FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover “pregnant” street teams, drag conventions and Big Green Keggs.
KICK OFF YOUR SUMMER WITH A ‘BIG GREEN KEGG’ STAND
We all know grilling and beer go hand-in-hand, so on May 28, just after Memorial Day Weekend wrapped and summer kicked off, Miller Lite teamed up with grill-maker Big Green Egg, which has gained a cult following, to craft the Big Green Kegg and tap into the company’s engaged audience.
The limited-edition Kegg, available for a short time on Miller Lite’s website, perfectly replicated a traditional Big Green Egg grill, but came equipped with a quarter-barrel keg and tap, and a ceramic chamber that simply needed some ice to keep the beer cold for several hours. Naturally, the $350 unit sold out and generated a swell of buzz online.
And what better way to complement the Big Green Kegg than to develop your very own beer charcoal? Oh yes, the brand in May released Miller Lite Beercoal, the first-ever Miller Lite-infused charcoal. Because this summer, it’s Griller Time.
Photo credit: Miller Lite
A ‘PREGNANT’ STREET TEAM INVADES NETFLIX’S COMEDY FESTIVAL
If you’re going to have a fleet of “pregnant” brand ambassadors infiltrate an event, it might as well be a festival that attracts some of the world’s best comedians. And that’s exactly how FilmNation Entertainment turned heads to promote its new comedic film “Babes,” about a woman who gets pregnant from a one-night stand.
During Netflix is a Joke Fest in Los Angeles last month, the company unleashed a street team of women wearing fake pregnant bellies, who walked around handing out branded stickers and condoms. The team was accompanied by a mobile LED truck running looping content that promoted the film, with phrases like “Do Not Take Shrooms While Pregnant” illuminated against a bright pink backdrop. And that’s what we like to call a labor of love. (Agency: IHEARTCOMIX)
Photo credit: IHEARTCOMIX
VISA AND POST MALONE ROCK THE LOUVRE MUSEUM
The Louvre in Paris is one of the world’s most prestigious art museums, so it would take a global powerhouse of a brand to earn permission to activate within the property. Enter: Visa Live at le Louvre. On May 28, Visa transformed the museum’s iconic Cour Carrée into a concert arena for the very first time, bringing in Grammy-nominated musician Post Malone as headliner, in addition to performances by international artists Ayra Starr, Kungs and RaiNao. The event was the brand’s first major activation in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympics this July.
To gain access to the one-of-a-kind event, residents of Metropolitan France could enter an online lottery to score tickets beginning in early May. Meanwhile, the rest of the world was invited to join the fun virtually on Roblox, where the show served as the first global IRL concert streamed exclusively on the digital platform. Beyond the performances, users could participate in activities like creating and sharing digital artwork in “Artist Square” and stopping by the Visa Concert Collectibles store to shop for concert gear. (Agency: Imagination)
SASHAY DOWN TO RUPAUL’S DRAG QUEEN EXTRAVAGANZA
There’s a convention that caters to just about every fandom these days, and that includes drag queen culture. Launched in 2015, the category trailblazer is RuPaul’s DragCon LA, an annual “wig-snatching” fan event that serves as the largest gathering and celebration of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” stars and drag fans in the world.
The extravaganza will return to the Los Angeles Convention Center July 19-20 with a full slate of main stage performances and booth exhibits, as well as ancillary experiences, like a dj set from RuPaul herself, a shop curated with items from L.A. businesses, after-hours parties and The Queens Walk, billed as the “Met Gala of drag.”
Meanwhile, RuPaul’s DragCon UK will mark its third year in Europe in 2025, taking place Jan. 10-11 at ExCeL in London. An “eleganza extravaganza,” if you will. (Partner: World of Wonder Productions)
Photo credit: Mathu Anderson
RENDER ATL RETURNS WITH ITS UN-CONFERENCE STRATEGY
A lot of IT user conferences take place in Silicon Valley, and if we’re being real, a lot of them are bland, too. But Render ATL, an annual software engineering conference put on by technology company Render, is a different story. The event, taking place this year June 12-14 in Atlanta, is built on a foundation of diverse perspectives and cultural experiences, attracting around 5,000 attendees and sponsors like The Home Depot, Netflix, Delta Air Lines, Essence Ventures and Capital One.
This year, Render ATL will encompass a Food Truck Park and full blown R&B concert featuring performances by artists like DJ Pee .Wee (aka Anderson .Paak), Rotimi, DaniLeigh and CoCo & Breezy. The event also boasts a speaker roster of more than 50 presenters, including the likes of NFL legend Shannon Sharpe, who will deliver a keynote on executive leadership. With that kind of lineup, it’s no wonder Render expects the show to generate a $10-million economic impact.
