The best of experiential 2024

Experiential marketing is always evolving, and the industry is poised to outpace prepandemic spending this year. It’s no surprise, then, that 2024 has already proved to be a landmark year for experiential campaigns. From a nostalgia-packed stay at Polly Pocket’s home to a dupe McDonald’s pop-up, creativity in this arena has been flowing. With a wealth of impactful, original and delightful campaigns already in the books for 2024, we decided to bring back Ad Age Studio 30’s popular Best of Experiential roundup. This edition features insights from our esteemed panel of Amp insiders, shining a light on the year’s most inspiring and noteworthy work while showcasing the power of brand experiences that truly resonate. Best Toilet Break Time Killer: Supercell, Clash of Clans Bathroom Battlestation San Diego Comic-Con | July 25-28, 2024 | Jack Morton You have to hand it to Supercell for leaning into brand honesty. Its playful take on a common location for Clash of Clans gameplay saw mock-bathroom stalls where fans could play while sitting on mock toilets, a perfect match since 50% of mobile gamers admit they log on to play while in the restroom. “Comic-Con is known for its long lines, so they transformed the worst queue into one of the most fun gaming experiences,” said Martyn Clarkson, global head of strategy at Jack Morton. “We’re definitely in the experiential age. While marketing budgets drop, experiential increases in real terms. Shaping that trend are real experiences that create a meaningful brand moment and reach beyond it with authentic content and ways for communities to engage and advocate.” Best Immersive Nostalgia: Airbnb and Mattel, Polly Pocket Slumber Party Fun house Littleton, Massachusetts | September-October 2024 | Verb + Hogwash Studios It’s what childhood dreams are made of: a stay at the miniature home of Polly Pocket. Airbnb and Mattel celebrated the doll’s 35th anniversary, building a life-size version of the two-story Slumber Party Fun compact—including a closet filled with Polly’s signature looks. “They transformed a childhood icon into a real-life ’90s dream house, complete with oversize furniture and retro vibes,” said Macaela VanderMost, founder and CEO at Newfangled Studios. “This campaign was about creating a shareable experience. Airbnb tapped into that perfectly, generating tons of buzz and showing how travel can be about connecting with friends and reliving those fun childhood memories.” Best Accessibility Exhibition: Canon Europe and the Royal National Institute of Blind People, World Unseen Somerset House, London, UK | April 5-7, 2024 | VML In collaboration with the Royal National Institute of Blind People, Canon delivered an experience that was true to brand purpose and meaningful for people living with visual impairment. The photography exhibit used Canon products to feature images that could be accessed by people with sight conditions: elevated prints, audio descriptions, soundscapes and braille, as well as simulations on screens to provide an understanding of what it’s like for people who live with conditions like glaucoma or retinopathy. “Canon believes that images have the power to transform the world and that everyone should be able to experience photography, so they created an exhibition that you don’t need to see,” said Charlie Wade, global head of experiential and partnerships at VML. “World Unseen changed the way blind and partially sighted people experience photography, as well as the way sighted people understand visual impairment experience.” Best Anthropomorphic Snack: Pop-Tarts, The First Edible Mascot Orlando, Florida | December 2023 | Weber Shandwick Featured at the first-ever Pop-Tarts Bowl, this brand activation offered an edible mascot made entirely of the classic sweet treat. Blending food, fun and football, the campaign delivered impact both for stadium fans and screen-watchers across the globe. “It’s hard to think of a more delightful experiential campaign than Pop-Tarts’ The First Edible Mascot,” said Rob Hersey, global chief creative officer at UM. “This campaign was the perfect combination of a must-see activation spectacle, a new sports ritual and brand mascot cannibalism. It’s also a great proof point to clients, who can often struggle to see the value of experiential—the scale and impact achieved through social conversation outweighed the people that experienced the activation or even saw the broadcast.” Best Rugged Adventure: BFGoodrich, KO3 Alaska Driving Experience Talkeetna, Alaska | October 2024 | Amp Agency View this post on Instagram A post shared by ARCTIC TRUCKS® (@arctictrucks) To show the capabilities of its KO3 all-terrain tires, BFGoodrich took a lucky group of adventurers along