The warm weather of summer brings crowds outdoors, which in turn inspires brands to devise creative marketing ploys to get attention for new products and offerings. So as fall approaches and industry professionals prepare for more indoor affairs, here's a quick recap of what companies like Netflix, Hendrick's Gin, and Airbnb did to engage consumers.
As an off-site promotion at this year's Comic-Con International in San Diego, which took place July 9 to 11, the History channel promoted its period drama Vikings by offering rides in a custom-branded longship. While on board, fans received drinking horns that gave them access to drink specials at select bars throughout the Gaslamp Quarter. The vehicle was also capable of driving on land, where it distributed the horns as well. Civic Entertainment Group produced the promotion.
Netflix and experiential agency Magnetic launched a cross-country bus tour to promote the star-filled miniseries Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, which the streaming service released July 31. Decked out in the series logo with the hashtag #WHASBusTour, the bus came with costumed camp counselors who encouraged passersby to participate in camp games like tug-of-war. The activation also offered show-theme swag like trucker hats, canned veggies, and camp T-shirts, and provided photo ops with cut-outs of the show's characters. The tour launched in New York's Madison Square Park in July and made a stop at the show's world premiere at SVA Theatre. The bus also stopped at locations in Austin and Los Angeles.
Health-focused on-the-go snack brand GoGo Squeez partnered with MKG for the activation tour of its customized vending machine, dubbed "The Goodness Machine." The structure, built by Square Design, was a giant version of the brand's signature applesauce packet. The tour, which kicked off in New York's Madison Square Park July 23, invited kids to #CatchTheGoGo by pushing a button, which activated a launching mechanism that shot out an applesauce packet attached to a parachute with the brand's label. The activation also incorporated a social media and video element, with a custom video recorder that recorded kids interacting with the machine. The videos were uploaded to the “Goodness Machine” website as 15-second GIFs.
Starbucks Canada partnered with YouTube star Lauren Riihimaki (also known as LaurDIY) to promote its new Teavan Sparkling Tea Juices by turning a local Toronto café into a "Sparkle Shop" on August 8. People who stopped by the pop-up shop were able to sample the beverages, meet Riihimaki, and get "sparkled" by brand ambassadors who were on site to glitter hair, beards, nails, sunglasses, and more.
The Spamerican Tour promoted the canned meat with a 13-market food truck tour, which took place over a four-month period. Along with free samples of dishes made with Spam, the Match Marketing Group-produced tour gave customers free T-shirts, sunglasses, temporary tattoos, and a chance to win a trip to Hawaii. Spam spokescharacter "Sir Can-A-Lot" was also on site to interact with consumers.
Restaurant Bull & Bear in Chicago promoted National Hot Dog Day on July 23 with its Homewrecker hotdog, a 22-inch Chicago-style hot dog that was topped with onions, tomatoes, peppers, relish, and mustard. The restaurant challenged customers to finish the dog in one sitting. Winners received a "Homewrecker Champ" T-shirt, bragging rights, and, of course, a free meal.
To promote the second season of nude reality series Dating Naked: Playing for Keeps, VH1 played along with the show's premise by unveiling an interactive street-level billboard on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Los Angeles on July 17. Pedestrians were invited to remove squares from 15- by 8-foot structure, designed by Awestruck Marketing and printed by Arete Digital Imaging, to reveal a man and a woman in their birthday suits. The back of each square revealed naked-theme prizes that included beauty products, health services, photo shoots, and a resort getaway.
Hendrick's Gin promoted its product with the Hendrick's Air campaign, which involved 130-foot flying cucumber that traveled across 13 cities at 35 miles per hour. The tour ended on July 29 with a viewing party held at Galleria Marchetti in Chicago.
French mustard brand Maille used Toronto Bastille Day on July 12 to promote its condiment with a Paris-inspired pop-up bistro. Planned by the PR Department, the pop-up served sandwiches, macarons, and cocktails made with different flavors of Maille mustard. The "1747" cocktails, served in jars with the brand's logo, included Cognac Remy Martin and Maille Provençal.
Kentucky Fried Chicken's three activations centered on the brand's founder and mascot, Colonel Sanders. Through a partnership with Adult Swim, the fast-food chain positioned seven life-size Wi-Fi-enabled Colonel Sanders statues at various intersections of the Gaslamp Quarter, each decked out in cosplay attire. When conferencegoers located the statues and connected to the network, they reached a co-branded Kentucky Fried Chicken and Robot Chicken digital hub for custom content. Costumed staffers were also on hand to promote the brand and its comic campaign.
August 27 is officially National Banana Lovers Day, but Magnolia Bakery teamed up with UberEats to dub it National Banana Pudding Day. The first 300 customers who order a meal using Uber's city-specific food delivery option will receive a free small banana pudding from the bakery. Customers who buy banana pudding in stores will get a free banana-theme temporary tattoo and a chance to win free pudding for a year if they use the hashtag #GoBananas and tag the bakery in an Instagram post. In addition, Magnolia will offer a Banana Pudding Cupcake through the weekend.
Community-driven hospitality company Airbnb partnered with SF Pride for a second year and launched a #HostWithPride pop-up. The activation traveled to various neighborhoods over a two-week period, encouraging residents to participate in D.I.Y. activities and a community art installation.
To promote its climate change-focused Save Our Swirled campaign, Ben & Jerry's embarked on an 8,000-plus-mile road trip in an electric Tesla Model S. Those who tweeted at the brand got free scoops delivered to their office from the brand's eco-friendly version of an ice cream truck, which was fitted with three freezers that held more than 1,000 scoops. The company also released a new raspberry and marshmallow-flavored ice cream named after the campaign.
UrbanDaddy and Grey Goose partnered to present a French-theme Summer Soiree, which showcased the vodka brand's Simply Served cocktail program that mixes citrus-infused Grey Goose flavors with Perrier and fresh herbs. They ended a seven-city tour on the Roof at the Viceroy in New York on August 5. A monitor showing videos of the cocktails was positioned at the event's outside bar.
