Grocery Shopping Gets a Glam Makeover at This Influencer Pop-Up in LA

LOS ANGELES—A vacant Melrose Avenue storefront got a checkout-worthy face-lift for BRANDEdit’s Spring Grocer Influencer Experience, where shelves were stocked for maximum organic content. From April 10-11, the pop-up grocery store ditched traditional displays of fresh produce for the freshest in beauty, wellness, style, and good-for-you snacks. 

The two-day event invited 141 influencers to “facilitate authentic connections between creators and brands in a setting designed for real engagement,” said Belinda Sztrom, vice president of events and partnerships at LA-based marketing agency The Digital Dept., whose in-house experiential program, BRANDEdit, was responsible for the grocer experience. With branded baskets in hand, influencers perused a grocery-themed gifting suite with shelves full of products courtesy of Beauty of Joseon, Naked Sundays, Nippies, Native Pet, Original Self, PackIt, Provocativo, and Vital Proteins.Photo: Holland ClementThe pop-up was only open to invited influencers—141 in all. "A public or ticketed event wouldn’t have provided the same level of brand-to-creator intimacy or controlled storytelling,” said Belinda Sztrom, vice president of events and partnerships at LA-based marketing agency The Digital Dept., whose in-house experiential program, BRANDEdit, was responsible for the experience.Photo: Holland Clement

Why only influencers? Because “an influencer-only event allowed us to craft a highly curated experience with built-in amplification. A public or ticketed event wouldn’t have provided the same level of brand-to-creator intimacy or controlled storytelling,” according to Sztrom, whose brand strategy team curated the guest list by choosing “creators with a smaller but highly engaged community, [which] often has more impact than one with a larger but passive following.” 

It was also important to invite “creators whose audience would genuinely resonate with the brands showcased at the event,” Sztrom said. Those brands included title sponsor MaryRuth Organics, which was on site with a smoothie bar with fruity, probiotic blends featuring ingredients like watermelon, acai, mango, sea moss, and lavender. The pop-up's title sponsor, MaryRuth Organics, was behind an on-site smoothie bar with fruity, probiotic blends featuring ingredients like watermelon, acai, mango, sea moss, and lavender.Photo: Holland ClementShoe brand Saysh was also in attendance—along with its co-founder Allyson Felix, the most decorated track and field athlete of all time.Photo: Holland Clement

Beyond that, a grocery-themed gifting suite served as the ultimate shopping destination—although the retro-style display, with shelves full of products courtesy of Beauty of Joseon, Naked Sundays, Nippies, Native Pet, Original Self, PackIt, Provocativo, and Vital Proteins, was more like a content-creating playground. With branded gift baskets overflowing, influencers were also treated to on-site piercings courtesy of jewelry brand Lovisa and an interactive styling station with Crocs, EyeBuyDirect, and Saysh, whose co-founder Allyson Felix—the most decorated track and field athlete of all time—was in attendance to meet with creators. 

“Our goal with these BRANDEdit activations is to foster memorable moments that connect brands and creators in an intimate, engaging, and visually compelling setting while allowing for brand discovery and relationship building,” Sztrom explained. BRANDEdit's brand strategy team curated the guest list by choosing “creators with a smaller but highly engaged community, [which] often has more impact than one with a larger but passive following," Sztrom said.Photo: Holland ClementIt's only natural that BRANDEdit provided branded grocery baskets—part of its influencer strategy to "design for content," according to Sztrom.Photo: Holland ClementSztrom said that in the days following the event, BRANDEdit has clocked several creators wearing sunglasses they received at the LA pop-up during Coachella weekend.Photo: Holland Clement

It’s safe to say the aisles cut through the social algorithms: “Within days of the event, there were already almost 400 pieces of content posted on Instagram between stories and grid posts,” according to Sztrom. In addition, “several partner brands saw immediate spikes in traffic and social mentions in the 48 hours post-event." 

BRANDEdit is still tracking post-pop-up coverage, per Sztrom, who said that "we’ve already seen several creators wear their new sunglasses and shoes from the event at Coachella (April 11-13 and 18-20) and incorporate their gifted beauty products into weekend content, showing that the event didn’t just generate content on-site, but sparked ongoing brand integration.” In another engaging touchpoint, influencers were treated to on-site piercings courtesy of jewelry brand Lovisa.Photo: Holland ClementEyeBuyDirect was among the brands at BRANDEdit’s Spring Grocer Influencer Experience.Photo: Holland ClementCrocs' flower cart-inspired display featured the brand's limited-edition collection in partnership with Finnish design house Marimekko, which is known for its bold floral patterns.Photo: Holland Clement

Sztrom attributed the pop-up's success to BRANDEdit’s tried-and-true influencer strategy, which includes: 

1. Leading with clarity.  

“Set expectations early around timing, deliverables (if any), and what to expect,” Sztrom advised. 

2. Designing for content. 

"Think about lighting, flow, and product backdrops that make content creation seamless,” Sztrom said, pointing to just how much natural light the Melrose Avenue storefront got. 

3. Prioritizing event flow. 

To keep content flowing, influencers need to be able to navigate a space with ease—so make it seamless with intentional displays, clear signage, and well-briefed brand ambassadors. 

4. Offering meaningful takeaways. 

“Gifting should be thoughtful, brand-aligned, and worth posting,” Sztrom said. 

5. Following up. 

“Post-event outreach keeps the relationship warm and opens the door for future collaborations,” Sztrom said. Sztrom told BizBash that the storefront that served as the pop-ups venue was strategically bathed in natural light during the day.Photo: Holland Clement“Within days of the event there were already almost 400 pieces of content posted on Instagram between stories and grid posts,” according to Sztrom.Photo: Holland Clement