"Industry Innovators 2022: 10 Brands Shaping the Future of Event Marketing" is sponsored by Hubilo, a leading virtual and hybrid event platform built to drive engagement, with clients including Deloitte, Coca-Cola, Amazon Web Services and more.
The Basics: As Walt Disney Television's young adult network, Freeform's content skews toward young women in the 14–34 age range, with programming that includes original series like The Bold Type and Good Trouble, along with tentpole broadcasting events like "31 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas.” That signature seasonal programming has translated into IRL activations such as “Halloween Road,” an outdoor event in Los Angeles that immerses guests into the worlds of classic films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Addams Family, Ghostbusters and more, with live entertainment like a Hocus Pocus-themed drag show.
After transforming into a drive-thru experience in 2020, Freeform returned to a walk-through format for its fourth annual "Halloween Road" event this year.Photo: Courtesy of Freeform
“Without question, the most innovative event this year was the first-ever vertical screening premiere event for Cruel Summer. Not only did it solve the enormous challenges that COVID presented for an in-person event, but it also innovated with a first-to-market concept that exceeded our guests' expectations,” said Joe Ortiz, senior vice president of content marketing for Freeform.
To immerse guests in the world of the show, which is set in the early 1990s, each of the hotel rooms was decked out in ‘90s nostalgia, including authentic magazines from the era, photo collage boards of pop culture moments, inflatable furniture, bespoke amenity boxes and branded pillows and blankets. On the menu were elevated versions of ‘90s favorites like Hot Pockets and Whatta Burgers, plus candy like Pop-Rocks, Gushers and Dippin’Dots.
Room decor featured large cork boards with photo collages of 1990s imagery, as well as on-theme details like authentic magazines from the era, inflatable furniture, concert and movie posters, board games, ‘90s trivia games and more. Guests were encouraged to take the items with them when they left.Photo: Carly Otness Photography
Pivot Back to In-Person/Hybrid: “Slow and steady was our approach,” Ortiz said. “Like most brands, we quickly transitioned to fully virtual events—programming content over experiences. As we all learned more, we safely began to create socially distant events. In less than three weeks to launch, we transitioned our “Halloween Road” consumer event into a drive-thru experience [in 2020]. People felt safe and it was a much-needed taste of normalcy for all at a really hard time. Today, we remain in a hybrid environment. We take extreme care with any in-person events, following all local guidelines and our corporate policies. We have to remain flexible up to the moment doors open. Flexibility and the ability to quickly make needed changes will be critical in the future.”
In celebration of its annual "25 Days of Christmas" programming, Freeform hosted a series of drive-in screenings featuring holiday classics at the Santa Monica Airport. Attendees were transported to a festive wonderland while driving through Christmas Tree Lane and enjoying wintertime treats.Photo: Courtesy of Freeform