for a ride of a lifetime. Set against the backdrop of the rugged Alaskan landscape, the campaign invited these off-road enthusiasts to test the tires’ durability and traction. Invitees went fishing, flew to a glacier for a hike and drove around scenic Denali. “I love moments like this, where a brand takes the time to focus on the richness of the experience and where they connect on a meaningful level with their audience,” said Kat Tushim, executive creative director at Amp Agency. “And because the brand invited off-roading enthusiasts and content creators, the experience will connect emotionally with attendees and the folks they know and reach within their platforms.” Most Empowering Activation Tour: Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods, It’s Her Shot Various locations in the U.S. | May-October 2024 | On Board Experiential and Motive This year, Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods took to basketball courts across the country with a girl-empowerment program that provides the girls access to role models including esteemed coaches, WNBA legends and impactful influencers. Participants worked on their basketball skills in clinics and pick-up games, and built up their leadership skills, confidence and teamwork through mentorship. “In a world where girls are leaving sports at double the rate of boys, this initiative addresses the barriers they face, including limited access to safe facilities and the need for strong role models,” said Emily Dolber, senior brand marketing director at On Board Experiential. “By transforming community courts into safe, inclusive spaces, the program amplifies girls’ voices and athletic potential, and empowers girls to break boundaries and forge their own paths as champions and future leaders.” Best Dupe: McDonald’s, McDonnell’s Pop-Up Experience Los Angeles | Oct. 10, 2024 | IW Group View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chain (@eatatchain) Leaning into dupe culture, McDonald’s celebrated the launch of the Chicken Big Mac at a fictionalized “McDonnell’s” pop-up restaurant in L.A. “Now that the secret is out, we have a question to pose,” the brand posted, with the help of YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat. “Is the Chicken Big Mac a Big Mac?” The campaign triggered online debates via Cenat’s extensive following and reached fans through a multifaceted approach, including a new commercial, a Las Vegas Sphere takeover, a Zynga video game, plus a “Big Mac Bash” at Billboard Latin Music Week’s En Vivo concert. “McDonald’s Chicken Big Mac campaign stands out as one of the most innovative experiential marketing efforts of 2024,” said Sam Zises, CEO at [L]earned Media. “It cleverly blended traditional and digital elements to create engaging, shareable content that resonated with audiences. This approach extended the campaign’s visibility, generated engaging content and positioned the brand as innovative and culturally relevant.” Best Roadside Motel Check-In: The Mountain Dew Borderlands Motel Albuquerque, New Mexico | July 22, 2024 | Motive Fans of the popular game Borderlands were treated to a one-of-a-kind experience. Mountain Dew teamed with Regal Cinemas and Lionsgate to bring the game’s landscape to life at a transformed Albuquerque motel, featuring Dew cocktails, hidden character rooms and a Claptrap animatronic giveaway. It amped excitement for the forthcoming “Borderlands” movie while letting fans live out aspects of the game in real life. “In an age where streaming often replaces traditional theater experiences, we set out to reignite excitement for cinema while creating an unforgettable crossover between gaming and film,” said Tim Owens, VP of brand experience at Motive. “By transforming a casual motel in Albuquerque into the chaotic, gritty world of Borderlands, we built an immersive, multisensory experience where fans could step into Pandora and engage with the characters and stories they love.” Most Refreshing Sports Activation: Starry, NBA All-Star Game Weekend Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis | Feb. 16-18, 2024 | Motive PepsiCo’s up-and-coming soft drink bubbled at the NBA All-Star Game, via an immersive booth featuring interactive displays, photo ops with Starry backdrops and props, games, social media tie-ins and sampling stations where fans could taste the lemon-lime sodas. “Starry took things to the next level, especially with the 3-Point Contest and futuristic LED court,” said John Higgins, CEO and chief content officer at OS Studios. “Plus, the dunk contest was a blast—fans had the chance to win $75,000 by sinking as many 3-pointers as possible in 33 seconds. Throw in the fun interactive games with athletes, and the creative Starry Night Challenge