Some projects arrive with a brief and a deadline. Others arrive with two of the world’s most recognisable luxury names, a global motoring event, and a build window measured in days rather than weeks.
That was the brief we were handed for a pop-up bar at Monterey Car Week, timed to coincide with the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, one of the most prestigious gatherings in the classic and performance car calendar. The client was Champagne Bollinger, a Maison we have worked alongside for over 12 years. The occasion called for a brand collaboration with one of their newer partners, Aston Martin.
A long relationship, a new kind of brief
Champagne Bollinger has been a Datum client for more than a decade, and in that time we have produced everything from print and packaging to tailored event structures for their UK and international activity. What made this project different was the second brand in the room.
Aston Martin and Champagne Bollinger announced a global partnership in 2025, bringing together two British and French Maisons with a shared history of royal patronage, craftsmanship, and understated luxury. As that partnership has grown, so has the need for physical spaces where both brands can appear side by side, at equal weight, without either one feeling like an afterthought.
That is exactly what Monterey Car Week called for.
The brief: equal exposure for two premium brands
For 2026, Aston Martin is taking a leading role at Monterey Car Week, marking the 75th running of the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance with a series of special edition models and exclusive guest experiences. Champagne Bollinger’s role as Aston Martin’s official champagne partner meant a pop-up bar was needed on site, one that could carry both brand identities without compromise.
This is a common challenge in premium brand collaboration work. Two brand guideline documents, two colour palettes, two logo lockups, and zero appetite for either brand to look secondary. Our job was to find a design language that respected both sets of guidelines while creating something that felt considered rather than compromised.
Getting the concept right before a single panel was cut
Before any fabrication began, we worked through a series of 3D mock up visuals and physical material samples. This gave the client the chance to see exactly how the finished bar would look, feel, and photograph, long before committing to a build.
We developed several concepts, each balancing the two brand identities in a slightly different way, from material choice and finish through to where each logo would sit and how lighting would draw the eye. This stage matters most in dual-brand work like this. It is far cheaper and faster to adjust a render than to rework a physical structure once it has been built.
Once a concept was approved, we moved straight into production.
Built in under seven days, shipped to California
From approved concept to a finished, shippable structure, the entire build took under seven days. The bar was then shipped from the UK to Pebble Beach, California, ready for the event.
Two further requirements shaped the engineering behind the design:
- Fast assembly on site. The bar needed to go from flat-packed components to fully built in under 10 minutes, without specialist tools or a large install crew.
- Reusability. Rather than a single-use structure, the bar was designed to be broken down, stored, and redeployed for future Aston Martin and Champagne Bollinger events, protecting the client’s investment well beyond Pebble Beach.
This is where experiential branding and practical engineering have to meet. A beautiful concept that cannot be assembled quickly on a Californian showground, or that cannot survive being packed away and shipped again, is not a finished product. It has to work as hard logistically as it does visually.
Previous pop-up bars for Champagne Bollinger
This was not our first bar for Champagne Bollinger, and it will not be the last. Over our 12-plus year relationship, we have produced a series of tailored bar structures for their UK and international events, each one built around the specific brand, venue, and audience.
A related project: Aston Martin x Champagne Bollinger
This Pebble Beach build sits alongside another recent project for the same two brands. We previously worked on an Aston Martin x Champagne Bollinger collaboration exploring the shared values of precision engineering and fine winemaking, “Where Elegance Meets Engineering”. You can read the full story and watch the video here:
Read more: Where Elegance Meets Engineering: Capturing the Bollinger x Aston Martin Partnership
For background on Aston Martin’s own activity at this year’s event, their official announcement covers the full scale of their 75th Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance presence, including the Q by Aston Martin special editions marking the occasion: Aston Martin: Monterey Car Week 2026.
The bar itself was also featured by Vintus Wines, Champagne Bollinger’s US importer, on Instagram: @vintuswines.
What this means if you are planning a brand collaboration
If your business is exploring a joint activation, a co-branded event space, or any project involving more than one set of brand guidelines, there is a clear takeaway here. Working with an agency that treats both brands as equally important, from concept through to final build, is what makes a dual-brand project feel intentional rather than like a compromise.
Partnering with Datum for this kind of work gives you:
- A single point of contact managing two (or more) brand guideline sets, so nothing gets lost in translation between them.
- Concept visualisation before any physical build, reducing risk and giving stakeholders on both sides confidence to sign off.
- Fast turnaround without cutting corners, including UK-based production and international shipping.
- Structures designed for reuse, so the investment in a single event extends across a whole activation calendar.
Quick answers
What is involved in a brand collaboration build like this?
- Reviewing both brands’ guidelines together before any design work begins
- Producing 3D concept visuals and material samples for approval
- Fabricating a structure that meets both brands’ exposure requirements equally
- Testing assembly time and packing the structure for shipping and reuse
How long does a project like this typically take?
- Concept and approval stages vary depending on the number of stakeholders involved
- Once approved, fabrication for a bar of this scale took under seven days
- Assembly on site was designed to take under 10 minutes
Can a pop-up bar be used for more than one event?
- Yes, this bar was specifically designed to be broken down, stored, and reused
- Reusable structures reduce cost per event over time
- Materials and finishes are chosen with durability and repeated handling in mind
Does Datum work with multiple premium brands on a single project?
- Yes, this project involved two: Aston Martin and Champagne Bollinger
- We work directly to each brand’s own guidelines rather than blending them into one generic look
- This approach applies to exhibition stands, event spaces, and permanent retail environments as well as pop-up structures
