“The event is just the thing that happened, but the experience that we create is how we make people feel, and how we make people feel is what builds loyalty.”
–Felicia Kaban, Director-Executive Events, Kenvue
Everyday drugstore brands like Tylenol and Band-Aid are household names, but their parent company, Kenvue, not so much. Formerly the consumer health care division of Johnson & Johnson, Kenvue is a relatively new corporation with a host of legacy products under its umbrella. So to properly introduce itself, the company leaned on the power of the press to drive awareness and education with a media dinner and storytelling experience hosted at none other than the New York Public Library.
More than 120 invited guests, including members of the press, Kenvue employees and brand partners, were welcomed into the iconic building on March 28. There, Kenvue demonstrated why it prides itself on the stories behind its brands, and connected the dots between its products and how attendees use those items in their own daily routines because, as the brand pointed out, media members are also consumers. Throughout the evening, attendees enjoyed celebrity-led activities, remarks from key leadership and the chance to engage with 11 Kenvue products and the experts behind them.
“The event was an opportunity to showcase the collective power of our brands, showcase our innovation and introduce Kenvue to an influential group of media while highlighting how they fit into daily rituals for millions of consumers,” says Felicia Kaban, director-executive events at Kenvue. “Storytelling was the key to our success. And every story has three important elements: the great setting, the unforgettable people and the plot that keeps you engaged from start to finish.”
With that three-pronged storytelling theme at its core, here’s how the event strategy played out.
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THE SETTING
What better way to lean into a storytelling theme than to host an event at a historic library? Indeed, the New York Public Library is an elegant, sprawling venue. But Kenvue aimed to create an experience that felt intimate while capturing the grandeur of the setting. To that end, the brand leveraged projection mapping to create the illusion of full bookshelves (the library’s event spaces don’t typically have them); incorporated a faux crackling fireplace, custom lighting and an abundance of fresh florals; and implemented various other design touches built to create a warm environment.
“We knew that we needed a venue that was really worthy of the news that we were sharing,” says Nicole Klitchko, U.S. brand communications leader at Kenvue. “We pride ourselves on the stories behind our brands, and we knew that it was important to share those stories and also to help them to get to know the people behind the brand—the ‘authors,’ if you will. So the library provided a really great platform for us to share the information in an engaging way.”
The library’s Astor Hall was organized into 11 interactive installations led by the scientists behind the products.
THE CHARACTERS
Kenvue not only brought in key leadership to speak about the company’s purpose—“realize the extraordinary power of everyday care”—but recruited some star power for added engagement. Like “Top Chef” host Kristen Kish, who curated the dinner menu, then signed copies of the menu to give to attendees as an event souvenir. Emmy Award-winning producer and actress Niecy Nash-Betts was also on-site to launch Kenvue’s newest brand, Versalie, with her signature humor.
In addition, poet Shanelle Gabriel wrote and performed a poem during dinner that highlighted the ways that Kenvue brands elevate everyday care, like a baby’s first bath, managing acne as a teen and battling aches and pains as an adult.
In addition to celebrities like Niecy Nash-Betts, Kenvue leadership took the stage to showcase the brand’s vision to “realize the extraordinary power of everyday care.”
THE PLOT
Every detail of the attendee experience was “curated and choreographed to engage all of our senses,” says Kaban. The evening began with passed trays of champagne and library-themed craft cocktails, like “The Hardcover.” Following the opening reception, a giant curtain was parted to reveal the chic dinner space. As attendees dined, Kenvue helped its guests break the ice by providing custom conversation cards designed to get them talking about their everyday health care rituals and the products they use.
After dinner, attendees headed to the regal Astor Hall, where they were greeted with espresso martinis. The space was organized into 11 book-themed installations representing both new and legacy Kenvue brands, each offering an interactive demo and a chance to speak to the scientists behind the products.
Interactive experiences from a mix of new and well-known Kenvue brands were featured at the event.
Of course, all good stories must eventually come to an end. To wrap the evening, Kenvue sent attendees home with curated swag bags filled with all of the product innovations introduced during the event.
“My mantra is always that the event is just the thing that happened, but the experience that we create is how we make people feel, and how we make people feel is what builds loyalty,” Kaban says. “It builds brand love and drives action in support of our brands, which will be a purchase, a recommendation, a referral—it could be any of those things. I feel like the night really was the epitome of that… It was pretty spectacular.” Agencies: M Booth Health; ADM Creative Group.
Take a Spin Through the Event:
Photos: Courtesy of Kenvue
