Match Made in Montauk—See How CeraVe Pulled Off This Overnight Influencer Event

CeraVe looked to CNC Agency to craft a two-day event chock full of educational touchpoints and experiential moments.

July 8, 2024

Gurney’s played host to a CeraVe Farmers Market throughout the event—where guests were invited to grab a tote and stock up on beach essentials. There were also Stoney Clover Lane travel pouches and a custom embroidery station courtesy of Klein Designs on site to craft a memorable keepsake.Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

MONTAUK, N.Y.—Skincare giant CeraVe kicked off the summer season with an overnight beach trip out East. After all, sunny days call for all the SPF and moisturizers. Take it from the 22 tastemakers who were invited to Montauk for an experiential-filled weekend that infused everything people love about beach days on the Hamptons coast with finding the perfect facial moisturizer, courtesy of CeraVe.

CeraVe tapped brand experience and marketing firm CNC Agency (previously Coffee ‘n Clothes) to curate the itinerary for the trip—dubbed Match Made in Montauk—which took place in early June. The overnight aspect brought unique challenges, according to CNC’s vice president of production, Jason Witkes, who told BizBash it “required meticulous planning to ensure every aspect of the guest experience [was] accounted for, including scheduling time for content creation, brand education, interaction with brand representatives, and relaxation while providing an enjoyable experience.”

He added, “Balancing all of these elements requires extensive coordination and attention to detail." Aside from ensuring guest satisfaction by organizing transportation and ensuring dietary restrictions are accounted for, it’s important to consider for all-night experiences, in particular, that “staff are available 24/7 to handle any requests, and maintain clear communication with guests about the daily schedules and any changes,” Witkes said.

It’s safe to say that CNC considered it all, from arranging the overnight stay at Gurney’s Montauk Resort—an oceanfront property with 7,000 square feet of designated venue space—to fabricating the CeraVe Skin Shack, which was just one touchpoint that offered beachgoers product-testing and educational opportunities. Keep scrolling for other notable experiential moments at Match Made in Montauk, plus read more behind-the-scenes details from Witkes…

CeraVe tapped TikTok influencer and dating guru Niko Emanuilidis (known on social media as “The Daddy Academy”) to host a waterfront dinner the evening after guests descended on Montauk. During the meal, there was a fireside chat-style discussion from board-certified dermatologist Dr. DiAnne Davis, who has built a following of more than 36,000 on Instagram for her attainable skincare-related tips and tricks.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

At the end of the dinner, each guest was treated to their own mini cake. Each was piped with the brand colors that marked the summer weekend—blue and yellow—and featured a post-worthy, burn-away layer that revealed each influencer’s “perfect match” CeraVe product.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

Event partner Coyne PR handled the invitation list, which included 22 mostly female influencers, trendsetters, and TikTok stars between 20 and 30 years old. Ahead of dinner, which took place at quintessential Hamptons hot spot Surf Lodge, this exclusive group of tastemakers enjoyed a cocktail hour marked by music from the venue’s in-house DJ. Also in attendance was a local tarot card reader and a permanent jewelry station.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

Gurney’s played host to a CeraVe Farmers Market throughout the event—where guests were invited to grab a tote and stock up on beach essentials. There were also Stoney Clover Lane travel pouches and a custom embroidery station courtesy of Klein Designs on site to craft a memorable keepsake.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

This CeraVe Farmers Market at Gurney’s was Witkes’ personal favorite touchpoint, as it “offered guests the chance to browse and shop a wide range of CeraVe products along with summer essentials including Birkenstocks and Quay sunglasses.”

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

CeraVe had guests test out two new moisturizing products that had yet to hit shelves—perfect for those summer days spent under the sun.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

Daytime activities during the overnight event included beachside bike rides—of course, on CeraVe Blue bikes!

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

“CeraVe has over 70 products that can be used throughout the day and overnight to help restore and maintain your skin barrier,” Witkes said. With so many options to choose from, hosting an “overnight experience provided guests the opportunity to purposely use each item throughout their overnight stay”—and will allow them to make genuine recommendations to their respective followers.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

The Skin Shack stayed up at Gurney’s for the entire week following CeraVe’s overnight influencer event. Witkes said that hosting guests for more than just an hourslong event provided the “opportunity to fully immerse guests within the brand and provide them with real-world experiences where they would interact with the brand.” For example, many guests were “applying CeraVe AM 50 Facial Moisturizing Lotion before relaxing on the beach, applying CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing lotion prior to going to sleep, and washing with CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser in the morning,” according to Witkes.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

When asked about the inspiration behind the event’s super-cute Match Made in Montauk tagline, Witkes told BizBash: “[It was] a mixture of alliteration and playing off of the location. The trip provided guests with the opportunity for product trial and educational programming, which allowed guests to depart Montauk knowing which CeraVe product was their ideal match, a ‘Match Made in Montauk.’”

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency

Themed cocktails throughout the event played to CeraVe’s summertime theme, such as the Sunshine Shield Spritz, made with Le Moné lemon aperitif, prosecco, and orange bitters. The final foodie affair of the event was a farewell breakfast hosted at Gurney’s Scarpetta Beach.

Photo: Courtesy of CNC Agency