The Brief: Flavor Factories and Bar Tenders -

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK

This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Flavor Factories, Bar Tenders and Uber’s Lost and Found.

YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE THE BIZARRE ITEMS LEFT BEHIND IN UBERS

Nearly all of us have accidentally left an item behind in a rideshare or taxi, but you wouldn’t believe the bizarre laundry list of things that Uber riders have forgotten to take with them—unless you went to the brand’s Lost and Found pop-up in New York City last week. To celebrate its ninth annual Lost & Found Index, which reveals the most absurd and surprising belongings left in drivers’ vehicles, the company for the first time hosted an eye-opening affair in the Flatiron District. There, attendees were invited to explore an array of forgotten articles, and learn the wild stories behind them. We’re talking live lobsters, mannequin heads and a chainsaw.

Also on-site were brand partners who provided limited-time freebies based on some of the most common belongings left behind. Among them: headphones (the No. 5 most lost item) from Bose, umbrellas (No. 19) from SHED RAIN, ready-to-drink lattes from happy, Maybelline Lifter Glosses, Everyday Crescent Bags (purses and bags ranked No. 3) from July, and more.

Oh, and because some psychopath abandoned 175 cheeseburgers in the backseat of an Uber last year, Shake Shack served up burgers from 12-3 p.m. Brilliant. (Agency: CNC Agency)

Photos: Courtesy of CNC Agency

‘SYRUP SOMMELIERS’ GUIDE ATTENDEES AT TORANI’S FLAVOR FACTORY POP-UP

A brand’s centennial only comes but once in a lifetime, and flavor company Torani is treating its 100^th anniversary like the celebration that it is. From April 11-13 in San Francisco, where the company was founded, consumers could stop by a free Flavor Factory pop-up for a vibrant journey through Torani’s history and some sweet treats along the way (the brand mostly manufactures beverage syrups).

Attendees who came by could get a taste of 100 years of flavor through moments of discovery, whip up bespoke concoctions with the help of Torani’s “Syrup Sommeliers,” get a sneak peek at which flavors are shaping the brand’s future products, snap photos amid the colorful scenery and interact with a Flavor Discovery Wall and Beverage Creation Station.

As part of its centennial celebrations, Torani is also embarking on a nationwide mobile tour with stops in New York City, Seattle, Austin and Phoenix, during which the brand is sampling two throwback flavors from its original 1920s lineup: Black Anisette and Tamarindo. Oh la la.

Photos: Courtesy of Torani

WINGSTOP’S BAR TENDER POP-UP: WHEN I DIP, YOU DIP, WE DIP

We love some good wordplay (and fried chicken), so there was no resisting a closer look at the “Bar Tender by Wingstop” activation that popped up in Brooklyn, NY, from April 10-11. The flavor-forward event served just one item, Wingstop chicken tenders, but the 12 sauce flavors being whipped up by “Bar Tender” mixologists at the Sauce & Toss Bar gave attendees a chance to customize their meal. New Yorkers who attended could also enjoy live tunes spun by dj talent, test out Wingstop’s sound booth, where they had a chance to remix their own Bar Tender tunes, and participate in a mukbang station guided by experts.

Photos: Courtesy of Wingstop

MICHELOB ULTRA DUNKS ON NBA STOREFRONTS

Balance is the name of Michelob Ultra’s game and the global beer sponsor of the NBA aimed to prove as much with recent window-display takeovers in multiple markets that focused on a “social athlete” persona. Things tipped off last week at the NBA’s flagship store on 5^th Avenue in New York City.

By day, mannequins in the retail windows sported athletic gear and showcased an energetic lifestyle. In the evening, the displays transitioned into social scenes featuring a relaxed vibe and mannequins sipping Michelob Ultras. The setup then appeared at select other locations across the country, including team stores for the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers. Naturally, the entire campaign begs the question: Do mannequins get hangovers?

Photos: Courtesy of Michelob Ultra

HALARA POPS UP A RETAIL INNOVATION LAB AT THE GROVE

Fans of Halara’s TikTok-viral Active Dress flooded to the athleisure brand’s pop-up in L.A.’s The Grove shopping center on April 11, giving consumers a chance to shop and try on its cult-favorite items IRL. The experience will be replicated on April 17 at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, CA. The West Coast program follows Halara’s first-ever in-person pop-up in NYC last year.

Unique to the experience is the integration of The Halara Circle, the brand’s community-led monthly testing initiative, which offers visitors the opportunity to test unreleased styles, share real-time feedback and help shape the company’s next apparel innovation. Plus, they can enjoy exclusive in-store perks, fitness classes, family-friendly events and a special TikTok “Super Brand Day” featuring surprise offers and giveaways.