FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover mountaintop skincare at the Kiehl’s Ski Lounge, sexy 3D printing and St. Patrick’s day rainbow-hunting.
KIEHL’S
We’ve never hit the slopes only to find a skincare bar waiting at the bottom of the mountain, but consumers gliding through Wyoming’s Jackson Hole Mountain Resort earlier this month did. To celebrate an exclusive partnership with the resort as its official 2024 SPF Partner, Kiehl’s popped up a two-day activation designed to get its skincare products into the hands of adventure-seekers by blending “extreme sports and extreme skincare innovation.”
The custom-built skin bar, located at the base of the mountain, was an homage to Kiehl’s brand design and heritage. Consumers could drop by for product sampling and education. Meanwhile, a Kiehl’s Ski Lounge located at the mid-mountain point was designed to be a VIP après-ski hangout, and included f&b, giveaways and branded photo ops. To (ski) boot, custom ski bibs, stickers and assorted samples were shared with select resort guests. (Agency: CNC Agency)
Photo credit: CNC Agency
THIS SXSW CONSTRUCTION EVENT WAS ICON-IC
Perhaps we’ve been living under a rock, but unbeknownst to us, there are companies capable of 3D-printing entire homes. In fact, construction technology company ICON launched the first permitted 3D-printed house in 2018 at SXSW. So it was only fitting that at SXSW 2024 last week during its “Domus Ex Machina” launch event, the brand unveiled a new multistory robotic construction system that can erect an entire building enclosure—and showed the audience how it works, firsthand, with an on-site demo. Not your average SXSW experience. (Also not your average construction industry experience—who knew it could be sexy?)
Attendees could also catch a film screening showcasing ICON’s new innovations (thousands attended) and a keynote from brand co-founder and ceo Jason Ballard, as well as enjoy music, bites and refreshments. (Agency: BMF)
KIDSUPER JUST DROPPED A PERMANENT STREETWEAR HAVEN
Streetwear apparel brand KidSuper has just secured a stylish new home in Brooklyn, NY. The newly launched KidSuper World is an expansive, 10,000-square-foot venue and love letter to New York City located in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. The venue was built to serve as an “ever-evolving canvas” that highlights KidSuper’s collaborations, and accommodates launches and other events.
Among key touchpoints is the KidSuper Store retail storefront, created in partnership with Colm Dillane, the designer and artist behind the brand, which is themed around laundromats, mini-marts and libraries (think: an operational laundromat conveyor belt, and books that will soon be available to check out on loan).
The venue at large also features an art gallery, photography and screen-printing studios, a podcast studio, a private bar, and offices. Future additions are slated to include a recording studio, café and soccer field on the property’s rooftop. Drip. (Agency: DE-YAN)
WE ALL SCREAM FOR A BRANDED ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Spotify and Coca-Cola kicked off a landmark partnership last week at a private event space in L.A. where executives from both brands, music and marketing industry insiders, and artists gathered to mark the occasion and scoop up some ice cream floats. The occasion marked the launch of AUX, Spotify’s new in-house music advisory agency for brands, which was celebrated alongside Coca-Cola, which signed on as the first partner in an effort to sharpen its music-based campaign strategies and better reach its target audiences.
The event, which featured a dj set by Empress Of, was also used to shine a spotlight on the recently established Coke Studio at Spotify Studios, a custom-designed space in Spotify’s L.A. office, which was built as a haven for emerging artists.
Photos: Courtesy of Spotify
OREO IS SNACK-IFYING THE LUCK O’ THE IRISH
Irish legend tells us that a pot o’ gold is buried at the end of every rainbow, but those with a sweet tooth might be more interested in the “Pot-o-Oreo Frozen Treats” that the snack brand offered up to promote the launch of its frozen mint bars, sandwiches and “scoopables.” To get consumers buzzing about the new products during St. Patrick’s Day weekend (March 15-17), Oreo invited fans to go rainbow hunting and report their findings for a chance to claim the sweet treats.
Participants simply had to find a real-life rainbow, snap a photo of it, then post it to either Instagram Stories or X, tagging @oreo and using #OreoFrozenTreats and #Sweepstakes. Winners were contacted via DM for next steps. For those who didn’t catch a rainbow but still wanted a shot at some freebies could follow @oreo on its social channels for a “little extra minty magic throughout the weekend.”
