As the rain started to fall on Tuesday evening, I was leaving work receiving text after text from friends who didn’t want to brave the rain and humidity to simply watch the film Wet Hot American Summer on the Intrepid. A loyal friend and I were set on going and made our way there early. We brought a blanket to sit on and snacks, expecting your typical evening film screening, such as those that take place all over the city in the summer. We were proven wrong. We joined the line and went through security and ID check, as well as gave our names to some very tall girls in neon pink skirts, the official Kahlua uniform. Although free, the event was open to the over-21 public with a restricted guest list that had been filled several days before. Suggestion – when these events occur, RSVP when you see the sign-up because the lists fill quickly. Luckily, hosting an event on the deck of the Intrepid allows for an automatic rain location, the Intrepid itself.
During the cocktail hour, we were approached by a representative from the Public Relations agency that works for Kahlua, and asked to fill out a survey about what comes to mind when we think of the drink. A couple of the options were “retro cool” and “my mom’s drink, not mine”. To be honest, I’m not sure if I had ever had Kahlua before that evening. When I mentioned it to my parents, they agreed that Kahlua often has a reputation of being a ’60s drink. Sure enough, when we went out with my grandmother the day after the event, she ordered a Kahlua and milk. Kahlua is working hard to rejuvenate their brand in order to gear it to a younger audience. I think they succeeded that night, despite being what I would imagine to be a difficult thing to do. In between Mudslides, (a new favorite drink of mine…who doesn’t love a milkshake!?), we took part in the Vulture-sponsored photo booth, instantly posting them to Facebook and making our friends jealous that they weren’t there. Finally it was time to settle down for the movie we had come for in the first place while the drinks continued to flow.
Along with the other sponsors, New York Magazine and Vulture, Kahlua threw a stellar party and despite the rain, we still had a fabulous time. Their marketing works…we’ll definitely be ordering a White Russian soon!