Client: Geely Auto Australia
Venue: Palmers Lane Retreat, Hunter Valley
Date: September 2025
Illuminating Innovation: Geely’s Starray EM-i Unveiled in a Visual Symphony
When Geely Automobile Australia set out to launch their new STARRAY EM-i hybrid SUV, they wanted more than just a product reveal; they wanted an immersive experience that would capture the imagination of media, influencers, and automotive leaders. Encore was selected due to our vast expertise with automotive brands and our reputation for delivering creative, technically flawless events.
The Brief
Geely’s brief called for two distinct events: a high-impact product launch attended by industry media and select guests; and a sales training and technical workshop for dealerships. The challenge? Creating a grand-scale launch and media event, while still delivering all the drama, excitement, and brand storytelling expected from a global automotive leader.
The Creative Solution
Venue & Journey:
The Hunter Valley’s Palmers Lane Retreat was chosen for its scenic beauty and sense of adventure, perfect for showcasing the Starray’s 900km hybrid range. Media guests began their experience with a four-hour drive from Sydney, swapping drivers along a curated route to truly experience the car’s capabilities.
Immersive Arrival:
Upon arrival, guests were welcomed at a custom-built registration centre, then ushered into a gala dinner and outdoor event space. The evening unfolded across two distinct zones: a quiet area for social media content creation, and a vibrant display zone featuring three Starray vehicles in themed lifestyle vignettes.
Lifestyle Vignettes:
Around the lake and surrounds, Encore created ‘Lifestyle Vignettes’ to demonstrate the lifestyle suitability of the vehicles, this include a ‘camping site’ activation and John please list others. These setups allowed guests to experience the car’s versatility in real-world scenarios.
Encore’s creative team designed interactive scenes powered by the car’s V2L (vehicle-to-load) feature; one vignette ran an ice cream cart, another powered a projector for outdoor cinema, and the hero car was framed by dramatic polystyrene branding spelling STARRAY EM-i in 3D and decorated and lush foliage to complement the surrounds.
Spectacular Reveal
As night fell, the event transformed into a visual feast. The lake and surrounding bank were illuminated with beams and lasers, shooting patterns and colours into the forest beyond, creating a sense of scale and wonder. The car reveal itself was a theatrical moment: a silk cloth was pulled away as a countdown played across a custom LED floor and main stage, synchronised with vertical foggers, energetic music, and a dazzling light show. The price was revealed in sync with the spectacle, delivering the moment the media had been waiting for.
Bespoke Multimedia
All multimedia content was produced in-house by Encore, tailored to Geely’s technical and brand requirements. From the countdown video to the animated LED floor graphics, every detail was crafted to heighten anticipation and reinforce the STARRAY EM-i’s positioning as a versatile lifestyle vehicle.
Technical Excellence
- LED Floor & Staging: A custom LED floor created a dramatic runway for the car, surrounded by LED tubes and dynamic lighting.
- Lighting & Lasers: Beams and lasers filled the outdoor space, projecting patterns up to 300 metres and transforming the venue into a “cars under the stars” experience.
- Audio & Effects: High-energy music and vertical foggers punctuated key moments, while safety and weather contingencies were seamlessly managed.
The Result
Despite last-minute amendments and a condensed timeline, Encore delivered a glitzy getaway and a country adventure that wowed guests and showcased the Geely STARRAY EM-i in its best light. Automotive media and influencers left with memorable content and a true sense of the car’s capabilities, while Geely’s team enjoyed a seamless, high-impact launch.
“Encore transformed our vehicle launch into a truly immersive experience. From creative production to technical delivery, every moment was executed with precision and calm professionalism. The event captured attention, told our story beautifully and the outdoor venue was perfect to demonstrate the vehicles in action.” – Beryl Thomas, Marketing Director
Additional Dissemination Event
Following the extravagant Hunter Valley launch, the Geely team wanted to deliver an engaging sales training and technical workshop for its dealer network. This portion of the event was held at Novotel Sydney Airport. The two-day program saw 160 technical and sales staff from Geely Distributors around the country. The sales training included live in-room car demonstrations and test drive routes that compared the Geely performance with other brands in the market. High voltage demonstrations and repairs were carried out in a controlled manner. And the Pixel totem technology offered endless support with important graphics being able to be shown in a moment’s notice.
Encore’s creative production turned a challenging brief into a visual extravaganza; proving once again why we’re trusted for the industry’s most important moments.
