• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

Grey Goose is kicking off its 19^thyear of sponsoring the U.S. Open, and second year sponsoring tennis star Frances Tiafoe, with a pop-up in an unlikely off-the-court spot: the Grand Central Terminal in New York City. 

The Last Serve Bar will open on the east side of the station's Vanderbilt Hall from Aug. 27 through Aug. 29. The pop-up will serve “complimentary, on-trend tiny 'tini sample-sized” versions of the brand’s U.S. Open signature cocktail, the Honey Deuce, as well as espresso martinis, to commuters. More than 60% of U.S. Open attendees use mass transit to and from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, according to the MTA.

Marketing Daily asked Aleco Azqueta, global vice president of marketing for Grey Goose, about the pop-up’s unique location and how it reflects the brand.

Marketing Daily: Why Grand Central?

Azqueta: Grand Central Terminal reflects the hustle and bustle of New York City and serves as a central hub for countless fans making their way to the U.S. Open. Every day, tens of thousands of attendees travel by the 7 train or the Long Island Railroad, and Grand Central is often a stop along their route.

That made it the ideal location for us to capture and extend the energy of the tournament—not only for those coming and going to Flushing Meadows, but also for New Yorkers looking to take a moment to savor the excitement that the Open brings to NYC with a Grey Goose Honey Deuce or a late-night Espresso Martini.

Marketing Daily: How does this pop-up reflect Grey Goose as a brand?

Azqueta: The Last Serve Bar perfectly captures the ethos of our latest creative campaign called Grey Goose Hôtel, an expression that embodies our philosophy that pleasure is essential, and the inspiration behind our new platform “Make Time Wait.” Studies show Americans are becoming increasingly obsessed with spending their time “productively,” so as a French brand, we want to encourage people to live like the French and prioritize finding more moments of pleasure.

We hope the Last Serve Bar will inspire consumers to worry less about rushing off to the next to-do or getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible, but to soak up the electric energy of the U.S. Open just a bit longer instead.

Marketing Daily: Any other activations around the U.S. Open?

Azqueta: Those looking for Grey Goose Honey Deuces beyond the stadium and Last Serve Bar can find them at the hundreds of bars serving their own custom cocktail riffs. In New York City alone, over 240 of the most popular and award-winning bars and restaurants such as Dante, Sip & Guzzle, COQODAQ, Fouquet’s, Employees Only, The Wall Street Hotel and more will serve their own variations of the famous cocktail for the duration of the tournament.