MLS All-Star Week 2023: Inside Fan-Forward Activations From Coca-Cola and Adidas

In celebration of MLS' partnership with Coca-Cola, experiential agency 160over90 helped produce the marquee event Beats, Cleats & Eats on The Wharf in D.C. from July 15-16. The event distributed approximately 4,500 samples. "It was great to give fans the opportunity to sample a significant portion of Coca-Cola’s portfolio on site, with nearly 14 variations available," said Josh Pate, 160over90's SVP of global experiential.

The activation took over the Transit Pier with multiple touchpoints across brands and partners, including Captain Morgan, Campbell's Snacks, Smartwater, Bodyarmor, JLab, and DoorDash.

Pate said the overarching goal was to uplift, highlight, and celebrate fans through the lens of music, soccer, and Coca-Cola offerings. "We felt it was important to tap into both food and match break occasions to uplift every part of the soccer fan and participation experience," he said.

One of the biggest challenges ended up being the size of the venue. "Activating adjacent to a public waterfront neighborhood and on a pier at The Wharf in Washington, D.C., meant our team had to build out the activation element in tight spaces and manage complex coordination—but we’re accustomed to bringing activations to life no matter the challenges," Pate said.

The event saw 3,000 in attendance over two days.

For the "beats" portion of the event, 160over90 and Coca-Cola tapped trap and jazz artist Masego. This was one of Pate's favorite moments of the event. "Working with our entertainment marketing colleagues to secure Masego for a live musical performance on the floating stage created a unique viewing experience," he said. "Bringing relevant musical talent to a soccer-centric event helped bring in the more casual fans to engage with other on-site activation elements."

Stoelt Productions partnered with Jam3 to fabricate and execute this vintage mobile shopping experience for Adidas, dubbed Soccer Selects, at the MLS All-Star Celebration in Washington, D.C. "Soccer culture is making its way into the mainstream, and Adidas is at the heart of the movement," said Jam3 creative director Trent Rohner. "Already the leaders in world football, they’re leading the way in North America too, where football is the fastest-growing sport. We wanted to continue and reinforce this movement with the truck, bringing sport, style, and culture together into one totally unique experience. We collaborated with Saturdays Football, the best reseller/curator of vintage soccer jerseys and gear in the U.S."

Over the course of four days, visitors shopped at adidas.com, and following their purchase were able to pick one vintage Adidas item on the truck for free, snap a pic in the avant-garde photo moment, and grab an iced coffee. The free vintage picks after an online purchased proved particularly engaging—it "resulted in lines around the corner, so we had to eventually raise the bar to any $50-or-more purchase at the MLS store because we were running out too fast!" Rohner said.

The activation featured both new and vintage decor, foosball tables, fashion- and photography-focused books, and soccer memorabilia. "This wasn’t about nostalgia—it was about today's style, today's sport, and today's culture," said Jam3 executive creative director Sanya Grujicic.

The truck "persevered through changing circumstances and braving unpredictable weather," she added. "Despite the elements, our efforts paid off as fans eagerly lined up day after day to own a piece of curated vintage Adidas history."

The activation also hosted player signings with Atlanta United player Thiago Almada and FC Dallas player Jesús Ferreira.

The two players also autographed specially designed "Marvelized" posters.

"The response from our clients was immensely positive, with the truck's success now serving as 'a model for Adidas' future activations,' in their words," Grujicic said.