Live Fragrance Bottle Engraving for the Uncommon James Austin Grand Opening
Uncommon James just opened up their fifth brick-and-mortar store, this time in South Congress (or SoCo as the cool cats call it). And thanks to Kristin Cavallari and the team at Uncommon James (looking at you, Elizabeth) we were brought in to run a compact engraving station so their very first Austin guests could leave with a customized Hard Feelings bottle with their very own name on it.
The Friday before the big day, we supported a private soft opening for friends and family, and on Saturday morning, we handled the big public debut—ribbon cutting ceremony, and all.
Engraving on glass goes perfectly with any event if you ask us, and a retail grand opening activation like this one that included in-store personalization left guests with a one-of-a-kind keepsake, and more importantly a memorable experience.
What we actually made
For their big grand opening, Uncommon James wanted to highlight their signature fragrance scent, Hard Feelings. The sleek glass bottle and minimalistic design were the perfect surface for engraving. Bonus: it’s EWG verified and smells great—for all the clean girly pops out there.
We live engraved guest bottles on the spot and turned a blank surface into a penmanship piece.
Engraved fragrance with a custom heart illustration and a gold fill. We hope you love it, Tawna!
Engraving fragrance bottle logistics:
One on-site artist, for total 4 hours
Gold and blind engraving on glass perfume bottles
Engraved ~25 pieces per hour, including guest interaction and station explanation
The small footprint, quiet tools, and no power outlet required made the station perfect and compact for a VIP soft opening and retail grand opening that was full of excited guests and other local activations
We also included special branded signage and order forms for this custom on-site package!
Our engraving station for retail is compact, cordless and includes a tidy strike
How the station ran
Set-up 30 minutes prior
Guests purchased a fragrance bottle
Guests selected 1-2 words or initials to be permanently etched onto the fragrance
Live personalization (aka Handsome Ink!)
Strike—ensured all was left neat and tidy after the event. Working neatly is also a big priority for the live work we do. Oftentimes we are surrounded by investment retail pieces, and all of this is taken into account with the live personalization services we offer.
“I’m going to use this forever,” was a client reaction, and when we are knee-deep in logistics and event planning, makes it all worth it.
Guests paid for the bottle, and engraving turned a $72 fragrance into a named keepsake, photo and memorable brand moment.
What this kind of opening usually costs
Custom live package: $1,600 + tax, up to four hours, one artist
Second artist if the guest count or hours need it, or an assistant to manage guest-flow can be added
Travel included. This opening was in the heart of Downtown Austin which is already covered in the standard package rate we offer.
Finished engraving with a touch of gold for a lucky guest
Have a grand opening that needs engraving?
We have fall dates open for brand openings, hospitality, and private events in Austin. If you’re planning something similar (hint hint, F1 week) send the date, venue, and guest count.