FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Red Nail Bars, pop-up newsstands and V.I.PEE stalls.
HUMANS SCORE ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ MERCHANDISE AT THE NO BOT SHOP
The odds of buying a pair of limited-edition kicks or hot concert tickets before an AI bot snatches them up are slim to none (just ask Swifties). So on Sept. 6, Sam Altman and Alex Blania’s co-founded World platform turned its mission of building a global proof-of-humanity network that combat bots and AI-generated content into an IRL experience dubbed the No Bot Shop.
The pop-up shop, hosted at World’s U.S. flagship in West Hollywood, CA, served as a physical antidote to merch-stealing bots where consumers got a shot at taking home exclusive items from brands including Nike, Supreme, Pop Mart, Sony, Nintendo, BAPE, Palace, Murakami and Lego.
To participate, the first 1,000 visitors had to verify their World ID on-site, then had a chance to spin a prize wheel to unlock “the impossible,” from hyped-up sneaker releases to concert tickets to rare collectibles (read: Labubus) to influencer beauty products to unattainable dining reservations. There was also lounge seating and bites available from a local food truck, both designed to foster a sense of community—the human kind.
Photos: Courtesy of World
BILLS FANS GAIN ACCESS TO LIPTON HARD ICED TEA’S ‘V.I.PEE’ STALLS
The potty party continues. Only this time, it’s not a personal care brand at the helm; it’s Lipton Hard Iced Tea.
During the first weekend of September, the brand turned heads at the Buffalo Bills’ tailgate outside of Highmark Stadium with V.I.PEE, a luxury bathroom activation designed to disrupt traditionally beer-heavy tailgating events, and promote its new Tailgate Anything platform, which invites consumers to mark celebratory moments of all sizes with tailgates of their own.
The universal pain point of drinking (highly carbonated) beers at sporting events—ridiculously long lines for porta-potties—was solved with Lipton’s lineup of 10 sparkling-clean, no-line stalls, all managed by a “bouncer” that playfully maintained the exclusivity theme. Beyond the bathrooms, fans could play oversized games, score giveaways and participate in curated photo moments. We give this one a clean bill of brand health. (Agency: Founders Agency)
Photos: Courtesy of Lipton Hard Iced Tea
OLAY PROMOTES TRUST OVER TRENDS AT ITS BRYANT PARK POP-UP
The skincare category is bursting at the seams, but Olay appeared to slice through some of the clutter over the weekend with an educational pop-up hosted in New York’s Bryant Park. There, the brand taught attendees how “only Olay” has cracked the code on cellular aging, and how its 70-plus years of delivering science-based products and results triumphs over today’s skincare fads (lookin’ at you, TikTok brands).
Beauty buffs in attendance could play a true/false game that put skincare trends “on trial” and shined a spotlight on Olay’s proven results, and were rewarded with full-size products. They could also snag free limited-edition swag, like mini totes, compact mirrors and bedazzled mini Olay products, and enjoy complimentary scoops of sorbet or gelato from brand partner Casa Toscana. (Agency: Small Girls PR)
Photos: Courtesy of Olay
EXTRA, EXTRA: PEACOCK ACTIVATES NEWSSTAND POP-UPS IN NYC
When “The Office” officially went off of the air, many fans, as Kelly Kapoor once put it, “Had a lot of questions. Number one: How dare you?” But Peacock is now scratching that itch with the debut of a spinoff series dubbed “The Paper.” And to drum up excitement around NYC, the network installed custom Toledo Truth Teller newsstands in Rockefeller Center and Flatiron Plaza, and invited consumers to stop by to celebrate the show, and the importance of local newspapers.
Those who attended were treated to free bagels with scallion cream cheese from PopUp Bagels; appearances by series stars Oscar Nuñez, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman and Ramona Young; a photo op with an oversized “Tower of Truth” newspaper; and, at the Rockefeller Center newsstand, brand ambassadors who read oversized Toledo Truth Teller newspapers and dished out limited-edition tote bags. And that’s how you make headlines. (Agency: Civic)
Photo credit: Peacock
HEY, ‘MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL’ FANS: ARE YOU READY FOR SOME MANIS?
It’s been a long time coming, but ESPN finally selected its first-ever female music curator—Saweetie—to manage the tunes surrounding “Monday Night Football” this NFL season. The multi-platinum artist signed on to hand-pick tracks for select ‘MNF’ games, promotional spots, live telecasts and “Monday Night Countdown.” And to broadcast the new partnership loud and clear on Sept. 6, ESPN and Saweetie, who is known for her unique nail designs, opened a pop-up salon called the Red Nail Bar in NYC.
Fans lined up around the block for a chance to get in. The space was drenched in Saweetie’s signature colorful aesthetic, which visitors could enjoy while getting football-inspired manicures and sipping on “Saweet” tea. Attendees also had an opportunity to meet the music star, and walked away with custom swag. Now, we can only hope a new era of beauty-sports mashups events is afoot.
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