FINALE STEALING THE SHOW The UK's prestigious Brit Awards didn't include a single female nominee in its Artist of the Year category for 2023, so Budweiser took matters into its own hands and passed the mic to underserved artists. On the eve of the February awards event, the brand transformed one of its billboards in the heart of East London into a concert stage to literally provide a platform for eight up-and-coming female and nonbinary artists to showcase their talents. Unsuspecting crowds of music fans and music execs, many of whom were in town for the Brits, stumbled on the performances, which were also QR-coded and streamed on screens across the city, concluding outside the awards venue at O2 Arena on the evening of the ceremony. The strategy paid off: Bud's billboard-turned-stage landed singer-songwriter Mychelle a professional demo deal when a music scout from Kobalt spotted her performance. Talk about setting the tone. (Agency: FCB New York) -Kait Shea 70 EVENT MARKETER SPRING 2023 eventmarketer.comhttp://www.eventmarketer.com