Fueled by our personal passions, trend research, and decades of experiential brand marketing – we at Javelin have forged a strategic partnership with the creators of Ink-N-Iron, a lifestyle experience celebrating car and tattoo culture with authenticity.  Three days of hotrod/ratrod/streetrod car shows, a traditional 1940’s pin-up pageant, serious musical talent, burlesque and more make this seven year old Long Beach festival “the” gathering place for kustom kulture.  Ink-N-Iron is the Burning Man of authentic retro cool.

The right brands with the right message can deliver an authentic live brand experience to consumers in this culture that reveres iconic Americana.   The impact on mass culture has already achieved critical mass.  Not only are celebrities like Kat Von D, Guy Fieri, & Jesse James deeply immersed, but unexpected brands like Callaway, Restoration Hardware and Sephora have invested heavily in this space and are ahead of the curve.

Javelin will take this world-class experiential program on tour in Summer 2011, offering brands a custom opportunity to reach consumers in a deeply personal way.

With our strategic partners, Coolfire Media, we are developing VEGAS CADDIES, an original reality show pitting caddies against one another on the greens and under the neon lights of Las Vegas – where late night temptation can lead to early morning elimination.

Separate but related is THE CADDY EXPERIENCE, a branded, experiential caddy program that is also one of the most robust brand ambassador experiences on the market…directly aimed at a highly desirable target.

At Javelin we champion the entrepreneurial spirit by continuing to take shrewd, calculated risks – at times for clients, at times for ourselves.  Own The Moment Productions is our brand incubator, where exciting new ideas are examined, prodded, exploded into reality, and then grown to maturity.

Incubator - photo from Axelhouston on Flickr

The mission of Own The Moment Productions is very simple.  We will innovate, create proprietary content, develop strategic partnerships, and deliver what’s next in experiential.  And we’ll have a blast doing it.

Want to come along for the ride?  Buckle up.  It’s going to be fast and it’s going to be loud.

Inspired by all-American hot rods, TRIM fabricates premium apparel, bags and accessories.  Each piece is trimmed with authentic New Old Stock upholstery (original automotive fabric that was never used) linking the item to a specific make, model and year of classic Detroit horsepower.  Every detail across the collection, including the vintage color palettes, stitched chevron denim pockets, tuck and roll upholstered bags, and chromed logos is an homage to the collection’s inspiration.

TRIM at St. Louis Fashion Week

A critical piece of our Brand Incubator program, TRIM is Javelin’s first foray into brand ownership.  We are immersed in the culture of the target consumer as well as the ins and outs of launching a fashion brand.

Garmentos at last!

A few months back the Javelin partners made a move—and some noise—by taking a stake in TRIM, the up and coming high-end fashion line. For us it was a business decision mixed with passion. We wanted to feel the rush of having a voice in developing a brand – and we wanted to indulge our need for a fashion fix. To date, the ride has been far better than imagined.  As experiential marketers, we are now getting to live a new experience…the full throttle fashion industry.

Recently the brand was picked up in Los Angeles by GLORY, arguably one of the hottest retailers on the planet, where Brad Pitt, George Clooney and a host of other A-listers shop regularly. As if that weren’t heady enough we’re also feeling the love from other trendy locals, a few hot bands like Ha Ha Tonka and Kings of Leon, and the righteous endorsement of Richard Rawlings—the sine qua non of road rally racing. He just digs us.

The global online retail store was launched on the website this week, so check out the merch and then stop by the blog to soak up some of the culture that fuels the heart and soul of the brand. Other ongoing developments, including appearances at Fashion Weeks around the country, will be featured here and on the TRIM blog.

Javelin is now at the vortex of the young brand experience. It is we who are taking the ride, not giving it, and it is grand. The learning and passion that comes from working with the line is energizing our staff, the press, and – best of all – our clients. There is another dimension to our story now, and new bona fides to add to the existing arsenal. In short, we’re loving the return on our investment to date and look forward to sharing the experience with you.