While people were taking pictures on beaches for spring break, I was meeting DJ Khaled at a New York City exclusive event.
When I first received the invite from M Booth during spring break, I was intrigued. The details of the event included a luxurious car simulator experience, a cigar bar and complimentary cocktail party, yet the event seemed to include networking opportunities, which was an interesting blurred line that I wanted to investigate.
As part of the Ignite Your Passion campaign, DJEEP Lighters, an extension of the BIC lighter family, partnered with musical icon DJ Khaled. Known for his self-expression via his music and his love for culture and cars, the campaign focused on his passions. The brand is bringing their lighters to the United States after “finding success as a popular lighter choice in European markets,” Katty Pien, VP of Marketing for BIC in America, said in a press release.
DJ Khaled’s House of DJEEP amplified Khaled’s passions by blending together creativity and self expression when showcasing the lighters. From a colorful Art Deco-inspired entrance to eating carefully curated tapas (like chicken bites on plantain chips with a mix of guacamole and salsa) the experience captured a vibrant lifestyle with the DJEEP lighters as its focus. Crowds of social media influencers taking advantage of the designated photo spots added to the night’s theme of expression.
“I have so many blessings, like my music and style, that keep my creativity flowing, and DJEEP knows what’s up when it comes to igniting that spark,” Khaled said in the same press release. “I’m proud to be a partner with an authentic brand that believes in yourself.”
One of my personal favorite features of the night was a cigar bar where attendees could take home complimentary hand-rolled Cuban cigars paired with a selection of lighters. As someone of Cuban descent, it was interesting learning the cigar process, history and different types. While I was not interested in the cigars themselves, it was a compelling moment, having someone explain a part of my family’s history to me in a new light that I would not normally be interested in.
The luxury car stimulator reminded me of the video games found in mall arcades I’d often enjoy with a group of friends as a kid, screaming the whole time. Trying it out at the House of DJEEP was more memorable since I was experiencing the whole night with new friends.
What started out as a networking event turned into a truly memorable night of firsts, like meeting people who would become friends and stepping out of my comfort zone by attending an event promoting a product I don’t use daily. The HCNYU writers who came with me to the DJEEP x DJ Khaled experience loved the lighters so much.
One of the writers held a DJEEP lighter for one moment and instantly fell in love with it, thinking of the many ways she could use it. According to the press release, DJEEP lighters stated its lighters “present an elevated daily essential that represents individuality.” Sporting a flat push-down button, the DJEEP lighters can light up to 3,500 times per lighter and come in four collections that “tap into uniquely expressive aesthetics to catalyze passion and spark ideas,” as stated in the press release.
Overall, the House of DJEEP proved to me that promotional business functions in NYC are not all about suits and ties but can be creative and fun through the smallest of details such as the venue to celebrity attendees like Khaled, whose personal favorites could turn an East Village space into the talk of the town for one night only.