voyage climaxed with a spectacular helicopter flight from the deck of the ship to the old Cunard berth on the shore of Manhattan Island.

From here the car was driven, with an escort provided by NY Police Department outriders, to its world premiere in the Regent Ballroom next door to the New York Stock Exchange. Coming just six months after 9/11, the global premiere on Wall Street was an act of courage that inspired optimism during an economically challenging period.

Rapturous press reviews, numerous awards

From its inception to the perfect finale, OSK conceived and realized the legendary marque’s renaissance step by step. The emblematic journey from the Old World to the New constituted the high point of the launch campaign and is still regarded in the automotive PR segment as a masterclass in storytelling – an OSK classic.

The exercise attracted a global TV audience of 500 million viewers, gave rise to more than 350 articles in the then still predominant print media, and generated an excellent return on investment. Numerous national and international PR and event awards were bestowed on the campaign.

The most extravagant debut the motor industry has ever seen.

Auto Express

The top of car unveilings.

CBS

Never before has a car been so spectacularly launched. A show in Hollywood format.

Bunte

Probably the most sensational launch since marketing was invented.

auto motor and sport TV