When buildings become media and create news

The Messika jeweller's fashion show in 2022 was the starting point for our offer. The brand was looking for a unique and exclusive venue to unveil its latest high jewellery collection, and it was at 35 boulevard des Capucines, the former studio of the famous photographer Nadar, in a raw concrete atmosphere, that the brand fell in love. Naomi Campbell was the star of the show, and a host of celebrities including Carla Bruni and Emily Ratajkowski also attended. The event attracted a lot of attention, creating an unusual buzz in the area among photographers, models and influencers. There was a real buzz in our teams too! It was a far cry from a typical property day. 

The fashion show put the spotlight on Gecina where it was least expected. We weren't used to this kind of activity, which was a long way from our core business, but we realised that an event like this was a great opportunity to showcase the quality of our property portfolio.

And the proof? Messika's management were so taken with the venue that they visited others and set up their headquarters in one of our buildings at 44 avenue des Champs Élysées. Since then, other brands have approached us for their own events. The success was immediate. We have a portfolio of exceptional properties in the heart of Paris that were previously inaccessible to these events, and that's exactly what they're looking for. So we decided to structure an offer, which until now had existed on the basis of occasional opportunities: ‘Experiences’.

The ‘Expériences’ offer is based around three activities: events in buildings under construction (often between the clearance phase and the start of works) but also in operation when the premises allow it; pop-up stores, these ephemeral shops that are increasingly popular with brands as a way of meeting their public; and lastly, giant advertising displays on the façades of our assets, which have spectacular views and dominate the streets of Paris.

For brands, ‘Expériences’ is an opportunity to benefit from totally new and exclusive locations in the centre of Paris, such as a rooftop with a view over the whole capital, secret gardens, atypical raw spaces with large volumes, or emblematic façades. Gecina's premium property portfolio, often listed and located in the best districts of Paris, makes it possible to create memorable, high-quality highlights.  

At the moment, we have more requests than opportunities. So the future looks bright. Not to mention the Olympic Games, which represent a real springboard for our new service. For example, the rooftop of the rue de Pergolèse building, renamed ‘L'Aparté étoile’, will be operated by an operator and new partner Nestore via its subsidiary ‘Les Apartés’, responsible for organising open-air evenings until next October. Large-format displays have also already been booked by partners of the Olympic Games, notably on the 1,200 sq. m. frontage of our office building ‘Carreau de Neuilly’, which is currently being refurbished.  

I'm particularly enthusiastic about the growth of our offer. What's more, we're applying the atypical, offbeat feel of ‘Expériences’ to our own events, to build tenant loyalty and attract new potential customers (confidential dinner in the heart of a building site, open-air evening on a rooftop, etc.). 

• Around 15 venues are hosting events, pop-up stores and large-format billboards.
• More than 20 events in 1 year: fashion shows, including Messika haute joaillerie, a post-show party for Courrèges, preparations for the Off-White fashion clothing and accessories show, a multi-brand showroom, a photo shoot for sports shoe specialist On Running, various open-air corporate parties on our rooftop on rue Saint-Dominique, and a number of ongoing operations driven by the Paris Olympics.
• 2 pop-up stores: Amazon on Place de la Madeleine and Netflix on the Champs Élysées.
• 2 large-format advertising spaces: 1,200 m² of billboards on the Carreau de Neuilly building and 400 m² on 5 Royale with Gucci, Audemars Piguet and the City of Le Havre.