Blacklane: Exploring London After Dark with ‘Shortcut to Summer’
Turning an ambitious in-car idea into a beautifully crafted experience for Blacklane’s London passengers…
The Challenge:
Blacklane came to us with an idea for a one-weekend-only PR campaign designed to make more of London after dark.
Shortcut to Summer would give selected passengers travelling between 9pm and 5am the chance to extend their night with an unexpected extra stop. Blacklane had curated a collection of late-night London experiences, from hidden cocktail bars and live jazz to sunrise on Primrose Hill, and wanted passengers to be able to choose one from inside the car.
At the centre of the idea was The Blacklane Button: press it and your chauffeur would know you weren’t ready to go home just yet…
The creative concept had been developed by Blacklane. Our job was to work out how to bring that in-car moment to life in a way that felt special enough for the brand, worked practically across the vehicles and made sense within budget.
Our Insight:
Blacklane had originally imagined something fully integrated into the car itself. It was a lovely idea, but once we started looking at what it would take to engineer, install and deliver across the fleet, the cost quickly became disproportionate to a two-night activation.
So rather than compromise the idea, we looked at how we could simplify the production.
The answer was to make the mechanic feel like something passengers would want to be handed. Less piece of technology, more beautiful object to discover in the back of the car.
The Execution:
We developed three different production routes for Blacklane, ranging from a completely bespoke integration within the vehicle, through to adaptations using existing car components, and finally a standalone presentation piece.
The third route gave us the best balance of impact and practicality.
We produced a bespoke Shortcut to Summer box housing The Blacklane Button alongside the Shortcut to Summer Collection: Blacklane’s curated guide to London after dark.
Working with Blacklane’s existing creative direction, we focused on the physical details that would make the finished piece feel suitably premium. Vintage-inspired styling, gold accents and decorative corner fittings gave the box the feel of a beautifully made travel collection.
Inside, passengers could browse Blacklane’s edit of after-hours London before pressing the button to add another stop to their journey. The collection included everything from Archive & Myth (with a complimentary drink on arrival), Ronnie Scott’s and late-night dining to contrast therapy, flower markets and London at sunrise. Those who preferred to leave the decision to someone else could hand it over to their chauffeur.
The finished boxes were placed in three First Class Blacklane vehicles for the activation across 14th and 15th August, creating a small moment of theatre in the back of the car and giving passengers a very Blacklane way to be spontaneous.
In The Press:
Shortcut to Summer was selected by The Drum as one of its Ads of the Week, with The Blacklane Button singled out as the element that made the idea memorable. Read the full feature
Key Learnings:
Sometimes the most premium experience needs a super-simple mechanic to give the idea more room to shine.
Exploring and scoping alternative production routes early enabled Blacklane to make an informed decision about where the budget would have the greatest impact.
For luxury brands, the physical details matter. Materials, finishes, and presentation can turn a simple mechanic into something that feels considered, special, and extra-lux.
