FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover “tortured” Swifties, prophetic brainwaves and “Hot Ones” live.   SPOTIFY’S LIBRARY POP-UP ‘TORTURES’ SWIFTIES It’s been much longer than a Fortnight since Taylor Swift dropped a new album. So before she released “The Tortured Poets Department” (“TTPD”) on April 19, the queen of Easter eggs herself teamed up with Spotify on a library-themed art installation at The Grove in Los Angeles that offered clues about the new record around every shelf. From April 16-18, Swifties who attended the open-a ..read more

With artificial intelligence and the creator economy in the spotlight, the 2024 NAB Show brought together more than 61,000 attendees and 1,300 exhibitors in the broadcast, media and entertainment industry, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, April 13-17.  “We’re blown away to see over half of our attendees this year experiencing NAB Show for the first time,” said Karen Chupka, incoming evp and managing director, NAB Global Connections and Events. “This, and the strong international attendance, proves that NAB Show is where global storytellers come to find the tools and technologies needed ..read more

Festival season has sprung once again and, per usual, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is serving as its launchpad. The Indio, CA-based event at the Empire Polo Club, hosted this year April 12-14 and April 19-21, features headlining performances by No Doubt, Lana Del Ray, Tyler, The Creator and Doja Cat; a new blockchain-based scavenger hunt dubbed Coachella Quests; and a new stage that’s home to extended sets. But beyond the music is a swell of brand activity that may serve as a barometer for festival trends to come, so we rounded up some of the top Coachella 2024 experiential mar ..read more

Pavan Pardasani, Chief Marketing Officer, TAO Hospitality Group The music festival experience today expands well beyond the gates, where offsite VIP parties and hospitality-driven mansion takeovers accommodate a wide array of celebrities and revelers, brands and partners, looking to capitalize on good vibes and experiential. TAO Hospitality Group, with its portfolio of more than 90 food, beverage and nightlife venues, touches more than 20 markets across the globe. But when it comes to maintaining trust and loyalty year-round, the brand pops up experiences aligned with cultural moments, like ..read more

A drive down Magnolia Lane is special. Lined with dozens of large magnolia trees, the famous 330-yard-long road into Augusta National Golf Club is more than just an entrance; it’s a historic landmark in the golf world that fills players and spectators alike with anticipation and excitement for Masters week. We were lucky enough to experience this drive into the 2024 tournament, held April 8-14 in Augusta, GA, thanks to an invitation from Mercedes-Benz for its Masters Experience. The post Field Report: Inside the ‘Once-in-a-lifetime’ Mercedes-Benz Hospitality Experience at the Masters appeared ..read more

After a successful 2023, almost 80 percent of exhibitors plan to attend the same number of events or more in 2024, and most exhibitor budgets will increase or stay the same, according to the new Freeman 2024 Exhibitor Trends Report released this month. The research focused on the current needs of exhibitors and gaps in expectations, and details actions to take to meet those needs while aligning exhibitor and attendee objectives. Key insights from the report:   Exhibit marketer demographics are shifting. Forty-six percent of exhibit marketers are female, according to the report, which saw ..read more

Erin Taylor, Manager-U.S. Experiential, Oatly Oatly, true to how we do things, is completely opposite, says Erin Taylor, the brand’s manager for experiential in the U.S., about the 20-by-40-foot Oatly’s Café at the recent Natural Products Expo West. Instead of walking right in, attendees were invited to round the corner of the branded wall to experience the oat drink brand’s new creamers in coffee, smoothies, and milkshakes. And they did in droves (Exhibit Partner: Star). The busy showfloor can be exhausting, but at the same time gives her so much energy, Taylor says, serving samples and mak ..read more

Wendy’s installed massive signage across its footprints, with its Wendy persona front and center. The NCAA’s March Madness set records this year with the women’s title game drawing more viewers than the men’s for the first time, and attendance across both the men’s and women’s championships at historic levels. Along for the ride was Wendy’s, the Official Hamburger of March Madness and the Official Breakfast of March Madness, which signed on in 2017 and, since then, has been growing its experiential programming around the sponsorship every year. Wendy’s sponsorship this year came to life thro ..read more

“The difference between the Miami Open and other tennis tournaments like the US Open or Roland-Garros is that it is much more of a local, community-driven tennis tournament.” –John Lynch, Trade Marketing Manager, Lacoste North America Lacoste once again took over a VIP hospitality suite to engage key stakeholders. While Florida is the land of gators, Lacoste showed up to the 2024 Miami Open with its rival signature crocodile. A platinum sponsor and official outfitter of the tennis tournament, Lacoste crocs invaded Hard Rock Stadium and the South Florida city from March 17-31, with branded ..read more

There’s no better way to engage college hoops fans than to pass them the ball, and that’s exactly what sponsors did at the 2024 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four Tournaments this month. From pop-a-shot games to shooting drills to dunk moments, brands at both competitions placed attendees in players’ shoes—and the spotlight. The savviest among them also ensured that their activations tapped into other key elements of college basketball culture, like technology, fashion and music. Ready to hit the court? Here’s a look at some of the top brand experiences from the conclusion of this year’s Big Da ..read more