On a warm spring weekend by the sea in Southern California, where residents often earn their reputations as devoted diet and fitness buffs, Diet Coke had what seemed like an ideal environment for a pop-up dedicated to the brand and good health at once. From March 19 through 21 the soda brand took over a vacant retail space on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade to promote its partnership with the Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign through which Diet Coke is supporting the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and pushing a heart-healthy lifestyle through activity, education, and nutrition.
Coca-Cola North America global strategic events manager Mike Greto tapped MKG Productions to produce the pop-up fitness center, in which visitors meandering along the Promenade could stop inside—beckoned by model staffers hawking Diet Coke giveaways—to get advice from registered dietitians and fitness experts, as well as receive heart screenings.
The space, with everything inside free for consumers, also had a Diet Coke sampling bar, healthy snacks from a branded automat, prizes, and a photo studio. MKG built out the space in bright red, white, and silver decor, with bold signage on white temporary walls and seating areas in the chosen color palette.
Last year MKG also worked on East Coast pop-ups, in New York and Boston, for Diet Coke to promote the brand's "Live Tastefully" campaign; those events, known as Diet Coke Pop-Up Kitchens, were all about healthy food pairings.
