FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover cocktail lingerie, mischievous matrimonies and stupid pet tricks.
TBS WANTS TO SEE YOUR PET’S DUMBEST TRICK
Does your dog know a trick that virtually no one would find impressive? If so, TBS wants to chat. To tout its new series “Stupid Pet Tricks” hosted by Sarah Silverman, a reimagining of the iconic “The Late Show with Dave Letterman” segment, the network kicked off a five-city mobile tour on Feb. 3 in Tampa. The tour then hit Dallas on Feb. 7 and will make its way to Austin, TX; Longmont, CO; and Brevard, NC, in the coming weeks.
Pet parents and other consumers at each free event, presented by Ollie, are invited to enjoy pet-centric giveaways, photo ops (think: a human-sized hamster wheel) and interactive activities. Of course, talented animals on-site can also show off their silliest pet trick for a chance to appear in an episode of the new series, which debuted Feb. 11 with a special multi-network sneak peek across TBS, Discovery, truTV and Animal Planet. Who’s a good brand? (Agency: Hitch Experiential)
Photo credit: John Nowak/TBS
BRANDS ARE ALREADY GOGGLING AT THE APPLE VISION PRO
If you’ve seen one of the many viral videos of people using the Apple Vision Pro out in the wild, you know how ridiculous it looks from the outside (for now). But the technology could change the way we work, enjoy entertainment and conduct our daily tasks—something brands like J.Crew and e.l.f. are not only aware of, but jumping on ahead of the rush. Both companies have debuted apps built for the $3,500 headset since its launch on Feb. 2.
J.Crew built a “virtual closet” for the Vision Pro that features apparel in an “ultra-high-definition” 3D environment where SharePlay technology lets consumers use FaceTime to chat with brand stylists and host group calls to get outside opinions on their looks. Shoppers can use hand and eye movements to browse a selection of items, mix and match pieces to curate outfits, and see how they look on a virtual mannequin. The experience also promises the ability to examine the texture and quality of clothing materials at a “higher magnification than ever before.” (Partner: Obsess, visionOS app)
Meanwhile, e.l.f. Cosmetics developed a “your best e.l.f.” Vision Pro app that offers a shoppable experience centered on self-care as part of its “digitally led” brand strategy. To destress, users are invited to “explore the best versions of themselves” through immersive environments that bring e.l.f. products to life, along with relaxing activities like guided meditations, stretching classes and an interactive “Paint by Numbers” game. (Partner: Obsess, visionOS app)
Our burning question: Why would an affordable cosmetics brand create content for a distinctly unaffordable device?
SPEAK NOW, OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR CHEESE
If you think getting hitched in Sin City is cheesy, wait ’til you hear about the latest joint on the Las Vegas “Chip Strip.” Over Super Bowl Weekend, Cheetos stood up the Cheetos Chapel and invited couples to tie the knot at its towering, flamin’ orange location. Among the spectacle’s touchpoints: a branded limo for photo ops, a spuds bar and Cheetos-infused truffles for the post-nuptials dessert. Oh, and the wedding officiant was a hologram of Chester Cheetah, who was played by an actor in a motion capture suit, remotely. And don’t you worry about the couples who took the plunge—the brand’s “mischievous matrimonies” weren’t legally legit. (Partner: Proto, hologram technology)
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DITCH YOUR MAIN SQUEEZE WITH PIZZA HUT’S ‘GOODBYE PIES’
Remember those Insomnia breakup cookies we spotted last week? Pizza Hut has hit the scene with its own version: Hot Honey Goodbye Pies. The brand is willing to say buh-bye with a pie on your behalf through Feb. 14 (while supplies last) in the three biggest U.S. cities most notorious for heartbreak, according to the brand’s research: New York, Chicago and Miami. The custom pizza boxes even have a space to add in your future-ex’s name.
The stunt, a promotion for the brand’s new Hot Honey pizza and wings, vows to “deliver spicy news in a sweet way” for free. Those interested in breaking things off can enter to win on the campaign microsite. To boot, lovers outside of the three selected cities can head to the microsite and have Pizza Hut write a breakup text that’s ready to send, along with a link to a gift card for their future-ex to redeem a free Hot Honey pizza. Pretty brutal, no matter how you slice it. (Agency: Mischief)
DRESS YOUR HENDRICK’S GIN BOTTLE IN A SHEER CORSET THIS V-DAY
Valentine’s Day is a cocktail occasion and this year the holiday has yielded yet another “curiosity” from Hendrick’s Gin’s cabinet: lingerie. Oh yes, the brand is promoting “bottle positivity” with the world’s first line of cocktail intimates. The Hendrick’s “Gintimates,” designed by Wiederhoeft, are aimed at enhancing the “ooh la la factor of your cocktail necessities.”
The collection features a Bottle Corset, which is exactly what it sounds like and fits perfectly around a Hendrick’s Gin bottle; a Pinky Garter to remind imbibers to keep their pinkies up and “maintain sophistication”; and a Cocktail Garnish Chain, built to hang off of your favorite martini glass. Saucy.
