16 Unexpected Decor and Branding Ideas for Pool Parties This Summer

Synchronized swimmers have long been a popular way to add some entertainment to a pool-centric event—so why not turn it into a subtle branding moment? At Coachella in 2019, Adidas' annual Sports Club featured synchronized swimmers wearing the brand's iconic black-and-white sneakers. Taking it a step further, the event also had the Adidas logo floating in the water; water jetpack acrobatics entertained guests and served as an eye-catching photo op. The Corso Agency handled production for the Sports Club. See more: Coachella 2019: 6 Design Trends to Steal for Your Next Event

Pools and water features can create fun moments for branding, like at Cadillac's 2020 Oscars reception, produced by Event Eleven at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. Floating leaves printed with the car company's logo added an eye-catching touch to the pool. See more: Oscars 2020: Steal-Worthy Event Design Ideas From the Week's Most Stylish Parties

Another creative branding example comes from the Adam Lippes for Target preview event, held in 2015 in New York. David Stark Design & Production brought the designer's buffalo plaid-inspired collection to life with a fall-inspired event. Two Target bull's-eye topiaries decorated the pool area, naturally integrating into the gathering's cozy fall picnic vibe. See more: How to Throw a Plaid Picnic

At Comic-Con International in San Diego in 2014, a party celebrating Sin City: A Dame to Kill For cleverly featured projections of the film's characters on the surface of the rooftop pool. The event was produced by CH Cre8tive, then called Chad Hudson Events.

At Coachella in 2019, American Express hosted an off-site event for card members at Avalon Hotel Palm Springs. The colorful space was filled with sculptures from artist Friends With You, while the water was colored with a pink and blue ombre effect. See more: Coachella 2019: See Inside the Biggest Parties and Brand Activations

Who says pools can't double as art installations? During Miami Art Week in December 2021, Benjamin Von Wong’s three-story #TurnOffThePlasticTap exhibit was fabricated by Elana Novali; it was built using ventilation ducts scavenged from a building that was about to be demolished, which were then cut, painted, and adapted to look like a suspended faucet. The “water” was made from plastics, which were held together with rope made from more plastic bottles.

Here's a truly out-of-the-box one to get the creative (and cranberry!) juices flowing, regardless of the season: In 2015, Ocean Spray marked its 85th anniversary by putting a 30-foot-long dining table in a fruit-filled bog in the middle of New York. The stunt included 900,000 cranberries and 21,000 gallons of water, which food bloggers and editors, alongside Ocean Spray executives and crop farmers, waded through to reach the dinner table. The table was anchored by two large, custom 12- by 12-foot pergolas overhead complete with theme-appropriate chandeliers. Tyger Productions produced the event in partnership with Ocean Spray's ad agency, Arnold Worldwide, and PR firm Weber Shandwick. See more: See a Brand's Thanksgiving Luncheon Amid 900,000 Cranberries

Another unique, pool-based stunt came from Epson, which celebrated the launch of its new printer in the middle of New York’s Times Square. The "Swimming in Ink" activation featured performances by the U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Team inside a 17,000-gallon transparent swim tank created by IDEKO Productions. The bottom and rear panels of the tank were designed with the ink cartridge colors of cyan, magenta, and yellow to provide the illusion that the swimmers were performing in ink, rather than the actual clear pool water. See more: Why Epson Built a Giant Water Tank in Times Square

LA-based entertainment company Zen Arts offers an array of water-based performance options, including these "bubble spheres." The performers are trained dancers, acrobats, and contortionists, performing from inside giant floating bubbles inside a pool or other water feature. Zen Arts also can book synchronized swimmers or "mermaids" for pool-based events.

Even the traditional pool-based branded moments can be dressed up with some creative thinking, like at Svedka Rio’s “Summer Samba” party in 2014. Working with BMF, the brand used fresh fruit to decorate a floating logo. See more: 6 Fruit-Filled Decor Ideas From Svedka’s Colorful Summer Party

Pool-based events can also make a splash without anyone getting wet. At the Engage!19 luxury wedding conference, held in Nassau, Bahamas, a poolside welcome party featured costumed entertainers from Elan Artists, who performed inside open structures atop the pool. A large screen projected psychedelic images throughout the evening. See more: The Hottest New Ideas and Products for Hosting a Pool Party

Rather than constructing its logo to live either in the pool or on dry land, American Express opted for both options at its 2017 Coachella party. The 3D "Platinum" logo was bent along the side of the pool to offer an eye-catching look from all angles.

Sometimes, an old standby like balloons can make a huge difference—especially when they're used to complement floating beach balls in the same colors, like at the real-life Barbie Dreamhouse experiential agency Coffee ‘n Clothes created for Forever21 in 2022. See more: Come on Barbie, Let’s Go Party: How This Experiential Agency Created a Barbie Dream House for Forever21

To mark the 25th anniversary of Shark Week, Discovery hosted an event in 2012 that put sharks in the pool of The Beverly Hilton. The scary fish weren't real, of course, but rather slowly moving projections devised by the planning and production team from Event Eleven. See more: Sharks Infest Beverly Hilton Pool at Discovery's Shark Week Anniversary

To launch a special-edition art series label—and raise funds for Haiti—Ferllen Winery teamed up with the Amigos Near Foundation for an arty event in Miami in 2013. Held at Paramount Bay, the event included gold vodka cocktails, live entertainment, and the chance to check out artwork in a rather unusual setting: the swimming pool. Mounted pieces from photographer Tomas Loewy floated in the turquoise water, giving the appearance of unusually eye-catching rafts.

Sure, these may look like synchronized swimmers... but there isn’t actually any water! When Hermès opened its Beverly Hills flagship store, one room was an interpretation of a glamorous vintage pool—with a giant LED ceiling creating an underwater effect, a troupe of dancers meant to evoke synchronized swimmers, and a faux tile floor bearing the house's H motif.