Launching The Macallan’s largest experiential activation to date during Art Basel Miami Beach, bringing together luxury hospitality, contemporary art and live performance with James Blake and the New York City Ballet through a week of programming anchored by The Bass Museum.
The Challenge
The M Collection was scheduled to launch ahead of the holiday gifting season, making Art Basel Miami Beach the ideal cultural moment to introduce The Macallan’s most exclusive collection. At the same time, the launch presented two distinct challenges.
The M Collection retailed for approximately $1,000 per pour in on-premise accounts, making traditional sampling impossible at scale.
More importantly, I believed The Macallan needed to earn its place within the Art Basel conversation. As luxury brands increasingly activate around the fair, simply showing up is no longer enough. The opportunity was to develop an idea that gave The Macallan an authentic role within the cultural landscape while introducing a product that very few people would ever have the opportunity to taste.
The Approach
To solve both challenges, I developed Masters of Craft, a creative platform rooted in a simple idea: craftsmanship is universal. Rather than centering the experience around the whisky itself, the concept connected The Macallan with artists, musicians, performers and cultural institutions whose pursuit of excellence mirrored the values behind the M Collection.
Every collaboration—from James Blake and the New York City Ballet to The Bass Museum and Bentley Motors—was intentionally selected through that lens, allowing guests to experience the brand through shared values rather than the liquid alone.
I translated the Masters of Craft platform into a week-long cultural program, leading creative development, partnership strategy and production across every aspect of the experience. From programming and partner selection to guest experience and execution, every element reinforced the same strategic narrative.
The Outcome
• Created The Macallan’s largest experiential activation to date.
• Introduced the M Collection through an immersive cultural platform rather than traditional product sampling.
• Produced a week of programming featuring James Blake, the New York City Ballet, The Bass Museum, Bentley Motors and Soho House.
• Welcomed more than 1,000 guests across multiple experiences.
Selected Partners
James Blake
New York City Ballet
Jorge Méndez Blake
Kaytranada
Oscar Zabala
Art Basel Miami Beach
The Bass Museum
Soho House
Bentley Motors
Fountainebleau
New York City Ballet
Jorge Méndez Blake
Kaytranada
Oscar Zabala
Art Basel Miami Beach
The Bass Museum
Soho House
Bentley Motors
Fountainebleau
Select Press
AD
Hypebeast
Haute Living
Page Six
Variety
The Cut
Harper's Bazaar
Yahoo!
Hypebeast
Haute Living
Page Six
Variety
The Cut
Harper's Bazaar
Yahoo!
Why It Mattered
The campaign shifted the conversation beyond the bottle, giving The Macallan an authentic role within Art Basel by connecting the brand to the world’s leading creatives and cultural institutions.
In doing so, it reinforced The Macallan’s evolution from a heritage whisky maker into a contemporary luxury brand.
Project Highlights
– Week long integrations across South Beach
– 500 Person capstone event with a performance by James Blake and The NYC Ballet
– Interactive projections on The Bass Museum by Oscar Zabala
– Overnight build turning Collins Park into private concert venue
– 40 Person VIP multi-course vegan dinner with the M Collection
– After-party in partnership with Soho House feat. Kaytranada and James Blake
– Bentley Motors event integration off-site
– Fontainebleau out of home integration off-site
– Permanent donation to The Bass Museum
– Official Art Basel Miami Beach partner
– 500 Person capstone event with a performance by James Blake and The NYC Ballet
– Interactive projections on The Bass Museum by Oscar Zabala
– Overnight build turning Collins Park into private concert venue
– 40 Person VIP multi-course vegan dinner with the M Collection
– After-party in partnership with Soho House feat. Kaytranada and James Blake
– Bentley Motors event integration off-site
– Fontainebleau out of home integration off-site
– Permanent donation to The Bass Museum
– Official Art Basel Miami Beach partner
James Blake
NYC Ballet
NYC Ballet with James Blake
