Amazon resurrects NYC's famous Carnegie Deli to promote return of 'Mrs. Maisel'

Dive Brief:

Amazon has reopened New York City's iconic Carnegie Deli, which closed in 2016 after 79 years in business, according to a report in Muse by Clio. The pop-up, created with Tool of North America, promotes the second season of Amazon Prime's '50s-set dramedy "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
Open through Dec. 8, the pop-up is not at the deli's original location — it's moved downtown, to Lafayette and Kenmare — but is otherwise intended to be a replica, featuring period-accurate décor, pricing and menu offerings. Amazon and Tool worked with the show's production team and the Carnegie Deli owners to ensure authenticity.
The experience includes a new sandwich, "The Midge," named after the show's titular protagonist, and is being promoted through vintage-looking ads. The deli is also serving sandwiches named after other characters, all priced at 99 cents. Prime Video is donating all of the proceeds to the Lower Eastside Girls Club.

The iconic Carnegie Deli has re-opened for one marvelous reason: #MrsMaisel Season 2! If you're in NYC, you can experience these marvelous menu items today through Dec. 8. Join the waitlist at https://t.co/kF0ProLYxb. pic.twitter.com/Dh3DfnLurT
— The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (@MaiselTV) December 1, 2018

Dive Insight:

"Mrs. Maisel" has helped to boost the credibility and prestige of Amazon's Prime Video streaming offerings, taking home multiple Emmys at this year's award show and making for the first series Emmy win for Amazon. It's not surprising that the company is putting a heavy marketing push behind the second season, which rolls out today (Dec. 5). The pop-up stokes a sense of nostalgia and takes fans back to the era when the series is set and also might attract consumers interested in exploring a now-shuttered but still iconic New York City location.

While the aesthetic of the pop-up is decidedly vintage, it's a clear bid to encourage social media sharing among patrons — an increasingly popular experiential tactic marketers are employing to extend the digital reach of limited-run physical events. Photos and videos posted online from the pop-up might be the only way for some fans to experience the resurrected Carnegie Deli, as Muse by Clio reported the restaurant is entirely booked up.

The pop-up deli aligns with Amazon's strategy to grow its Prime Video subscriber base, especially as the video streaming market grows more competitive. To highlight its Prime subscription service, which also includes perks for the online retail giant's e-commerce platform and more, Amazon this summer delivered 25-foot "smile boxes" to five cities ahead of its annual Prime Day promotion.

Premium original video content is an increasingly appealing draw for Prime. Amazon previously reported that its top shows attracted more than 5 million people worldwide to sign up for Prime last year, with the U.S. audience for all Prime video programming at about 26 million. Prime Originals, like "Mrs. Maisel," accounted for about a quarter of the estimated Prime subscriptions from late 2014 to early 2017.