The Brief: Revolving Libraries and the Maxxinista Express -

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK

This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover revolving beach libraries, waterfall billboards and the Maxxinista Express.

THIS ‘PERCY JACKSON’ BILLBOARD FEATURES A REAL-LIFE WATERFALL

People don’t typically go out of their way to look at a billboard, but in the case of Disney’s Hollywood-based OOH ad, consumers are literally chasing waterfalls. Last week, to tease season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” which takes place on the Sea of Monsters, the brand erected a digital billboard at Hollywood and Vine that includes a real-deal waterfall feature—and the internet has been lapping it up.

The installation, which is open through Dec. 10, simulates crashing ocean waves when the tentacle of an on-screen sea beast periodically “cracks” the billboard’s display. The spectacle also includes flashing lights, audio and a consistent layer of mist, along with a ground-level pool that collects the running water. We have a feeling it’ll be smooth sailing for Disney when it comes to season-two viewership numbers. (Agency: NVE Experience Agency)

(Check out a related experience we had at the Percy Jackson Diner at Comic-Con 2025.)

SHOPAHOLICS ARE ALL ABOARD THE MAXXINISTA EXPRESS

A whole host of holiday-themed brand activations has been rolling out over the last couple of weeks, but it’s the strategy behind TJ Maxx’s Maxxinista Express holiday tour, anchored by a festively decked-out double-decker bus, that we think is adding some extra sparkle to the season. The road trip launched in L.A. on Dec. 4 and will make upcoming stops in Dallas (Dec. 11) and Miami (Dec. 18).

With a celebrity helming the experience at each stop—actress Janel Parrish in L.A., former NFL cheerleader Kelcey Wetterberg in Dallas and local creator Vale Genta in Miami—the crux of the tour is built around the superfan ritual of “Maxx-hopping,” or the act of jumping from one of the brand’s retail locations to multiple others in search of hidden gems.

In that spirit, a crop of the brand’s top fans and a few lucky contest winners in each city will hop on board the Maxxinista Express and travel to a nearby beloved TJ Maxx store. (Custom cubby holes are even built into the bus so that each shopper can store their hauls from the day.)

Along the ride, attendees can participate in Maxx-themed bingo, trivia and contests inspired by the treasure-hunting spirit of shopping at TJ Maxx; score tour-exclusive merch; snap photos in stylish holiday vignettes; munch on festive snacks; and cozy up near the fireplace.

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Photo credit: TJ Maxx

SPOTIFY’S BEACH SCULPTURE RECALLS ONE OF THE YEAR’S TOP PERFORMANCES

Spotify’s annual Wrapped campaign is best recognized by the (definitely not creepy) personalized stats that users receive about their listening habits at the end of each year. But the initiative also celebrates the places where artists and fans have experienced some of the year’s biggest moments together.

In 2025, Lady Gaga’s set at the Todo Mundo no Rio event in Brazil was undoubtedly one of them—with between 2.1 and 2.5 million people in the audience, the performance at Copacabana Beach broke the world record for largest attendance of a free concert by a female artist. So Spotify commemorated the show with an installation located at the same beach of a nearly 11-foot-tall sculpture in the shape of a hand making the “Paws Up” gesture commonly used by Lady Gaga’s superfans, aka Little Monsters.

Of the countries that listen to the artist on Spotify the most, Brazil comes in at No. 2, so the brand aimed to reward those fans for visiting the sculpture in person. A QR code located on-site unlocked an exclusive Lady Gaga video that was available only by scanning the code IRL… a gift any Little Monster would be delighted to unwrap. (Agency: Droga5)

Photo: Courtesy of Spotify

THE ART OF THE ENCOUNTER: ES DEVLIN CRAFTS A REVOLVING LIBRARY

From the sands of Rio de Janeiro, we take you to the shores of Miami Beach just outside the Faena Hotel, where renowned artist Es Devlin was the talk of the town last week. As part of the annual Miami Art Week exhibitions, Devlin crafted a 50-foot-wide, rotating library on the beach comprised of 2,500 books that shaped her personal philosophy and creative process. The piece was commissioned by Faena Art to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Free and open to the public, the triangular installation, which sat amid a circular reflecting pool, was designed for the “architecture of encounter,” meaning the artist aimed to spark conversations among strangers through the artwork. To that end, the setup also included a 70-foot-wide collective reading table that was set daily with books featuring Devlin’s personal annotations that visitors could explore as their seats revolved around one another.

Another thing of beauty? After Art Week concluded, all of the books from the installation found new homes at local schools and libraries.

SOCCER FANS SECURE THEIR ‘BEST SHOT’ AT THE NWSL CHAMPIONSHIP

From sports to gaming to entertainment, if there’s one thing fans want, it’s the ability to step into the shoes of their heroes. Last month, during the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Championship in San Jose, CA, Google Pixel made it happen for soccer buffs with its Best Shot activation, which served as a live portrait gallery where fans could train like pro players while testing out the new Pixel 10 smartphone.

The core of the experience had fans participating in footwork drills with professional coaches as photographers took their “best shot,” which ultimately resulted in a “championship-worthy” portrait made with the help of Google Gemini’s AI image generator, Nano Banana. But that’s not all, folks. Participants were also invited to “ask more of their phone” and had the unique opportunity to pose with the official NWSL Championship trophy, then received an AI-powered portrait of themselves standing on the winner’s podium. And the crowd goes wild. (Agency: Giant Spoon)