5 Top Brand Activation Examples 

So many of us have go-to brands - companies that we trust to make incredible food, stylish clothes, or technology that optimizes our lives. When deciding which brand to align with, next time ask yourself why you are so dedicated to your choice. Do we choose our brand preferences of our own volition? Or could a form of brand activation be responsiblen in swaying our opinions?

Brand activation is great at many things, but it is exceptional in playing on what is special about a brand to create an emotional connection with consumers. By using creativity and emotional resonance, brand activation campaigns change the way marketers connect with consumers by providing an experience. Brand activation gives consumers something to remember and, most importantly, feel. 

In this article, we will explore brand activation examples from some of the world's top companies to demonstrate how brand activation campaigns successfully connect with consumers. The hope is to provide you with inspiration when designing your own brand experience.

What is brand activation?

Brand activation is a way to leverage experiential advertising techniques to turn consumers into loyal customers. Brand activation is all about connection. We’ve previously defined brand activation as “an innovative approach to both build brand identity and drive consumer action in today’s competitive landscape.”

There’s no one way to go about brand activation. Yet, ultimately, brand activation companies work to develop campaigns that provide memorable experiences to create a bond with a target audience. 

Although this article focuses on brand activation examples from global brands, brand activation is a useful tool for businesses of all sizes and industries. Brand activation is at the core of many marketing initiatives. Consider these examples:

• Fashion retailers are taking a disruptive marketing approach with experiential activations in store. One most notable example is Neiman Marcus’s smart mirrors or TopShop’s virtual reality theme park in its London flagship store. 
• Beauty brands connect one-on-one with customers and create emotional, personalized experiences with the use of brand activation tools such as augmented reality, 3-D simulations, and cross-branding opportunities (e.g. proving the product doesn’t run by having people wear it on a fun run). 
• Tech companies highlight their unique value proposition in (ahem) unique ways, as Sonos did with a New York City pop-up event which brought together music legends like Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx, and MTV News anchor Meredith Graves, to tell stories about the life of David Bowie.

Benefits of brand activation

At A Little Bird, we think brand activation is the best kind of marketing. Here are the top reasons we tout its power:

1. Brand activation delivers a tangible, actionable, and memorable experience

2. Brand activation humanizes brands and builds trust

3. Brand activation boosts content generation and word of mouth marketing

But don’t just take our word for it. The following five outstanding brand activation examples demonstrate how deep consumer engagement can be achieved with immersive experiences.

Top brand activation examples

Keeping in mind that brand activation is about connection, we’ve compiled a list of five brand activation examples that have built strong consumer relationships. By taking the time to create unique content, each brand activation campaign was able to captivate audiences and foster brand loyalty. Of course, there are many more excellent examples out there, but we hope these five provide inspiration for communicating your particular brand identity through brand activation campaigns. 

Ben & Jerry’s 

Ben & Jerry’s has been historically cognizant of the environment, something that many of their customers are also passionate about. 

In an attempt to raise awareness for environmental issues while also engaging with consumers, Ben & Jerry’s hosted an outdoor movie theater for three days. The company erected a huge screen and peppered the surrounding areas with sofas and bean-bag chairs. 

And, of course, there was ice cream; the event was also an opportunity for Ben & Jerry’s to boost brand awareness for its new flavor. 

But let’s not forget the brand’s commitment to the environment - there was another layer added to the Ben & Jerry’s event. The entire three-day affair was powered by bicycles. This focus on sustainability helped directly connect event attendees with the company’s green goals. 

Environmental brand experience

The most important lesson learned from the Ben & Jerry’s campaign relates to brand identity. We live in a world where companies have a significant impact on the lives of consumers - both for good and bad. As a result, many individuals in younger generations are unlikely to support companies whose values do not align with their own. 

Consumers, especially Generation Z and those with higher income, are increasingly likely to make value-driven purchasing decisions, according to Forrester. By raising awareness of a cause it cares about, Ben & Jerry’s was able to stay true to its values and build genuine consumer relationships. This event marketing demonstrated the company’s character while also encouraging consumers to think more deeply about their carbon footprint.

Sweet outcomes

The film festival was a big hit for Ben & Jerry’s. The brand promoted a new product, connected with the community in London, England, and provided important information about their environmental efforts (part of an ongoing campaign titled, “Save Our Swirled”). 

Why did it work? 

