Retro Classic has been an integral part of the classic car scene for more than 20 years and traditionally marks the start of the season in spring. More than 90,000 fans and drivers of classic vehicles find their way to the halls of the Stuttgart exhibition centre. There are hundreds of exhibitors from a wide range of sectors (from accessories to dealers and spare parts) and, of course, lots of vehicles from different eras.
This year, the APPIA Automotive Group was also on site – specifically for the design and realisation of the Helvetia insurance company’s trade fair stand. As a full-service agency, a very special concept was realised here that shows the connection between the two market areas of art and historic vehicles, each of which is served by the insurer.
To this end, a vehicle from the APPIA Automotive Group fleet was designed as an art car by Viennese artist Roland Reiter. Based on this design, we took care of the wrapping and the presentation of the vehicle in an artistic environment.
To this end, the stand was equipped with works of art that could be viewed by visitors in a gallery-like atmosphere. In contrast to the clean gallery atmosphere, the art car with a 70s hair mat stood on a brightly coloured hippie carpet – thanks to artistic foiling, the car itself became a work of art and thus built a bridge between the two worlds.
The Art-Car will later be on display at various events throughout Germany outside of the trade fair stand. Another feature of the stand in Stuttgart was its own barista, who served Helvetia’s guests and customers with coffee specialities. These could then be enjoyed in the lounge area with comfortable tables and chairs, while videos of the creation of the Art Car and impressions of classic events, which Helvetia has been organising together with the APPIA Automotive Group for many years, were shown on LCD screens.