Five Things to Know This Week
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Tumblehairs, Munchie Marts and MomTok battles.
Bazooka Brands Brings a MomTok Candy Battle to Salt Lake City
MomTok is a hot property, and Bazooka Brands has inserted itself into the conversation with The Great Candy Battle: MomTok Edition, a charitable, month-long social series featuring creators Jessi Draper and Mayci Neeley competing to see who can earn the most candy sales.
To rally fans around the battle, Bazooka hosted a sugar-coated pop-up on Aug. 18 in Salt Lake City, UT, that lured in more than 2,000 people with the promise of sweets, and featured an appearance by the MomTok stars themselves.
Over the course of the day, 50,000-plus pieces of candy were dished out, and attendees were treated to an exclusive Dirty Sour Soda collab with Swig, brand merch and live dj sets.
Earlier this month, fans could find Draper and Neeley around NYC. The duo had a sampling faceoff with Ring Pops and Juicy Drop products in Times Square; Draper brought Push Pop’s mascot on the subway to host AMA interviews and challenge commuters to a flavor-guessing activity; and Neeley hosted a nightlife-themed “Baby Bottle Pop Service” activation, complete with nightclub-style service, minus the eye-watering prices. (Agency: Enter)
‘Neopets’ Fans Revel in Nostalgia at the Game’s First-Ever Pop-up
One of the OG virtual-pet browser games, Neopets launched in 1999 and has sustained a faithful fan community ever since. Look no further than its first-ever pop-up, “Neo York,” held Aug. 21-23 at Shopify NY, where the online world became an IRL adventure steeped in nostalgia.
The timing was intentional. Neopets became an independent studio called World of Neopia in 2023, and has since rebuilt the platform to offer more modern options and support for users. Last year, more than 1 million people played the game.
Visitors who made it to the all-ages activation had myriad ways to interact with the beloved realm and fellow fans. Touchpoints spanned an Usuki Couture fan art showcase, tarot readings featuring the official Neopets deck, limited-edition merch and partner collabs, to name a few.
In-game touchpoints came alive, too. At The Trading Post, fans traded their own merchandise and collectibles, and at the National Neopian Bank checkout counter, they snagged branded candy and themed sodas.
Meanwhile, the Crayola x Neopets Mural Wall served as a gigantic version of the Neopets browser interface, where fans could color their own pets using Crayola’s All Grown Up markers for adults.
Our fave aspect: The Neopian Lost & Found designed for players who haven’t logged in since their school days. They could stop by the staffed help desk, where the team checked on whether their old account survived, and opened a recovery case on the spot.
The ‘Adults’ Munchie Mart is a Speakeasy-Meets-Bodega Mashup
After hyping its series “Adults” with a nightlife-themed laundromat takeover in 2025, FX this year turned to another NYC neighborhood staple—the bodega—to get consumers’ attention via the Adults Munchie Mart experience in Manhattan.
Following a VIP table-read event on Aug. 20, the public was invited to drop by the pop-up at Arlene’s Grocery from Aug. 22-23 to explore the speakeasy-style bodega and its themed nonalcoholic beverages, enjoy free f&b, listen to djs spin New York-centric tracks, score giveaways and capture the colorful space for social. If only being a grown-up were this easy. (Agency: IHEARTCOMIX)
K18 Coughs up a Giant Hairball and Pop-up for its FutureIQ Launch
You won’t get New Yorkers to turn their heads for much, but K18’s 10-foot hairball probably caused more than one double-take.
On Aug. 12, to launch a new FutureIQ product aimed at reversing premature hair aging, the brand rolled its “Tumblehair” through famous NYC neighborhoods before stopping outside of Sephora in the Meatpacking District. There, it was installed next to a shimmery mirror that read: “Hair should stay on your head.”
Next to the hairball, K18 unveiled a full-blown, iridescent-colored footprint dubbed The Longevity Salon that was built for product discovery, hands-on hair education, FutureIQ trials and customized scalp analysis.
A longevity-themed juice bar, lounge areas and an integration with Sephora were also designed to inspire on-site purchases. Hairs to making activations memorable. (Agency: CNC Agency)
Consumers Hang Tight at Lionsgate’s ‘Mutiny’ Stunt in L.A.
Biceps were doing overtime at The Atrium at Century City in L.A. this month as Lionsgate teased its new film “Mutiny” with an interactive challenge that invited consumers to replicate one of the movie’s most adrenaline-pumping scenes—Jason Statham hanging off the bow of a ship.
From Aug. 7-8, brave souls tapped in to participate in a timed hang challenge on the side of a ship installation, requiring a whole lot of muscle and endurance. Merch and movie passes were also up for grabs. If attendees had any strength left to claim them. (Agency: Salt Productions)
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