Curiouser and curiouser: how IQOS and Zamna became the perfect partners
We joined IQOS in Madrid for Black Coffee’s headline set at Zamna, and heard why the brand sees live music as its natural home
A giant oval screen set within the vast overhead lighting rig towers over the DJ decks, pulsating with trippy visuals. Below the impressive light show, VIP guests buzz around as a 10,000 strong crowd at Zamna Madrid pull phones to film the opening beats of tonight’s superstar headline DJ.
It’s a balmy September night on the edge of Madrid city where the latest IQOS Curious x Zamna event is taking over the sports field at the prestigious Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Here, Black Coffee – one of the most in-demand, and consistently good, house DJs in the world – is topping the bill. From our vantage point on the IQOS viewing deck, located in the middle of the dance arena directly facing the vast stage, to say it’s an impressive sight to see would be downplaying this dazzling audio and visual spectacle.
The support DJs don’t come near Black Coffee’s effortless mixing and track selection as he blends a seamless two-hour set of house records that has the crowd whooping and shaking along – us included. A master of his craft, the South African-born DJ and producer’s skills are worthy of Zamna’s immense production.
Founded in Tulum and with events on this scale taking place in other legendary locations such as at the Pyramids of Giza, Zamna has become a name synonymous with talent, scale and reach.
“Music is a very important part of culture. It’s a universal passion point. This is what connects people,” says Alina Igritskaya, Director Brand Marketing HnB of IQOS– our host for this event – when we catch up the next day post-party.
Adding how this also connects with the live experiences that IQOS curates, Alina elaborates, “In today’s world that is full of noise, with rapid digitalisation, brain rot, doom scrolling, booming AI that is threatening, many actually physical real-life experiences become even more important.”
Speaking of the festival experience, Alina continues, “This is where people come together, no matter the age, no matter the cultural background, and the authentic moments of real human connection beyond the screen. They are un-replicable. And we want to be part of those moments.”
The crowd at Zamna Madrid – mostly young, but diverse and clearly driven by a love of music – is fixed to the dancefloor throughout the night to the very last song Black Coffee spins out. Nobody is leaving early here, the crowd firmly engaged to the end.
It’s why Igritskaya says Zamna’s world resonates well with IQOS’s brand values. “Zamna and IQOS are clearly two brands from two different worlds, but I believe that there are three things that can connect us. We are committed to curiosity, we’re committed to creativity, and I believe both of the brands are transformative. So Zamna, which was born in Tulum, really transformed the festival experience into unforgettable, shareable moments.
“Take Tulum for example, it’s the collision of nature, it’s the stage design that changes from day-to-day. That’s very impressive. It’s the best of electronic music and they really set the trend for the year to come because [Zamna Tulum party] happens at the beginning of the year.”
Igritskaya continues, “And IQOS, of course, is the catalyst of some transformation as the number one heated tobacco brand. So, in a way, both brands are gamechangers and we are trying to continuously game change what we do, always looking for what’s next, always trying to be innovative. And Zamna is leading in a very similar way when it comes to their business.”
As the last beats of Black Coffee sound out and the crowd begins to disperse, the only thing left to consider is at which world-renowned landmark location we experience IQOS Curious x Zamna at next.