This holiday season, the luxury crystal-makers Swarovski turned Rodeo Drive into an interactive display. Their installation, which ran down the Rodeo Drive median strip, scrolled holiday messages sent via text and Twitter on five shimmering helices of Swarovski crystals and moving type. Anyone could join in by texting “sparkle” to 877877 or tweeting with the hashtag #letitsparkle.
The sculptures combined the drama of a big out-of-home advertising display with the immediacy and excitement of text-to-screen. And it all happened in a Beverly Hills shopping mecca where prestigious stores such as La Perla, Missoni, Bebe, Escada and Stuart Weitzman were simultaneously spotlighting products by Swarovski. That meant Rodeo Drive shoppers could be smitten with the glitter of Swarovski, pick up a Swarovski-studded product, text in about how happy their purchase made them, and see their happiness reflected in lights, all within a matter of minutes.
The installation is at its sparkly best when it’s in motion, so watch the video to get the whole picture.