For more than two years, Bugaboo has been developing a stroller that can grow alongside families. So when the “missing puzzle piece” in its product portfolio was finally ready for its grand debut, the brand hosted an outdoor “On the Grow” pop-up event at New York City’s High Line Hotel. There, media, influencers and consumers were introduced to the Kangaroo, Bugaboo’s first single-to-double stroller than can accommodate up to three kids.
The brand took a social-first approach to the launch event to encourage content capture across the experience and amplify awareness of the new product. The High Line was strategically chosen for its park-like atmosphere, and Bugaboo’s array of elaborate floral installations, including a hero entry moment featuring the Kangaroo wrapped in colorful blooms, were all designed to inspire social sharing.
To give parents a chance to drop their kids off at daycare or school before attending, Bugaboo kicked things off at 9 a.m. Among event highlights was a panel discussion including four working moms that tackled the intricacies of growing a family, balancing family life and a career, and managing a personal brand while becoming a parent.
Speakers were all “friends of the brand,” and included multi-brand founder and celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin; fitness instructor and influencer Brianna Joye; New York Magazine parenting editor, Julia Edelstein; and Jeanelle Teves, coo at Bugaboo.
“Every detail was social-first,” says Teves. “So we had a floral arrangement wall where you could come by and get a professional photo taken, and people loved that. The installations were also very content-rich—you were drawn to create a photo moment out of it. And then, of course, having a panel with notable names, you get that natural organic coverage of people wanting to tag in-Story and share that they were here.”
Following the panel discussion, influencers and consumers were invited to get hands-on with the Kangaroo, including taking it for a mini test drive across four different types of terrain—grass, sand, concrete and cobblestone—to showcase the stroller’s wheels and drivability.
Over in the “Mom and the Mic” corner, experienced parents stepped up to answer questions and share the hacks they wish they had when they first became moms and dads. And then there were the fan-favorite growth charts that mimicked the way parents add notches to a wall in their home to mark the progress of their children’s growth. Adults who had a little with them could have their height measured, then take home a custom growth chart embellished with custom calligraphy.
Additional touchpoints included complimentary f&b, and a small coloring station with custom-branded coloring books that paid homage to the animal-themed names of Bugaboo’s line of strollers.
Teves says the brand will measure the event’s impact by looking at hard social metrics, like in-feed social posts and Stories, and the sell-through rate of the Kangaroo. They’re also considering softer KPIs, like positive social media sentiment and talkability.
“You could see in the (social) comments people were saying, ‘Oh, you need to come to Dallas, you need to come to L.A.’ So now we’re planning that for 2025,” Teves says. “How do we take these type of experiences and communities around North America? Because, post-pandemic, every consumer is seeking that, but it’s also the natural mindset that the new parent or mom is in. We find that she’s really seeking community, so we want to do more experiential next year, too.” Agency: The Working Assembly.
Stroll Through Bugaboo’s Launch Event:
Photo credit: William Pippin