• Affordability: Though Ben & Jerry’s was selling £10 tickets for the event, the guests viewed a film and had access to unlimited ice cream, games zones, and festival food stalls. While many brands would not choose to monetize their experiences, Ben & Jerry’s took the leap and ensured that attendees felt they got their money’s worth. 
• Brand experience: The event brought customers directly to Ben & Jerry’s. The company didn’t have to spend the time creating pop-ups in various locations – it released the details of the event and let attendees come to them. It’s a good lesson; where possible, businesses may be able to save themselves time and money by having a centralized event that draws a crowd. 
• Interactivity: Sitting on a sofa and watching a film is pretty cool. But Ben & Jerry’s also provided attendees with opportunities to ride the bikes that powered the event. They also asked consumers to sign a petition to world leaders calling for a transition to 100% clean energy. As you can imagine, rallying a community around a cause is a great way to develop an emotional connection.

Apple TV+

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In 2022, Apple took over San Diego Comic-Con to promote their new show on Apple TV+, Severance. The show is about a character who has his memory erased after every workday to protect his company’s sensitive information, a thrilling concept in and of itself. 

During Comic-Con, Apple provided an experience based on the show: participants were “onboarded” in a room similar to that used in the show, and were then integrated into the Lumon Company to engage with other “employees.” 

Mixed marketing strategies

When it comes to successful brand activations, it helps to employ a mix of marketing strategies. In this case, thank goodness no one had their mind wiped after visiting the Lumon experience - participants could go on to promote the show through word of mouth and social media marketing.

The Apple TV+ Severance campaign generated a lot of buzz. Individuals who heard about the campaign, whether at Comic-Con or on social media, were eager to attend. Not everyone could, of course, which drove them to the next-best thing – Severance itself. 

Event marketing immersive experience

The campaign was undeniably successful. Severance’s first season was well-received by fans and the show has since been renewed. In true Apple fashion, there have been no concrete viewership numbers. But the show has garnered more than 200,000 reviews on IMDb and seems to boast a demand among consumers that is more than 16 times that of the average series. 

Not all of this can be attributed to Apple’s experiential marketing campaign. Even the best marketing team in the world would have trouble promoting a poor product. But the brand activation company generated the right sort of attention for its show, and the brand activation strategy paid off. 

Why it worked?

• Audience targeting: When marketing in unexpected ways, and using guerrilla advertising techniques, consider the target audience. This campaign was perfectly placed. Avid television viewers seeking this type of show flock to Comic-Con. What’s more, the campaign offered a role-playing experience – perfect for an event where so many people are already comfortable with dressing in costume and engaging in unique activities. 
• Attention to detail: The experience mirrored the Lumon company set in the TV show to a T. Individuals were put through their paces of indoctrination, just like the characters on the show (including reciting the creed), and visited the Smile Room to interact with Lumon employees. 

Slack

There are many different focuses of brand activation; businesses can choose to market products, connect with customers, or immerse attendees in their brand’s identity. In 2022, Slack went to SXSW to showcase the company’s belief in making work easier. 

Their pop-up was a casual space full of merchandise, snacks, selfie walls, and more. This type of brand activation is built upon brand values and Slack’s cool reputation to engage customers.

Since Slack is a digital platform, there aren’t typically opportunities for users to engage with it in-person. This event provided a memorable experience and also encouraged attendees to produce shareable content that allowed other Slack users and SXSW participants to appreciate the company’s product. 

Pop-up store

Pop-ups can be incredibly helpful for businesses. Some pop-ups travel around the country and others, like Slack’s installment, are stationary. Regardless of the method of implementation, pop-ups are useful. It is estimated, in fact, that pop-ups generate roughly $80 billion in annual revenue. 

Unlike other types of marketing, temporary retail locations also make it possible for customers to understand a business’s operations. Where the Ben & Jerry’s campaign focused on the brand's values, Slack chose to demonstrate its character.

Meaningful connections IRL

The brand saw many benefits from what it called Slack HQ. By taking over a block of Austin during SXSW to promote its brand and continue the conversation on the future of work, it established itself as a cutting-edge thought leader.

Why it worked?

• Embrace of social: Slack helps people get work done, but that didn’t stop the brand from encouraging participants to have fun and take “post-worthy photos” to share.
• Post-event activation: Individuals who engaged with the temporary Slack location had access to special pricing. These deals turned curious workers into customers. 
• Creating community: Slack encouraged visitors to join the “workplace revolution” with speakers onsite throughout the weekend talking about the future of work.

Spotify

The “Spotify Everywhere” campaign was a creative way to get the brand’s target audience, primarily Gen Z consumers, to engage with various products and services. The New York City pop-up commandeered an entire industrial building. They built out a house in which every room featured different audio experiences, many of which were provided via products from Spotify partners. 

The event highlighted Spotify as a great place to find music, while also promoting the brand’s partnerships and new services – namely, its growing selection of Spotify-original podcasts and audiobooks. 

In this way, Spotify went in a different direction than in the Slack brand activation example. Instead of relying on its strong reputation, Spotify used its brand activation campaign to show users how the platform was evolving into something more. This is something that our team at ALB always encourages businesses to keep in mind. By executing a brand activation campaign after a new product or service launch, consumers feel more comfortable with a company’s evolving persona.

