The world could use a collective deep breath right about now, and brands are responding with Zen-inspired experiences designed to put consumers at ease. As marketers take cues from the sect of Buddhism, which focuses on meditation, mindfulness and maintaining a state of calm, they’re creating sanctuaries where attendees have an opportunity to get present with themselves and leave their worries behind, if only for a short time. From a Zen carriage at a London train station to a Zen garden at Design & Construction Week, here’s a look at eight strategies.
TETLEY
Navigating a giant shopping mall during a long weekend isn’t exactly a peaceful experience. But Tetley looked to change that at Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre with a moment of Zen amid the chaos. The brand activated a multisensory pop-up that served as a launch event for its Live Teas, a collection of brews designed to inspire mindfulness and self-care. The sentiment behind each new tea—Live Calm, Live Cool and Live Bold—was brought to life in three monochromatic rooms, where sensory elements, art installations and messaging like “Have you taken a moment for yourself today?” beckoned shoppers in. Read the full case study.
AUDIBLE
“Zen Commute” might sound like an oxymoron, but for a campaign of the same name promoting the power of audio storytelling, Audible turned the concept into reality. The brand planted a “Zen carriage” train installation at London’s King’s Cross Station and, for five days, invited consumers to stop for a moment of mindfulness amid the chaos of their morning or evening commute.
Inside the carriage, which was overflowing with cherry blossoms, participants could enjoy a soothing audio experience featuring excerpts from titles available in Audible’s well-being collection, like “Atomic Habits,” “A Quiet Life in Seven Steps” and “The Healing Power of Nature.” Brand ambassadors were nearby to answer questions.
Just next to the carriage was a screen presenting the brand’s “Zen Commute” campaign film, along with information on the audio content, which was displayed like a traditional train timetable.
Our favorite part? The activation was timed to “Blue Monday,” which has been deemed the “most depressing day of the year.” The experience was designed to serve as an antidote to the dreary occasion. (Agencies: Hyperactive; Fold7; Miroma Group)
Photos: Courtesy of Hyperactive/Instagram
INFINITI
The 2024 New York International Auto Show featured a tight cast of brand characters as well as lessons in supersized booth footprints. Among standout exhibits was Infiniti’s Zen-inspired space, which featured architectural accents, faux trees, neon hues, and a multisensory journey for attendees to learn about the Infiniti QX80’s features.
Attendees scanned a code to discover why the vehicle is “just right” for them and a microsite guided them through four moments within the activation, which included exploring personalized ambient lighting, individual audio (attendees hopped on markers on the floor to activate music from speakers hidden in greenery above), Klipsch speakers and biometric cooling (a Popbar station serving complimentary gelatos or sorbets was perfection). After completing the journey, consumers could visit the concierge for a premium branded leather key chain. (Partner: George P. Johnson) –R.B.
SWISH CULTURES
As a sponsor of WNBA Live, Swish Cultures, a basketball media platform, went beyond the convention center to host the All-Star Break, a two-day wellness festival from Latino-led mental health media company Mente and women-athlete-founded sports brand TOGETHXR at the Lylo Swim Club (Rise Uptown). The experience featured a mobile nail and makeup experience from Sparkle Bar; poolside facials from Epicutis; live sound baths, meditation, breath work and reiki sessions, as well as community pool yoga and pool barre from Desert Breeze Yoga. –R.B.
ONE GOLDEN THREAD
When regenerative retail brand One Golden Thread opened up a new flagship location and experiential retail concept in Venice Beach, CA, the company wanted to ensure that shoppers understood its ethos and had an opportunity to relax while on-site. So in addition to the core footprint, One Golden Thread built The Oasis, an outdoor Zen lounge. There, the brand played host to various events and workshops, including breathwork sessions, fireside chats, acoustic sets, tea meditation, sunset yoga and beyond. They also enjoyed “sacred sips from old Chinese grove teas,” courtesy of brand partner TRAUM CDMX.
LX HAUSYS AMERICA
LX Hausys, South Korean manufacturer of building and decorative materials, leaned into its cultural heritage and the concept of Naturegraphy—the art of taking photos of nature—for a thoughtful and beautiful exhibit at Design & Construction Week in Las Vegas. Attendees started their journey by the projection screens with misty nature images and walked across the stone walkway to the Zen garden. In the heart of the exhibit, the brand’s surface lines were displayed around a stone water feature and mirrored the tone-on-tone designs found in nature. The final touch? Trays with miniature Zen gardens on the main counter as an invitation to make the space your own. –A.H.
SLEEP NUMBER
Sleep Number was the official sleep and wellness partner of the NFL during Super Bowl LIV, and brought an educational experience to Miami that illustrated the importance of quality sleep for both athletes and everyday people while highlighting the brand’s 360 smart bed. In one vignette, the Zen Zone, attendees slipped on sleep masks embedded with sensors and competed in a low-key game to calm their minds by moving a football with their “brain score.” (Agencies: Centerpoint Marketing, design, production, installation; Clamor, Zen Zone concept)
VALSPAR
Sherwin-Williams’ Valspar brand wanted people to hear—and feel—its paint Colors of the Year, six calming hues and six energizing ones. So the company created an experience built to provide attendees with a moment of pause, comfort and mindfulness at a time when consumers’ interest in self-care and wellness-based activities was sky-high.
To make it happen, Valspar tapped sound therapist Sara Auster, a leader in the meditation and sound bath space, to create “The Sound of Color.” During the collection of virtual sensory events, inspired by the brand’s palette, Auster converted each of the hues into soothing, meditative sound experiences in which consumers could immerse themselves.
Photo credit: Valspar
