How did African-owned digital media company Marmalade Collective choose to take pop-up space on Oxford Street? Founder & CEO Tola Alade tells all
But first, a bit of background
"Marmalade Collective is a digital media company bringing Africa's culture & stories to life. We're on a mission to build a new mainstream audience shaped by Africa's culture, stories and emerging brands.
We believe having new African perspectives in the mainstream will change the continent's image for the better. But this can only happen if Africa's culture, stories, and ideas can be brought to life for both African and global audiences."
Why Sook?
The Collective booked Sook Oxford Street due to the location and digital screens, which were 'perfect' for the brand's NFT art exhibition, and aimed to bring Africa's culture to life in the mainstream through art, music and technology.
"The location helped us bring the exhibition directly to our target audience and the LED screens enabled us to create a sensory experience for them. The exhibition was co-curated with BetterShared - a leading platform designed to discover and shop contemporary art by some of today's most exciting emerging artists from Africa and the diaspora."
How did the exhibition go?
"We were able to host our pop-up exhibition with minimal set-up effort. Everything was turn-key and easy to implement without compromising on the quality of the experience. For future events, we will spend more time creating better content to be displayed on the LED screens."
Advice for other occupiers
"I would advise future occupiers to invest time and money in creating remarkable visual experiences with the LED screens and lighting. In addition, occupiers should explore innovative ways of creating phygital experiences that connect physical and digital touchpoints through QR codes, augmented reality etc."
What's next for Marmalade Collective?
"We're looking forward to curating more culture-led experiences at various Sook locations in partnership with brands, influencers, creators etc. who are aligned with our mission to blend African culture with mainstream culture. Become a member for future updates, events and other goodies." Find out more about Marmalade Collective here, and click here to find out how you can book your experience at Sook.