Rekorderlig cider has opened an immersive pop-up, introducing the bucolic calm of a Swedish forest into London’s bustling East End.
Visitors to the Rekorderlig Winter Forest pop-up bar and restaurant are transported from the urban jungle of Brick Lane into a fantasy woodland complete with pine trees, moss banks and leaf covered floors. Smell and sight are the first senses to be engaged, but the nature of the pop-up makes taste an equally important factor. A specially created menu of Swedish tapas-style dishes, each paired with a different Rekorderlig flavour, heightens the idea of connoisseurship around the drink. Highlights include Arctic cheese croquettes paired with orange and ginger cider and elk sausage rolls with apple and blackberry Rekorderlig. The experience is also accompanied by a souvenir recipe book of cider-inspired dishes and Rekorderlig cocktails for visitors to take away.
The Rekorderlig bottle is elevated to hero status in the space. Backlit and stacked, the iconic glass vessels form a simple but impressive entrance arch and backdrop for the bar area. They have also been upcycled into chandeliers lighting the entrance to the forest and giant images of the bottles adorn the toilet doors.
Consumer Insights: Increasingly tired of constant references to authenticity, consumers are craving more magical experiences that fuse fantasy and reality. The Rekorderlig Winter Forest cleverly plays on the cider’s Swedish roots while simultaneously introducing a fairytale element.
Brand take-away: This pop-up is a great example of a successfully executed immersive brand experience that encourages consumers to think about the cider in the context of a multisensory theatrical experience. Positive memories and press coverage should ensure that the concept also offers longer term value.