Topgolf doesn’t usually launch products, so when The Sure Thing club came about, the entertainment brand needed to take a big swing. Known for its tech-driven golf driving range game at more than 100 venues around the world, along with yummy bar food offerings and party packages, the brand stepped outside its comfort zone to host a buzzy launch experience with a cast of sponsors at its El Segundo, CA, location on July 31—creating a nightclub to launch the golf club.
At the entrance of “The Sure Thing Club,” the more than 1,000 attendees were met by a branded step-and-repeat to be photographed by fake paparazzi, vehicles on display from sponsor Honda, and an inflatable green tunnel guarded by a black-suited bouncer. Inside the tunnel was a green pedestal with the golf club featured in a rotating glass box—attendees’ first introduction to the new product.
In the venue’s patio area, the main event’s centerpiece was an Acura-branded dj booth built into a 20-foot-tall hot air balloon, onto which colorful and logoed graphics were projected. Just below the elevated stage was a large screen and a half-pipe where skateboarders were showing off tricks during the evening. A secret tunnel connected through the half-pipe led to an ice-themed speakeasy, the 20 Degree Lounge presented by Cash App (a reference to the club’s 20-degree loft). The ice lounge featured The Sure Thing club encased in a block of ice and an ice sculpture of the Cash App logo.
“It’s those little touches, as simple as a branded newspaper at the event, that is well-thought-out,” says Connor Smith, director of entertainment marketing and social media at Topgolf, about the special edition Topgolf Times newspaper displayed in newsstands. “We might have some big ideas and concepts, but it all comes together with those small details.”
Behind the hot air balloon was an illuminated three-laned slide where attendees captured content. DRIPS by Pepsi took over the outdoor lawn with seating; an installation of large, colorful, metallic bubbles connected together; and a bar serving up the brand’s new crafted beverages. Pepsi also offered custom screen printing of ombré DRIPS by Pepsi designs on sweatshirts. And speaking of swag, The Sure Thing Shop drew a long line of attendees looking to pick out a free item like The Sure Thing Club t-shirts, caps and bucket hats.
Upstairs, attendees had the chance to hit golf balls with The Sure Thing club, and adding to the nightclub atmosphere, cocktail waitresses delivered the club to each bay. Acura presented a drone show that depicted golfers and the club in the sky, and it led into a performance by rapper Larry June on the main stage.
“Right now, Los Angeles is the hottest place in golf, and I think it’s a cool moment in time where street culture and streetwear are crossing over into golf,” Smith says. “We wanted to make it a heavy mix of media, creators and vibe setters. It was designed to bring in media and earned value but also to make sure it was a good time. I wanted golf people to feel uncomfortable with the vibe because of how different it was, and I wanted the people who weren’t golfers to be like, ‘Wait, this is what golf could be like? This is awesome.’ I think we struck a good balance.” Agency: Black Flamingo Agency.
