We developed a European media relations campaign to celebrate Whirlpool's 100 Years Anniversary, leveraging on the new concept 'sensing the future', showcasing the company’s enduring mission to interpret future living trends and drive the evolution of design, food and sustainability to anticipate new desires and emerging lifestyles. The campaign leveraged on trends and influencers thanks to the creation of Whirlpool Europe Lab, an international panel of international top influencers, including the Whirlpool Global Consumer Design team, 6 top design and food experts and PeclersParis, a trend agency with the aim of investigating the future prospective scenario of the next 5-10 years.

After examining all the most influential trends on the evolution of domesticity, home technology, and sustainability the Whirlpool Living Lab identified 'sensing naturality', 'sensing functionality' and 'sensing creativity' as the 3 main themes and directions that will have a strong impact on the future to come. These trends gave birth to 2 Sensing the Future Concepts developed by the Whirlpool’s Global Consumer Design team: Fireplace, a common area for relaxing and sharing real experiences around food and fire and Freshconnect, an innovative food preservation concept, integrating products and services that lets consumers live a true and sustainable fresh food experience. Paris Sensing the Future Event unveiled an experiential multimedia path to guide international press, top opinion leaders and consumers through the Whirlpool’s Future vision of the world.

The European Trend Research is at the heart of the entire project and was carried out with the consultancy of Peclers Paris and the creative contribution of Whirlpool Living Lab through periodical sessions of brain storming and round tables. After sharing all the most influential trends, naturality, functionality and creativity were identified as the 3 main themes with a strong impact on the future to come. These trends nourished the 2 Sensing the Future Concepts developed by the Whirlpool’s Global Consumer Design team: Fireplace and FreshConnect. The research results were presented during a big international press conference in Paris (Maison des Métallos), on the 17th of May, with the presence of top interiors and national newspapers. International press had the chance to live an experiential multimedia path through the biggest innovations of Whirlpool from the past to the future, to come and interview the management and all the members of Whirlpool Living Lab. The exhibition was then open to the public for 1 week.

1. 115 journalists coming from 11 countries and then exhibition open to the public for 1 week;2. More than 300 articles in national and local newspapers, thanks to international press office activities (from January to December);3. An international media coverage with an equivalent Euro Value of 1,938,931.37 The campaign has had a very positive outcome and contribute to create buzz and word of mouth in the design community, strengthening the Company’s enduring mission to develop innovative home solutions through elegant, cutting-edge design, in a way that empowers consumers and simplifies daily life while contributing to the creation of a more sustainable world.