Hard Rock Prague is a haven for fans of music, food and great times. However, the cafe realised there was a clear psychological divide between fans of rock stars and the rock stars themselves. This meant that local Czechs disengaged with the brand and considered the Hard Rock a tourist trap, falling short on the promise to get you close to your favourite rock legend. We developed a campaign that bridged this divide and gave consumers a backstage pass into the minds of their favourite rock stars.We launched a rock inspired art exhibition in the centre of Prague, showcasing original artwork by musicians like Michael Jackson, Jim Morrison and Ringo Starr. The Art of Hard Rock was an invitation to climb into the minds of stars and discover the humanity within. We appointed a ‘rock psychologist’ to analyse the work and give it a local perspective. We hosted a press conference and VIP event with Karel Gott - the Czech Republic’s Tom Jones – and hosted a series of rock-themed events throughout the exhibition.

More than 10,000 people visited the gallery in 40 days. The launch press conference was attended by 30 mainstream journalists, resulting in 60 print articles. The exhibition was covered by 4 terrestrial TV channels, including a 7 minute live reportage on prime-time morning. We successfully hosted the Czech Republic’s first Rock Industry Roundtable. Overall, we achieved Advertising Value Equivalent of more than €1m – a 1,000% return on investment from media impressions alone.

The Art of Hard Rock exhibition was hosted in a contemporary art gallery in the centre of Prague for 40 days through January and February 2012. Prior to the opening, we appointed a Czech Rock Psychologist to creat an in-depth analysis of all the artworks. The analysis – called, Paint it Black – uncovered some great messages and remarkable insights that we were able to use with consumers and media.

We hosted a press conference and TV interview schedule before the doors opened to the public allowing us to get some pre-press for the exhibition. The same day, we hosted a VIP launch party for the Prague A-list and select partners.

To maintain media interest we organised a series of events throughout the exhibition. We hosted the Czech Republic’s first ever Rock Industry Roundtable, bringing together 20 of the key figures from the industry for constructive debate.

More than 10,000 people visited the gallery in its 40 days of operation. The launch press conference was attended by 30 mainstream journalists, resulting in more than 60 print articles to date. The exhibition was covered by 4 terrestrial TV channels, including a 7 minute live reportage on prime-time morning. Advertising Value Equivalent surpassed €1m – a 1,000% ROI from media impressions alone. In the first 5 months of 2012, the ration of tourists to locals coming to the Hard Rock Prague shifted from 70:30 to 55:45. The campaign delivered against all initial objectives; general awareness of the Hard Rock raised significantly and more local Czechs started to enjoy their own rock experiences in the cafe.