FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover FBI raids, Corona Island and the resurrection of 29Rooms.
CREATORS PRESS RECORD AS THE ‘FBI’ RAIDS AN NYC ART GALLERY
In the age of AI, deepfakes, deceptive influencer posts and, yes, brand stunts, many of us rightfully find ourselves asking: “Is this real?” And that was certainly the case on March 13, when the team behind the indie heist film “Any Day Now” pulled off a guerrilla marketing experience in New York City that included an “FBI” raid at an art gallery.
The new film, which debuted in theaters March 21, explores the “true-ish” story of the notorious 1990 heist of 13 precious artworks, including Rembrandt’s only seascape, at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Keeping with the theme of the movie, director Eric Aronson and his team dreamed up a “13 Masterpieces” art exhibition featuring replicas of the stolen pieces, and invited influencers and art fans to attend.
For the packed crowd that filled the space, it looked like any other gallery—then the “FBI” showed up. It was (falsely) revealed that the replica Rembrandt painting was, in fact, the original artwork stolen from the museum, and the agents carefully removed the piece from the wall, asked attendees to clear the way and removed it from the building.
The stunt had social media users in a frenzy, with content captured from creators at the event totaling 15 million-plus views, and counting. Moral of the story? Question everything. (Partners: Improv Everywhere; JMH Media)
Photo credit: Mark Ostow
CORONA UNLOCKS THE DOORS TO ITS TROPICAL PARADISE
When Corona took over an island off the coast of Colombia in 2021, the objective was to provide a first-of-its-kind island oasis that was free of single-use plastic, and focused on reconnecting invited guests to the natural world via hospitality experiences. Four years later, Corona Island and its pristine beaches are open to the public.
On March 18, the beer brand, which has a long history of sustainable practices tied to the natural ingredients used in its products, unlocked the doors to its eco-protected property. Consumers can book a stay on the island through a brand microsite, or through Airbnb, Expedia or Booking.com.
Corona Island includes 10 waterfront bungalows located among tropical forests and beaches, plus conservation-centered experiences like yoga, stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. There are also eco-preservation initiatives, such as snorkeling to restore coral reefs and mangrove planting for ecosystem reforestation.
Designed with eco-tourism at its foundation, and serving as the world’s first and only island to receive Oceanic Global’s three-star plastic-free Blue Seal, every touchpoint of the island is environmentally friendly, from the use of solar energy to cuisine prepared with local ingredients. We could use a cerveza on a tropical island right about now… Corona, can you hear us?
29ROOMS IS BACK FROM THE DEAD—AND ON THE ROAD
What started in Brooklyn in 2015 as a multiroom, multisensory selfie museum designed for maximum content capture has been given a makeover for the post-pandemic age. Indeed, Refinery29’s popular 29Rooms experience, which was halted in 2019 as the company underwent an acquisition, has resurfaced in 2025 with a nimbler strategy.
Now, as a division of Sundial Media Group (which owns event properties including Essence Festival and Beautycon) and just in time for the brand’s 20th anniversary, The 29Rooms Road Trip is hitting the pavement. The experience will pop up at cultural tentpoles, beginning with Coachella. From April 12-13, in Palm Springs, Refinery29 will activate The Lunar Lounge: A Cosmic Recharge Experience that stays true to 29Rooms’ roots with a mix of indoor-outdoor touchpoints related to beauty, art and wellness. Attendees will have a chance to participate in hands-on activities, vibrant art installations and “transformative moments.”
The brand will also take over a private residence during Coachella to host an exclusive outer space-themed VIP event. Guests will be treated to a Solar Recharge “poolside oasis,” astrology readings, and a Beauty Space Station offering hair, makeup, nail and skincare touch-ups. The next pit stop on The 29Rooms Road Trip has yet to be announced, but each experience promises an infusion of local culture, regional voices and new opportunities for self-expression. To infinity and beyond…?
EVOLUTION FRESH DEBUTS A COLLECTION OF ‘SODA SMUGGLE DEVICES’
With the prebiotic soda wars waging on, Evolution Fresh, which bills itself as an OG in the category, is encouraging consumers to make healthy beverage choices when they go to the movies with the help of its limited-edition “Soda Smuggle Devices.” Oh yes, the brand is encouraging consumers to sneak its Real Fruit Soda under the radar and into the theater.
To rebel against the sugary sodas typically served at theaters, the brand debuted a collection of objects like casts, boxing gloves and cowboy hats, all built with hidden compartments that perfectly conceal a can of Real Fruit Soda. Everything was available for just $5, a nod to the five grams of sugar found in the beverage.
Those who snagged the limited-time items could easily sneak an Evolution Fresh beverage into their local theater, including a group of influencer partners who posted about their experiences using the smuggle devices during their movie outings, like a branded “Silence of the Limes” screening. Juicy. (Partner: Finn Partners, p.r.)
Photos: Courtesy of Evolution Fresh
FORD REVS UP A HOTEL FOR ITS EMPLOYEES
Everything old is new again. In 1931, Henry Ford launched the Dearborn Inn, one of the country’s first dedicated airport hotels, in Dearborn, MI. Last week, on March 19, following a two-year renovation and restoration process, the venue reopened its doors as part of the Marriott Autograph Collection.
When the hotel was first built, it was strategically located adjacent to Ford Airport, which ultimately shut down in 1947. At the time, the automotive icon sought to provide travelers with a convenient place to stay after a long flight. Today, it functions as a hotel designed for Ford employees and their guests. The building’s Georgian architecture is alive and well, as are several other historic aspects of the hotel that were refurbished rather than replaced.
New touchpoints include letters from former guests and examples of early menus sprinkled around gathering areas, bathroom tiles created in Ford’s signature blue Pantone color code, a hotel bar dubbed The Four Vagabonds, a farm-to-table restaurant inspired by Ford’s wife called Clara’s Table, and a vintage-style photo booth designed to look like Ford’s Tri-Motor airplane that yields an old-timey passport, which visitors can take home as a souvenir. Later this year, 17,000 square feet of meeting space will be added to the site.
Photo: Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.