shootout between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, this activation had it all, including a social media giveaway to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s home country of Greece.” Best Family-Friendly Sports Inclusivity: P&G, Olympic Village Nursery 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics | July 26-Aug. 11, 2024, Aug. 28-Sept. 8, 2024 | In-house Women’s sports have been higher profile than ever this year. And so it made perfect sense for Procter & Gamble to acknowledge the reality of being a world-class athlete while also raising a family. P&G used its sponsorship of the 2024 Paris Olympic Village to provide a wide range of services for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, partnering with U.S. track and field legend Allyson Felix to design wellness spaces and services including including a Pampers-branded nursery, a Pantene- and Mielle Organics-sponsored salon and an Oral-B dental clinic, as well as distributing Always and Tampax period products. “Allyson’s involvement brought so much heart to this initiative,” said Noelle San Jose, senior program manager of DEI programs at GPJ. “She knows firsthand the challenges of being both a parent and an athlete. It’s so meaningful to see parent-athletes recognized and supported with these resources. It’s one thing to compete, but it’s another to feel seen as a whole person with a family and real-life responsibilities.” Best Courtside Viewing Experience at Home: NBA Live on Meta Quest October 2023-April 2024 | Monks Meta gave fans the next best thing to a courtside experience with NBA Live on Meta Quest. The collaboration brought 57 games to viewers worldwide in 8K resolution, making the most of VR technology with unique viewing angles, real-time interactivity, social connectivity, and integration with NBA content. “This project was notable for its cutting-edge production techniques—it leveraged software-defined production capabilities in the cloud, eliminated the need for a physical broadcast truck and showcased one of the first cloud-based, 8K, 60fps multicamera productions to the public,” said Jordan Cuddy, executive VP of experience at Monks. “The campaign was an innovative approach to content creation and delivery, emphasizing quality, immersion and sustainability.” Best Taylor Swift ‘Eras Tour’ Hack: The Rügenwalder Wurst Promoter Hamburg, Germany | July 23-24, 2024 | Serviceplan Hamburg It doesn’t get much more delightfully quirky than Rügenwalder Mühle’s “Wurst Promoter,” an ambassador for the sausage brand’s line of meat alternative products. The brand interacted with consumers and capitalized on the excitement around a Taylor Swift show for a coupling so odd it worked. “In the sausage capital of the world, Rügenwalder Mühle leveraged the buzz around a Taylor Swift concert, transforming a job offer into an immersive brand experience,” said Andy Wyeth, creative lead at Serviceplan Cologne. “The newly ‘hired’ Rügenwalder Wurst Promoter provided exclusive access for one lucky fan to a sold-out Taylor Swift concert—made possible because the brand was the stadium’s official catering partner.” The brand couldn’t directly mention Swift, but her fans—known for their ability to decode and problem solve—connected the dots and helped make this campaign the talk of town. Best AI DIY Short Film: Qatar Airways, Star in Your Own Adventure September 2024 | McCann Worldgroup Qatar Airways’ new “Star in Your Own Adventure” campaign uses AI to let customers star in a romantic short film, featuring cities around the world and highlighting the airline’s destinations. By visiting the Qatar Airways website, users can insert themselves into key scenes through AI that adapts the characters’ appearances to match their facial features and skin tone, blending brand storytelling with personalized, immersive travel experiences. “Crafting an immersive brand experience through storytelling and cutting-edge tech, Qatar Airways created an experience where everyone can be stars, and personalized its connections with the audience in a memorable and distinctly different way,” said Brent Wilson, global creative lead for Finn Partners. “The VO at the end of the film says, ‘There’s no limit to how far a dream can take you.’ With this campaign, there doesn’t seem to be any limits to how far AI can take us either.” About Amp Amp is a platform that’s integrated with Ad Age and Ad Age Creativity, allowing you to leverage our editorial credibility while showcasing your expertise, accolades and campaigns. For more information visit our FAQ page. Not an Ad Age Amp member? 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The best of experiential 2024

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