FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover foldable buses, Piña Oatladas and the Stayman Islands.
SAMSUNG JUST FOLDED A SINGLE-DECKER BUS IN HALF
Samsung had London commuters doing double takes last week after unveiling a series of public art installations featuring “folded” objects that most certainly shouldn’t be folded without proper supervision. The highlight of the installations, which touted Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 smartphones, was a replica of one of London’s iconic, red single-decker buses—folded in half, with its rear end jutting upwards at a 90-degree angle.
Designed by artist Caspar Philips, the bus was made up of a host of recycled materials from real London buses, and was constructed to the exact scale of an actual single-decker. The endeavor took two months to design and build.
Additional installations, created by Jem Hughes, included a folded bench, lamp post and red telephone box, which came complete with a payphone and phone book (remember those?). Altogether, the sculptures comprised Samsung’s “Fold Town.” Even the Old Street Tube station was renamed “Fold Street” for the campaign, in partnership with Transport for London.
Photo: Courtesy of Samsung
RELAX IN YOUR BACKYARD WITH A TRIP TO THE ‘STAYMAN ISLANDS’
Planning a vacation can feel like a second job, so to treat consumers to some R&R without the headache that comes with prepping for a trip, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer launched a sweepstakes for its “getaway” experience. But the winner won’t be packing their bags.
As part of a summer-long partnership, Topo teamed up with Airstream on the campaign to offer one contest winner (over the age of 21) a three-day, two-night experience at “The Stayman Islands”—their own backyard, transformed into a vacation destination. Picture it: sand, plush lounge recliners, spa treatments, a gourmet chef-curated dinner, live music entertainment and, naturally, a private Airstream trailer to sleep in. Kind of reminds us of the reverse activations that took place in the early days of the pandemic.
As Brittany Norris, marketing director-hard seltzers at Molson Coors, told our sister pub, Chief Marketer: “We thought this was a much more intimate way to work with our consumers. We know that we can do big festivals and big events. We also are giving away, as part of our partnership with Airstream, one of two getaways where consumers can go somewhere and spend a weekend in an Airstream at a location. But with Topo Chico being about refreshment, we thought about how we can refresh the travel experience.” Read the full Q&A here.
Photo: Courtesy of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer
MALIBU AND OATLY WANT CONSUMERS TO ‘LICK RESPONSIBLY’
It’s “the collab no one actually asked for,” but every event prof can appreciate: Oatly and coconut rum brand Malibu teamed up to create a dairy-free, boozy soft-serve ice cream dubbed the “Piña Oatlada.” To introduce Londoners to the new concoction and celebrate the opening of a pop-up bar in Shoreditch called Paradise Arches, the brands transformed a traditional cement mixer truck into a giant pineapple on wheels and parked it near the London Bridge. Consumers were invited to stop by to check out the vehicle and snag complimentary Piña Oatladas, while TV host AJ Odudu was on-site helping to spread the word.
The spectacle was all part of Oatly’s robust pop-up series being hosted at Paradise Arches through Aug. 2, which encompasses everything from djs and live band performances, to hip-hop brunches, to Pilates classes, to speed-dating nights, to drag Bingo, to cabarets.
The vegan ice cream will also make its way to a number of European music festivals this summer, including in the UK, Sweden, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands. The tagline: “Lick Responsibly.”
Photos: Courtesy of Oatly
COKE CRACKS OPEN ANOTHER MULTIFACETED FAN ZONE AT MLS ALL-STAR
Coke headed to the MLS All-Star Soccer Celebration in Columbus, OH, held this year July 20-24, for the fourth annual Beats, Cleats & Eats fan experience presented by Coca-Cola. The activation featured multiple touchpoints, including a robot camera photo op, appearances by MLS greats, a Coke Studio listening booth where attendees could listen to exclusive music from Coke Studio artists, a chance to take home custom graffiti soccer balls, Coca-Cola product sampling, and brand ambassadors clad in red-and-white-striped referee-style shirts. Plus, in partnership with MLS, the Beats, Cleats & Eats concert featured a performance by up-and-coming neo-soul artist, Chlothegod, which generated a stir on social media. (Agency: 160over90)
![Coke beats cleats 2024_ambassadorsMLSColumbusOH24[75][45]](https://www.eventmarketer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/coke-beats-cleats-2024-ambassadorsmlscolumbusoh247545.jpg)
Photo credit: PWP Studio
STRAIGHT TALK WIRELESS IS DIALING IN A NASCAR TOUR
As part of the July 25 announcement of a multiyear partnership between Verizon-owned Straight Talk Wireless and NASCAR, the organizations revealed a new “NASCAR on Tour” event series taking place in select Walmart parking lots from Aug. 21 to Oct. 27.
The tour will hit Daytona Beach, FL; Darlington, SC; Atlanta; Bentonville, AK; Bristol, TN; Kansas City; Talladega, AL; Charlotte, NC; Greenville, SC; and Miami. Fans at each stop can expect the “ultimate racing experience,” including racing-themed interactives, giveaways, driver appearances and exclusive offers. New customers attending the tour will also be eligible to participate in an exclusive Straight Talk promotion.
Straight Talk will have a presence at all NASCAR-owned events, including in its capacity as Official Partner of Homestead-Miami Speedway, and serving as title sponsor of the Oct. 27 NASCAR Cup Series playoff race—the Straight Talk Wireless 400. In light of this partnership, we feel the need to remind competitors of the dangers of texting and driving.
