Red Rooster Harlem Brand Activation

Red Rooster Harlem— Artist Liaison, Brand Partnership, Creative Strategy, Experiential Design, Retail Design, Creative Direction, Community Engagement, Influencer Marketing

Red Rooster Harlem, Brand Partnership, Community Relation, Pre-opening London launch event

Role: Art Direction, Brand Partnership, Creative Strategist, Event Production, Influencer Marketing, Talent Booker 

The Ask

Help Red Rooster Harlem raise awareness of their newly refurbished event space Ginny's Supper Club, create an event schedule that will inspire creativity, and engage a younger creative crowd. 

Strategic Approach

Named in honor of the legendary Harlem speakeasy that attracted neighborhood folk, jazz greats, and noteworthy figures of the 20th century from Adam Clayton Powell Jr. to Nat King Cole and James Baldwin, Red Rooster shares its namesake with the original Red Rooster. Located in the heart of Harlem, Red Rooster embraces today's; Harlem with a spirit of inclusiveness and community by hiring staff from within the community, inspiring better eating through neighborhood cooking classes, and buying from local purveyors.

After researching Harlem's history, I learned that the Harlem renaissance was one of the most creative periods of American history; thousands of speakeasies dominated the New York streets during the 1920s. Speakeasies were more commonly known for being a creative hub for creatives of all disciplines. Collaboration was celebrated and encouraged in this space, and creative communities were formed through genuine connections. Inspired by this rich history, I saw an opportunity to reimagine what a unique experience rooted in the community would look like today among creative millennials. 

Creative Solution

With the community as my foundation, I wanted to approach this project from the lens of creative millennials, thinking of how I could bring value to them. Working collaboratively with local talent, I produced a series of unique experiences throughout the year, for creatives, by creatives that were interesting, purposeful, and one that attendees would engage with consistently.

Results 

Utilizing my robust database of friends within the creative industry, I curated and produced a series of unique experiences throughout the year that was all very different but rooted in the community. Including partnering with Harlem's Grammy-Award-winning artist Anu Sun, who provided a platform for local emerging artists and musicians through monthly residency and workshops through his live music event series The Shed. This impacted the surrounding neighborhood, cultivating a community of emerging musicians still active today.

In addition, this project allowed me to work closely with key stakeholders and be sought out as a trusted advisor, which led to multi-year contracts, including serving as a pre-opening team member for their first international location. I further increased Red Roosters' presence in culture by curating and executing the intimate hat-themed after-party 'HatsOnly' for Grammy-Award-winning artist Erykah Badu. HatsOnly transported guests into the 'Hat-Loving' world of Erykah Badu, a one-of-a-kind experience that increased engagement and made the brand more tangible, human, and sharable, resulting in positioning Red Rooster London as a hub for creatives.