Event Marketer Spring 2022 - 8

Playbook
[ hot property ]
HERE'S THE 411: '90S NOSTALGIA MARKETING
IS INFILTRATING LIVE EXPERIENCES AS
PANDEMIC-FATIGUED CONSUMERS SEEK
THE COMFORT OF A BYGONE ERA
NOSTALGIA FOR '90s pop culture has
been creepin' its way back into the zeitgeist
like TLC for the last few years. But
the stress of the pandemic has amplified
the sentiment as consumers, particularly
millennials, seek comfort in products, content
and experiences that transport them
to a simpler time (look no further than the
" granfluencer " trend on pg. 29).
The proof? Crystal Pepsi made a comeback-again-this
year. People are still
talking about HBO Max's " Beanie Babies "
documentary. And did you see the Super
Bowl LVI halftime show? Dr. Dre, Snoop
Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and a surprise
appearance from 50 Cent-what more
could a '90s fan ask for? It's a rhetorical
question, but brands may be able to answer
it, and tap into an emotional connection
with consumers, through live experiences.
Not prepared to party like it's 1999?
Take a chill pill. Here are three ways to
deliver a '90s-themed experience without
being a total poser.
SPONSORSHIPS
As the official beer partner of the NBA,
Michelob Ultra headed to Cleveland for
NBA All-Star Weekend, Feb. 18-20, to
8
EVENT MARKETER SPRING 2022
connect with hoops fans and celebrate the
league's 75th anniversary. Through a partnership
with the classic '90s arcade game
NBA Jam and some of that decade's most
legendary ballers and personalities, Michelob
delivered a nostalgic " Enjoy it Like it's
1993 " sponsorship activation. Taking over a
Cleveland bar, the brand created a neon-lit
'90s paradise called " Boom Shaka Lakas " (a
phrase made famous by NBA Jam), which
served as a retro arcade bar where fans
could gather throughout All-Star Weekend.
Touchpoints included performances by '90s
stars Fat Joe and DJ Jazzy Jeff; appearances
by the voice of NBA Jam, Tim Kitzrow; limited-edition
apparel; a chance to play twoon-two
hoops; limited-edition NBA Jamthemed
beer cans; unlimited
arcade plays; and fireside
chats and meet-and-greets
with legendary players like
Dominique Wilkins.
POP-UPS
An
interactive
pop-up
called The 90s Experience
is so popular that it has two
locations in California with
plans to expand into other
eventmarketer.com
INFLUENCER EVENTS
For the premiere of " Cruel Summer, " a show
set in the 1990s, Freeform invited influencers
and press to a '90s-themed screening
event at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California
that was experienced from the comfort
of attendees' hotel room balconies. The
decade inspired the event's nostalgic motif,
from the event entrance and registration, to
the hotel rooms themselves. In the lobby, for
instance, attendees checked in as a dj played
'90s hits from the likes of Nirvana, Garbage
and the Cranberries. In their hotel rooms,
guests found Capri Sun juice pouches,
makeup Caboodles stocked with scrunchies,
butterfly clips and friendship bracelets,
and activities like a '90s trivia quiz. The
day after the premiere, attendees could take
home the '90s swag, and the brand noted
that very few items were left behind.
" After living through a pandemic, it felt
like the perfect escape, " says Theresa Travis,
director of marketing engagement and
experiential at Freeform (Agency: Gold Sky
Productions).
EDITED BY
KAIT SHEA
states. The 6,000-square-foot experience is
brimming with '90s vibes thanks to a merchandise
shop with all
the dopest styles
from the era. There are curated vignettes
from more than 20 local artists that offer
visitors a multisensory trip down memory
lane-with endless photo ops. Attendees
can also check out installations like a larger-than-life
Super Nintendo controller, sit
on a throne as the " Fresh Prince of BelAir "
(graffiti backdrop included), play hopscotch,
pose on an oversized stack of CDs
and remake the " king of the world " scene
from " Titanic, " among experiences. Booyah!
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Event Marketer Spring 2022

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