Experiential Marketing Trend of the Week: Delivery Design

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Experiential marketers are the bosses of the attendee journey, but this summer, we’re seeing a burst of creative attention around delivery mechanisms. Think: Content that is handpicked (literally), whirly entrances for contestants, and behind-the-curtain serves.

Contactless delivery is a present-day phenomenon, and experiential marketers are kicking it up a notch—leaning into an impersonal delivery with hatches and conveyor belts, and yet, leaving a lasting impact on attendees through an experience that doesn’t feel everyday in the least bit.

The trend continued at Cannes, where Pinterest’s Manifestval returned with its signature, intriguing activations including a Pâtisserie serving custom desserts based on attendees’ answers to personal taste prompts via a silky curtain, a white-gloved hand, and a silver tray. (Uber pulled a similar move at the event, using a vintage silver tray “ice cream arm” to deliver food.)

At WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago, Kia and Reddit teamed up on an “Ask Me Anything” session fueled by a claw machine. Among guests was former WNBA player and ESPN radio host Chiney Ogwumike, who at the brand’s WNBA Live Night Market plucked mini balls from the claw machine and “cracked them open” to reveal a real Reddit question. Talk about unscripted.

Gaming experiences often deliver on award-winning immersive sets and competitive gameplay, but Alienware brought it back to basics at San Diego Comic-Con with the visceral thrill of a rotating mechanical stage (as seen in classic TV competition shows).

The brand invited unsuspecting visitors of its lounge at the Marriot Marquis San Diego Marina to compete in the secret Alienware Game Show. “Contestants were seated in a chair located behind a product showcase wall, which ultimately spun around to bring them face-to-face with a 100-person audience,” our editor wrote.

Sixty seconds. Gaming-related questions. And the chance to win a new laptop and monitor. Now that’s a special delivery.