At Defender House, Music Is the Vehicle for Land Rover
Land Rover is crashing the music arena and aligning with SXSW to officially unveil the Defender 110 plug-in electric hybrid.
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Purveyors of modern luxury Land Rover are propelling their popular Defender model into the future, with a full-sized hybrid electric 4×4 that has lower emissions while still exuding its signature rugged style.
In a swerve toward music for the marque, Land Rover is launching the EV by hitching its wagon to SXSW Sydney and presenting the eco-car as rock star.
SXSW has grown from a little-festival-that-could in Austin, Texas, to a global event with an enviable digital footprint. Sydney is only the second city to have an outpost.
The event resembles a mash-up of music, art, and tech with thought-leadership events alongside festival-style programming.
Land Rover is not alone, of course, in crashing the music arena (and other cultural tent-pole events). In Sydney, it joins a host of luxury brands that are now grooving in this space to forge emotional connections with consumers and make a statement about innovation, technology, sustainability, and other important pillars.
Located in Sydney’s Clarence Street, Defender House is a pop-up, by-invitation space being used by key brands to host parties, present exhibitions, and interactive events during SXSW.
Penny Ferguson, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover, said that the marriage made sense because “embracing the impossible binds Defender and music,” adding, “Music for me has always been about finding new inspiration.”
At Defender House on Thursday night, she marked the unveiling by welcoming well-dressed creators, brand loyalists, celebrities (we see you Lincoln Younes!), and media.
The evening included choose-your-own-adventure Exploration Portals (hey, it’s SXSW!), interactive scent stations, live music, DJs, and food by Nelly Robinson, including divine prawn and caviar canapés and newfangled prosciutto balls that exploded in the mouth.
As for the big reveal? The first look pulled back the curtain on a handsome off-road truck with plenty of swagger, which can take you from high street to hilltop, in gangster style.
Tonight (Friday, October 19) Defender House gets an encore, with Aria award-winning songwriter and rapper Tkay Maizda performing for 150 lucky guests.
SXSW in Sydney runs through October 22. Read the schedule here.
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