Citi AAdvantage Globe Card Launch in NYC with live monogramming on BEIS luggage
When luxury lifestyle brands, financial institutions, and design-forward products come together, the guest experience must feel seamless, elevated, and intentional. In New York City, Citi celebrated the launch of the Citi AAdvantage Globe Card with a private event that brought together travel, fashion, and thoughtful gifting—hosted by actress Brenda Song and produced in collaboration with BEIS.
Held at Meduza Mediterranea in NYC, the evening centered around a curated guest experience where every detail reinforced the idea of modern luxury travel. As part of the activation, our team was brought in to provide live, hand-personalization on BEIS luggage, transforming each piece into a meaningful keepsake tied to the launch of Citi’s newest travel-focused card.
A Thoughtful Setting in the Heart of New York City
New York City is a natural stage for luxury brand launches. Meduza Mediterranea offered an intimate yet energetic setting, sophisticated, social, and well suited for a guest list that included creators, media, and brand partners.
Rather than overwhelming the space with excessive branding, the event focused on experience. Guests were encouraged to mingle, learn about the Citi AAdvantage Globe Card, and engage directly with the products being showcased. Personalization became an integral part of that flow, reinforcing the connection between travel, identity, and design.
Live Personalization as Part of the Guest Journey
For this activation, we assembled a team of three artists to support the volume and pace of the event. Over the course of the evening, we customized approximately 160 BEIS bags, each personalized live as guests selected their preferred monogram.
Guests were able to choose serif-style lettering, a deliberate design choice that complemented BEIS’s clean, structured aesthetic while maintaining a timeless feel. Names and initials were applied thoughtfully, ensuring each bag felt personal without compromising the brand’s visual language.
Live personalization worked particularly well in this environment because it allowed guests to:
Participate in the experience rather than passively receive a gift
Watch their bag being customized in real time
Leave with an item created specifically for them
This sense of authorship is especially powerful in luxury lifestyle events, where details matter.
Hosting a High-Profile Brand Moment
With Brenda Song hosting the evening, the event naturally attracted attention and energy. In these settings, personalization must function smoothly behind the scenes while still feeling special to each guest.
Our team focused on maintaining a calm, polished presence, guiding guests through options, managing timing, and ensuring that every customized piece met the standards expected at a high-profile NYC launch. Even with a full guest list and steady flow, the experience remained unrushed and refined.
Why Personalization Resonates in Travel-Focused Brand Launches
Travel is inherently personal. A suitcase or travel bag becomes part of a guest’s story, accompanying them on flights, weekend trips, and long journeys. By adding a monogram at the moment of gifting, brands like Citi and BEIS create an immediate emotional connection between the product and the guest.
Live personalization works especially well for travel and financial brands because it:
Reinforces identity and ownership
Elevates functional items into personal keepsakes
Encourages long-term use and brand visibility
Aligns with the idea of intentional, elevated travel
In the context of the Citi AAdvantage Globe Card, the personalized luggage served as a natural extension of the card’s promise: rewarding travel, exploration, and experience.
Executing at Scale Without Compromising Quality
High-volume luxury events require careful planning and multiple artists. With 160 bags to customize in a single evening (3 hour event), success depended on coordination, clear guest communication, and experience working in fast-paced environments.
Our team ensured:
Consistent placement and sizing of monograms
Smooth guest flow and queue management
Clear collaboration with event staff
A steady pace that preserved quality and guest experience
This approach allows personalization to scale while still feeling bespoke, an essential balance for large NYC brand activations.
New York City continues to be a cornerstone market for luxury launches, media events, and lifestyle collaborations. From Fifth Avenue flagships to private dining spaces like Meduza Mediterranea, the city demands a level of execution that matches its audience.
While NYC is one of our primary hubs, our team supports similar luxury activations nationwide, including Miami, Palm Beach, Orlando, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, ensuring consistency across markets while adapting to each venue’s unique energy.
Who This Type of Activation Is Best For
Live personalization is an excellent fit for:
Credit card and financial brand launches
Travel and lifestyle brands
Fashion and accessories labels
Influencer and media-driven events
VIP gifting and client appreciation experiences
When thoughtfully integrated, personalization becomes part of the storytelling rather than a standalone feature.
Creating Meaningful Brand Moments Through Craft
The Citi AAdvantage Globe Card launch with BEIS demonstrated how personalization can elevate a luxury lifestyle event—adding depth, intention, and memorability to an already strong brand collaboration. By customizing each bag live in New York City, the experience felt personal, celebratory, and aligned with the values of modern luxury travel.
If you’re planning a luxury brand activation in New York City, Miami or beyond and are interested in incorporating hand-executed, on-site personalization, we would love to explore how we can support your vision!
Valentina Rodriguez
A Handful of Letters
hello@ahandfulofletters.com
Available nationwide for luxury brand launches, celebrations and high-end events.
