28 Cool Event Ideas You May Have Missed From Marvel Studios, Red Bull, YSL Beauty, and More

At D23, held in Anaheim, Calif., last month, Marvel Studios teamed up with AKJOHNSTON for a walk-through experience of its Time Variance Authority, as recently seen in the Deadpool & Wolverine movie.

More than 6,500 new “employees” of the TVA were processed, welcomed by a custom-animated Miss Minutes Pepper’s ghost effect. Guests were guided through the 11,000-square-foot facility—the largest experiential space at D23—where they explored various iconic moments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Each time door offered a look into key moments in the MCU, and featured unique elements of projections, LED visuals, props, audio, and even a Rocket motion-capture room to transport the viewer across time and space. In a fun twist, guests could "break the rules" by stepping through a time door onto the Witches' Road, catching a sneak peek of the then-unreleased new series Agatha All Along before safely returning to the TVA to receive their new employee badge.

AKJOHNSTON worked with teams from Marvel Franchise, ILM, and StudioLab, and used fabrication methods like millwork, metalwork, foam sculpting, and fiberglass to bring the TVA to life.

Also at D23, AKJOHNSTON partnered with Disney Junior to create a multisensory space designed for both children and parents to enjoy. The dynamic play area offered a variety of experiences, including character meet-and-greets and Montessori-inspired games in an open play area.

Highlights of the Disney Junior activation included the Mickey Mouse Club LED dance floor, an interactive floor that lit up with guests' moves.

AKJOHNSTON's in-house creative, production, and fabrication teams brought to life custom dimensional prints of beloved characters like the SuperKitties and Bluey’s family. To add an extra layer of excitement, the team incorporated interactive screens that allowed guests to wave and interact with even more characters.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame hosted its 2024 Legends Ball, presented by BNP Paribas and NetJets, on Sept. 7 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. The event was produced by the International Tennis Hall of Fame, with event design, floral design, and fabrication by Rebecca Merritt of Beyond Merritt Design. The evening aimed to showcase and celebrate the Newport, R.I.-based International Tennis Hall of Fame and its storied collections, as well as launch the Be Legendary initiative, designed to inspire greatness in generations globally.

An interactive step-and-repeat was a custom-built wall spotlighting museum artifacts from the Hall of Fame collection, complete with built-in lighting and protective plexiglass. The nine displayed items included Olympic gold medals; shoes worn by Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Coco Gauff; and the Presidents Cup awarded to John McEnroe for winning Gentlemen’s Singles at the 1983 Wimbledon Championships.

Five massive double-sided banners, shaped as reverse arches to mimic the lines of the room, were suspended from the ceiling. Banners featured photos of tennis greats alongside the next generation.

The event also featured AV by Star Group Productions and branding by SpeedPro, and ITHF President Patrick McEnroe served as emcee (after participating in a surprise Q&A with Andre Agassi during cocktail hour).

On Sept. 4, Netflix hosted a red carpet and premiere event for The Perfect Couple at The Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Cast members like Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson (pictured), and Meghann Fahy posed in front of a sandy step-and-repeat that evoked the series' Nantucket setting.

One of the most anticipated movie premieres of the year, Wicked, made a special appearance at the Rock in Rio music festival in Rio de Janeiro from Sept. 13-22. Universal Pictures brought the "Everyone Can Fly" immersive experience to the event, allowing fans to step into a colorful, 269-square-foot world with two distinct, photo op-friendly environments that celebrated the movie’s main characters.

On one side of the booth, visitors found the pink world of Glinda (played by Ariana Grande), the character who surrounds herself with pink clothing, accessories, and a bedroom fully decorated in the same hue.

On the other side, the green shade of Elphaba’s (played by Cynthia Erivo) skin took center stage, accompanied by her broomstick and pointed witch hat.

The experience was created by Monks, the operational brand of S4 Capital. Participants could also take home a bubble-blowing souvenir, referencing Glinda, and a friendship bracelet that symbolized the bond between the two protagonists.

Creative agency Amplify created a unique K-street food experience for O'Food and Jongga, two of the world's leading Korean food brands. The “JO'Bunsik activation” involved a food truck tour across LA this past weekend, where visitors got the chance to sample authentic Korean comfort food from popular private chef Rob Li. Li curated a menu of Korean comfort food crafted with Jongga's and O’Food’s top products available now in the U.S. The menu featured bold takes on street food classics, such as Jongga’s Napa kimchi and O’Food’s cheesy tteokbokki with corn and bacon.

Guests received two free dishes at the food truck plus samples of some of Jongga’s and O’Food’s most popular products, plus merch giveaways and other surprises. Inspired by traditional Bunsik stores, the JO'Bunsik truck was adorned with bright, colorful branding, with the name combining both brand names. The food truck pop-up stopped at three different locations throughout LA from Sept. 20-22, and will continue in New York next weekend—starting Sept. 27 at Astor Place and Union Square.

On Sept. 18, ABC hosted the premiere of Ryan Murphy’s Doctor Odyssey at Bel-Air Bay Club in the Pacific Palisades. The event included a screening with ocean views, followed by a reception.

ABC worked with Little Cinema on the event, which had a “seaside glam” dress code.

In attendance were series creator Ryan Murphy and stars Joshua Jackson (pictured), Don Johnson, Phillipa Soo, and Sean Teale, plus the series’ creative team.

In late August, Red Bull Tennessee Knockout (TKO) Prologue transformed Downtown Nashville for a one-of-a-kind hard enduro dirt bike competition. The event debuted in Music City back in 2022 and returned to bring hard enduro, one of the most challenging forms of motorcycle racing, back to the city's Lower Broadway—which was converted into a course with human-made obstacles including a 16-foot ramp, logs, and jumps.

The two-block stretch of Broadway hosted thousands of fans packed on both sides of the street and atop the roofs of Lower Broadway’s bars, setting the stage for a fast-paced final round between racing veterans Cody Webb and Colton Haaker. (Ultimately, Webb clenched first place.)

On Aug. 24, Finish Dishwashing invited guests at the Santa Monica Pier to celebrate the kickoff of the Finish Water Challenge, a 60-day challenge launched in partnership with Flume Water, a leading provider of smart water monitoring solutions. At the event, consumers played water trivia games and were encouraged to sign up for the water challenge and pledge their commitment to conserve water and reduce their overall household usage by practicing tips like skipping the rinse when doing the dishes.

Those who signed up to learn more received a voucher for a free Ferris wheel ride at the Santa Monica Pier. The activation engaged more than 750 consumers over the course of one day.

The YSL Beauté Beach Resort recently took place over two weekends in late August and early September in the Hamptons, N.Y. The luxury retail experience gave consumers the chance to experience the latest and greatest YSL Beauty makeup and fragrance products. Branded, mirrored surfboards as decor celebrated the beachy setting.

The Beach Resort greeted guests with personalized makeup consultations, complimentary product customizations, sweet summer treats, and exclusive YSL Beauty gifts with every purchase.

The space also featured memorable photo moments and logo displays.

Chobani tapped brand experience agency Thinkingbox to replenish athletes and their families during Alianza de Futbol games, the premier Hispanic soccer league in the U.S. Thinkingbox crafted an immersive soccer experience called the Nutrition Lab to deliver samples of Drinkable Yogurt to thousands of attendees across three tournaments in San Bernardino, Calif.; San Jose, Calif.; and El Paso, Texas. Participants could interact with an on-site nutritionist to get in-person guidance, partake in a skills challenge, and receive limited-edition merch and complimentary product samples and coupons. Each participating youth team also received a custom-branded Yeti cooler to keep them replenished on and off the pitch.