The brief
Pernod Ricard, parent company of Martell, wanted to hold a regional launch event for its new prestige cognac, L’Or de Jean Martell, with a sophisticated gala evening for Malaysian consumers.

Challenges
Pernod Ricard requested a barker for the event – this is a traditional element of French fine dining where the each course is announced to guests.

“We sourced a barker from Europe and flew him in for the event,” says Jean Ng, group account director at Ktalyst International. “He had worked for the group before so was familiar with the expectations surrounding an event of this importance.”

Execution
Pernod Ricard wanted a high-quality venue that represented its key brand attributes. “When Martell was planning the launch of L’Or de Jean Martell, Hilton Kuala Lumpur was among the few venues we shortlisted,” says William Lee, brand manager of Pernod Ricard, Malaysia. Ktalyst approached the hotel in March so there was adequate time to prepare for the event.

The ballroom was divided into three spaces. Pre-dinner drinks and a Viking-themed dinner were held in Ballroom A. Leading Malaysian pianist and singer, Rachel Guerzo, provided entertainment during the cocktail reception. Further live performances included a violinist and a modern dance troupe.

In addition, Ktalyst hired two dancers from Dua Stace Dance Theatre to pose as gold-painted human statues as guests entered the ballroom. “L’Or is the French word for gold, and the human statues symbolised ‘liquid gold’ to match the cognac,” says Ng.

Organisers used Ballroom B for event preparation, which included assembling individual door gifts during the event. “Each guest was photographed upon arrival and we developed the photos on special printers brought in for the event,” says Ng. “These were captioned with the guest’s name and the event title, then placed in specially made Royal Selangor pewter frames.” Ballroom C was used for storage and the hotel’s new meeting space, Level 7, was used as a media interview area.

Hilton chefs worked with a special chef, brought in by Ktalyst for the event, on a customised dessert menu that included use of the premium cognac. The hotel also hosted a series of smaller dinners in its signature restaurant, Chynna.

Verdict
Lee says: “Hilton Kuala Lumpur is undeniably an excellent venue for any prestigious event held in Malaysia. “From the service and ambiance of the hotel, to the food prepared and support given, the hotel lived up to expectations and the success of the launch could not have been possible without it.”

Ng says: “The design and décor of Hilton Kuala Lumpur, and its new modern and contemporary event spaces, ooze the luxury and elegance Pernod Ricard were seeking. The event team gave us great support, which made our lives much easier.”