The experiential excellence collection: Tesco, Miller, Pokémon and more

Pop-up brand experiences are one of this year’s top experiential trends. Executed well, pop-ups can deliver enormous brand value. Although temporary by nature, they have the potential to kickstart extremely long-lasting positive relationships between customers and brands.

This month’s experiential excellence collection looks at a household name in the UK that has served up a powerful pop-up right in the heart of our nation’s capital. Also featured are three experiential campaigns that have tapped into the warmth, fun and optimism of the summer months to great effect. 

Tesco: The ‘finest’ of experiential pop-ups

Tesco recently branched out into the pop-up space with the launch of its very own wine bar. And the supermarket chain certainly did it in style. 

Tesco took over an art gallery in Soho to offer visitors the chance to sample its entire list of ‘Finest’ wines. With guests able to choose from a selection of nearly 50 wines, the immersive pop-up combined minimalist décor with a subtle approach to deliver an experience that added extra depth to the established brand.

Targeted at amateur wine drinkers rather than the seasoned connoisseur, knowledgeable brand ambassadors were on-hand to answer any and all questions and make recommendations based on individual taste during the two weeks the experience ran for. 
 

Pokémon Go: Pikachu gets revenge

The free app that has taken the world by storm, Pokémon Go is undoubtedly the biggest success story of 2016. But with everyone so busy catching as many characters as they can, has anyone stopped to wonder how the Pokémon feel about this phenomenon?

Taking the craze and turning it on its head, the tourism agency for the Swiss city of Basel recently created a cheeky viral campaign that featured four life-sized Pikachus going on a rampage throughout the city, taking their revenge on the people chasing them by throwing giant Pokéballs! 

With the video subtly showing off some of the city’s best sights and landmarks, it’s an ingenious and fun campaign that well and truly puts Basel on the map in surprising fashion. 
 

Miller Lite: Life’s a beach 

Alcoholic brands sure aren’t shy when it comes to the inventive use of experiential marketing. And they shouldn’t be. When you trade on taste, friendship and spirited conversation, experiential is an absolutely perfect fit. 

US beer brand Miller surprised fans across the US this summer with a series of themed experiential activations. An eclectic mix of live experiences, free giveaways and light-hearted pranks all came together to form the brand’s national ‘Summer of Kickbacks’ campaign.

A Miller Lite sunscreen-spraying booth at the beach, a giant game of Jenga and pop-up appearances from the brand at festivals and sports events across the country all added up to a great experiential effort from Miller, with the brand making the most of the opportunities provided by the warmer weather to connect directly with a wider audience. 
 

Sausage Party: A shocking supermarket surprise

The weekly grocery shop is boring and unenjoyable for most of us. But when Seth Rogen is involved, it’s anything but a dull experience.

To promote the release of his new R-rated animated movie Sausage Party, the comic actor frightened unsuspecting members of the public with some highly realistic animatronics to show them that food has feelings too. 

The hilarious stunt filmed in a New York supermarket saw shoppers experience the fright of their lives when the food on the shelves came to life before their very eyes. Operated with remote controls and voiced by Rogen (hidden in the back of the store), the foul-mouthed food served up some terrific reactions from the bewildered customers, and quickly notched up more than 3 million views on YouTube. Tasty.
 

Joss Davidge is Director of the Unexpected at BEcause Experiential Marketing, the award-winning agency dedicated to enhancing Brand Love. Sign up to Joss’ next complimentary experiential marketing masterclass to learn about the most effective experiential marketing strategies.