The Brief: Frozen Cities and Sky-High Sports -

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK

This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing covering frozen cities, nostalgic bike rides and Lacoste’s sky-high padel play.

THIS FROZEN CITY IS BROUGHT TO LIFE BY WORLD-CLASS SCULPTORS

At first glance, it looks like a scene built flawlessly by AI, but the Harbin Ice Festival is indeed a real-life annual affair that attracts people from around the world to Northern China. The event, which opened in early January and closes in mid-February, features top-tier sculptors competing for best ice installation, and it yields some pretty jaw-dropping work. In many instances, “scale” doesn’t even begin to describe it—literal tons of ice are used. This year’s theme, “A Fairytale World,” has inspired sculptors to craft everything from a castle to a replica of the Taj Mahal.

In addition to enjoying the installations, attendees can catch drone and lantern shows, go on frozen rides and catch unique performances and cultural ceremonies—and roughly 90 million people show up each year to do just that. No word yet on whether or not Queen Elsa will make an appearance.

Photo credit: iStock/kitzcorner

RODEOHOUSTON ROPES IN FANS WITH A POP-UP COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW

The Big Apple got a dose of the Lonestar State on Jan. 7 when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo unleashed a surprise pop-up show by country singer Russell Dickerson in Times Square. The stunt was leveraged to reveal that the artist will be among performers at this year’s event, March 2-22, at NRG Stadium.

Supported by a full band, cowboy hat-clad dancers and a 3D billboard as his backdrop, Dickerson sang his hit “Happen to Me,” which went viral on TikTok for an accompanying dance, for thousands of fans. Yeehaw.

Photo credit: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

THE PADEL BALL IS IN LACOSTE’S COURT

Like its American counterpart, pickleball, padel has been thriving in Europe thanks to its position as a more accessible sport than tennis. But accessibility isn’t quite the vibe at popular upscale French ski resort, Courchevel, where Lacoste just set up shop with two permanent, branded padel courts, which now serve as some of the highest-altitude courts in the country.

The facility was designed by Courchevel Tourisme, supported by the Club des Sports and Town Hall, and developed in partnership with Lacoste, and is built to withstand harsh weather conditions year-round, with features like a geothermal heating system making padel play possible in the winter.

Lacoste is further cementing its positioning as a lifestyle brand via the partnership with an exclusive branded “corner” that will be installed at the resort’s Ineos Club House restaurant, and a forthcoming Courchevel x Lacoste clothing collection, which will be available at the Club des Sports boutique. Ooo la la. (Build: Infinite Padel Courts)

FOOTBALL FANS TAKE A BITE OUT OF SMUCKER’S PITTSBURGH TAILGATE

The prospect of making the Super Bowl wasn’t the only thing that kept NFL fans’ attention over the weekend during the matchup between the Ravens and Steelers in Pittsburgh; Smuckers-owned Uncrustables lured them in with a sampling-centric tailgate experience hosted by Steelers legend Jerome Bettis outside Acrisure Stadium. Fans could stop by to sample new flavors, interact with the Uncrustables mascot and brand ambassadors, score merch, play a football toss game, check out a locker installation and chat with Bettis.

RIDE OR DIE: NETFLIX HOSTS A ‘STRANGER THINGS’ BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE

File this one under: “an oldie but a goodie.”

Despite the fan theories, Netflix’s smash hit, “Stranger Things,” did indeed come to an end with the broadcast of the last episode of season five on Dec. 31. But before the final season premiered over the fall, the streaming service teamed up with CicLAvia for One Last Ride, a series-themed bike and pedestrian experience hosted on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles on Nov. 23.

The brands built a four-mile experiential route that encompassed live djs and music performances, trivia, exclusive merch drops and themed giveaways, bike customization, cosplay, a fan hub, flash mobs featuring costumed characters and a scavenger hunt that had fans competing in challenges to earn stamps that translated to prizes.

Along the way, there were also large set builds that functioned as photo ops, and included key show locations, like the Byers’ living room (including the alphabet wall), the Hawkins Lab, the Starcourt Mall and the uber-eerie Creel House.

All told, Netflix and CicLAvia doubled their attendance projections, drawing more than 50,000 participants, many of whom arrived in ’80s-era apparel or dressed as “Stranger Things” characters. We can only hope Eggos were somehow involved. (Agency: Dorothy Creative)