Brand partnership campaign

One of the smartest things that Spotify did for its brand activation campaign was partnering with other brands to showcase audio and digital products. Brand partnerships allow companies to take advantage of technology and sales channels that they might not have otherwise. In this case, Spotify partnered with some of the best audio retailers in the world to deliver quality content. 

Tune in to the outcomes

Spotify has launched hundreds of original podcasts, attained the exclusive rights to many audiobooks, and began a program that allows Premium users to listen to new audio content for free with their subscriptions. The music-streaming service continues to grow more popular, and is successfully positioning itself as a competitor of Audible. 

Why it worked?

• Partnerships: To appeal to all the senses and create a memorable experience, Spotify's brand activation agency partnered with Sony, Google, Xbox, Samsung, Philips Hue, and Roku. 
• Immersion: It took months to plan the two-day event but the end result felt to participants as if they were walking up to an actual room in which every room featured a different way to listen. 
• Personalization: To appeal to the target Gen Z audience, Spotify incorporated Easter eggs. For example, within the fridge you could scan actual eggs with codes leading to related Spotify playlists.
• Influencer marketing: Invitees included influencers Robbi Jan and Alex Costa, astrologer Aliza Kelly, and actor Emily Meade who had plenty of posting options in the home’s brightly colored home.

Coca Cola

Coca Cola’s “Happiness Machine” campaign saw the soda company giving consumers much more than they could have imagined. Using a special vending machine, Coca Cola provided free items to students at St. John’s University in New York. 

Instead of getting one bottle of Coke, students were greeted by thirty. Or perhaps a bouquet of flowers, or a pizza. The surprising gifts were seemingly endless, and of course everything was delivered with Coke. 

The campaign was part of a larger initiative to get Coca Cola in unexpected places. Coca Cola also worked on experiential marketing campaigns that distributed products around the world in places like Dubai and Singapore. 

The “Happiness Machine” campaign, executed in 2010, was part of the company’s “Open Happiness” initiative, which focused on delivering positivity through coke. 

Guerrilla marketing campaign

Many people are under the impression that guerrilla marketing requires aggressive tactics. But that isn’t necessarily the case. Indeed, this marketing strategy is more about pleasantly surprising consumers through simple interactions as they go about their daily lives or – as Coca Cola demonstrated – free products. 

This type of brand activation is an affordable alternative to other forms of marketing. Think of how much Slack must have spent for its pop-up location. Or Ben & Jerry’s. Conversely, Coca Cola only needed to install a temporary vending machine. Voila. 

When done well, guerrilla advertising can deliver massive payoffs on limited investments. 

Happy with the outcomes

The Coca Cola brand created customers for life with its “Happiness Machine” project. Just one video of the campaign, on St. John’s own YouTube channel, has had 18,000 views. What’s more, the company worked tirelessly to create a positive association with Coke among consumers around the world. Later installing the machine at the World of Coca-Cola expanded the campaign’s reach, and the company’s video of that brand activation strategy has more than 25,000 views in 2024.

Additionally, the “Happiness Machine” campaign won awards for its impact and ingenuity. It was appreciated not only for its impact, but for the way it approached customer relationships. 

Why it worked?

• Element of surprise: This campaign “interrupted” consumers in their daily lives and caused them to experience joy - one of the most impactful emotions that brands can use to generate brand awareness. 
• Audience targeting: Putting the machines on college campuses was a savvy move. This population is on social and gets excited to receive free pizzas or sodas.
• Consistency: The campaign leveraged the company’s larger happiness-themed brand messaging with machines that were instantly recognizable with their branding.

The importance of brand activation

Ben & Jerry’s, Apple TV+, Slack, Spotify, and Coca Cola … this is a group of companies that could not be more different. And yet, each of these examples found success by utilizing basic principles of brand activation: 

• Determine marketing objectives
• Define target audience
• Plan marketing strategies
• Surprise and delight
• Review post-brand activation

Developing strong brand activation campaigns

A Little Bird has worked with some of the nation's most recognizable brands. Businesses like Yasso and Celsius have trusted us to produce quality brand activation ideas, and we have consistently delivered exceptional results. 

It’s impossible to create successful brand activations without knowing and understanding your target audience. Our process pairs creativity with strategic research, thorough data analysis, and acute situational awareness. We know that if content isn’t compelling, it won’t be compelling to anyone else. 

We create memorable experiences by focusing on the emotions that brand activations can trigger and relying on storytelling to deliver messages to consumers. Our experienced professionals help brands thrive. If you’re looking for a brand activation agency for your company, contact us today. 

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