FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover mascot train takeovers, soda-powered car washes and financial speed dates.
ESPN STANDS CLEAR OF THE CLOSING DOORS ON NYC’S E TRAIN
When ESPN’s fully branded E train rolled into service in New York City on Aug. 21, a few special guests hopped aboard to commemorate the launch of its all-new d-to-c streaming service and enhanced ESPN App. For the morning’s inaugural ride, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro was joined by iconic tri-state-area sports and college mascots, including the Islanders’ Sparky the Dragon, Syracuse’s Otto the Orange, Rutgers’ Sir Henry the Scarlet Knight, UConn’s Jonathan the Husky and ESPN’s new mascot App-E.
Travelers got to take in “All of ESPN. All in One Place.” starting on the subway platform, with announcements voiced by Stephen A. Smith, host of “First Take”; mascot appearances; and a performance from the G-Line, the official drumline of the New York Giants. Brand reps at the World Trade Center station, where the E line starts, disseminated information on the new ESPN App. We call the seat between Mr. and Mrs. Met. (Agency: Civic)
Photos: Courtesy of Roy Rochlin/Getty for ESPN
NIKE GOES GLAM WITH MILK MAKEUP FOR A RETAIL ACTIVATION
Continuing the collaboration between Nike and Milk Makeup that kicked off in June at Nike’s After Dark Tour in L.A., the brands showed up at Dick’s House of Sport in Tampa, FL, last weekend with a glam activation to promote their latest pink products. Milk Makeup’s limited-edition Balmade Electrolyte Tinted Lip Balm in Hyper Pink was designed to match the Nike Vomero Plus sneaker, and the rosy hues were splashed around the in-store activation.
Attendees were treated to personalized charm and sock bars, Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops and a booth that printed Nike x Milk Makeup-branded photo strips. Consumers who purchased the Vomeros received the lip balm as a free gift.
A VIP hour hosted members of Tampa’s Off Balanced Run Club and local beauty influencers, who explored the activation, sipped on signature coffees from Delightful Bean and tried Milk Makeup products with guidance from makeup artists. Next, Nike x Milk Makeup will head to Dick’s House of Sport in Pittsburgh on Aug. 30. Brb, lacing up our sneaks. (Agency: Tara Wilson Agency)
Photo credit: Whitten Photography
EVOLUTION FRESH POPS UP A THOUGHT-PROVOKING, SODA-POWERED CAR WASH
Juice brand Evolution Fresh is looking to burst the bubble around traditional soda. On Aug. 18, it pulled into L.A. to offer a free car wash fueled by phosphoric acid, an ingredient used to remove grime and rust that is also found in sodas.
While the Soda-Powered Car Wash aimed to highlight the chemicals found in sodas, the stunt also promoted Evolution Fresh’s Real Fruit Soda, which participants sampled in a fruit oasis lounge area as their cars were being cleaned. Plus, influencer Bretman Rock was on-site to meet fans and talk up the new beverage line. (Agency: BSSP)
Photo credits: Evolution Fresh; Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Evolution Fresh
CHIME’S SPEED-DATING EVENT MATCHES ATTENDEES BY ‘FINANCIAL LOVE LANGUAGES’
Money is a hot topic when it comes to dating, and Chime recently found that traditional “who-pays-for-what” norms are shifting. So on Aug. 14, the fintech company held a “Banking on Love” speed-dating pop-up with former “Bachelorette” star Jason Tartick in New York City’s Union Square to delve deeper into the topic.
The evening began with a media and influencer cocktail hour, followed by a ticketed speed-dating experience, where attendees were matched based on “financial love languages” through conversation prompts about money habits. The matched couples then received dinner stipends and played a “Money Match” game. No, it’s on me—actually, it’s on Chime.
AARP NEW YORK LIGHTS UP LANDMARKS IN HONOR OF 90 YEARS OF SOCIAL SECURITY
From Grand Central Terminal to Niagara Falls, AARP New York led a statewide celebration of Social Security’s 90th anniversary on Aug. 14. AARP first took over a billboard in Times Square and then launched the “We Earned It” Bus Tour that gathered more than 50 AARP volunteers, everyday New Yorkers, state director Beth Finkel and ceo Myechia Minter-Jordan. As the double-decker bus traveled through Midtown and Lower Manhattan, riders shared personal stories about how Social Security has impacted their lives.
As part of the Skyline Salute, 38 prominent landmarks across New York State were illuminated in red, white and blue as a tribute to the program, including the Albany International Airport, Empire State Plaza, Oculus, The Nathaniel, Rochester City Hall and NYS Fairgrounds.
In the weeks leading up to the anniversary, AARP hosted “Slice of the Story” pizza shop conversations, which brought older adults together with their local legislators at pizzerias across the state to discuss their Social Security benefits—“their slice of the pie”—over an actual slice.
Photos: Courtesy of AARP
More from The Brief:
The post The Brief: Soda-Powered Car Washes and Financial Speed Dates appeared first on Event Marketer.
Author
About The Author
