With paid-for media easy for consumers to turn off, turn away from, or ignore, find out why experiences in the real world that grab attention are increasingly important.
A wise person once said, “A good marketing campaign is a fully integrated one”. Sound advice. There’s nothing quite like a burst of activity where all the parts are pulling in the same direction, and one way you can help your campaign pack some extra punch is by leveraging physical space to bring your campaign thinking to life.
With the changing media landscape often meaning paid-for media is easy for consumers to turn off, turn away from, or ignore, experiences in the real world that grab the attention of those walking past, or which offer a beacon for fans to converge on, are increasingly important.
Splendid Communications, a PR firm specialising in ‘people-first creativity’, recognises the value of pop-up in the context of a wider campaign, particularly when appealing to Millennial and GenZ consumers:
“...audiences prize real-world experiences, and that pop-ups are the perfect platform for helping brands connect to them on an emotional level”
Pop-up activations allow brands to drive high quality, high volume brand awareness, and support the messaging in your other paid-for media, build love and positivity with those who engage with it and, tantalisingly, give the trade press and socials something to talk about. Gotta love free coverage.
So, whether it’s in a Sook space or out, here are three household names using pop-up space to its full potential:
Walkers
For their Sensations line, Walkers rented pop-up space on Brewer Street in London’s buzzing Soho to bring their ‘Feasts for The Senses’ campaign to life with the Sensations Global Travel agency, promoting genuine ‘flights to delicious destinations from £1.99’ - the price of a sharing bag.
Check out the case study from Recommended Agencies
Splendid Communications and AMV BBDO, the agencies behind the socially and digitally supported activation, say it was a massive commercial and PR success…
“With a 30% brand index points increase the campaign was hugely successful and is a new benchmark for creative PR within Walkers Sensations and PepsiCo, driving huge awareness, talkability, brand love and increased sales and penetration. The data also shows that one in five shoppers (17%) purchasing the Hickory Smoked Cheddar and Crispy Bacon flavour were entirely new to the brand, meaning we hit our objective of increasing portfolio awareness and launching the new flavours. Our earned media concept evolved into an integrated campaign that came to life through-the-line.”
Sensational results 76 pieces of coverage 1.8 billion editorial opportunities to see 30% increase of brand index 19,000 visits to the Sensations Global Travel website 16,000 registrations to buy the £1.99 flights
We love it when a plan comes together…
Sook’s 58 Oxford Street space was tailor-made for Jagermeister’s recent ICECOLD Supermarket pop-up. The two-level space made it possible for the brand to take the experience from day-to-night, opening up a second, secret, through-the-freezer nightclub as soon as the daytime crowds were done. Cold shots, DJ decks and a raft of of-the-moment stars. A lot like Narnia, but proper bangin’.
There was merch on sale, as well as branded products that brought the ice-cold serve message to life, such as Jagermeister ice cream.
Mast-Jägermeister Head of Digital, Culture and Events, Peter Kennedy says, "Iceland wouldn't let us have a rave in their supermarket, so we made our own. The ICECOLD Supermarket showcases Jägermeister's optimal serving temperature of -18 degrees. As Jägermeister is a brand best served Ice Cold, we couldn't think of a better setting for customers to fully immerse themselves with chilled surroundings, -18 temperatures and an ice cold secret in store."
We’re yet to receive official metrics, but if the crowds and the impressive range of earned media coverage are anything to go by, the event was a runaway success, and the perfect way to creatively leverage the wider campaign message.
See what went down at the ICECOLD Supermarket event October 2022
easyJet
In partnership with the Netherlands Tourist Board, and as part of their #whynot? Campaign, low-cost airline easyJet brought the Netherlands to East London via an immersive theatre experience, showing that there was more to the Netherlands than Amsterdam.
An easyJet representative said: “2016 was a difficult year for the UK travel industry. A spate of terrorist attacks had, understandably, introduced anxiety into the previously happy-go-lucky customer mindset, while the Brexit vote led to rising costs. Travel needed an injection of confidence, spontaneity and exuberance. As a customer-centric brand setting out to inspire impulsive trips, a branded experience that required a spirit of adventure, the one captured by our #whynot campaign, felt like exactly the right approach.”
Read The Drum’s coverage of the event
And, seriously, why not, with results like these?
Circa 1000 curious passers-by engaged over 2 days
Extensive sharing on visitor’s social channels, particularly of the ultra-instagrammable ‘Tulip Toom’
#whynot? Made it onto Twitter Moments and Snapchat’s coveted Stories page (was a big deal in 2016!) for London
Huge amount of earned media generated, with over 50 pieces of coverage across broadcast, international, online and trade press, with a potential reach of more than 116m across the UK and Netherlands
The Evening Standard made it one of its top ‘Things To Do In London’ that weekend
PRWeek recognised it in its ‘Top 5 activations’ for that month
Sook provides premium, flexible pop-up space for brands like yours. If you think we could help you bring your marketing strategy to life, get in touch, or check out sook.space to see our sites and check availability.