FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Run Vaults, Gold Squad goals and taking it Back to the Hut.
PIZZA HUT REVIVES ITS ‘CHECKERED’ PAST WITH A THROWBACK DINING EVENT
If you remember BOOK IT!, dessert pizza and checkered Tiffany-style lamps, skip with us down memory lane and into Pizza Hut’s nostalgic “Back to the Hut” dining experience.
To celebrate the launch of its Throwback Value Menu featuring items that start at $3 (part of its Hut Originals platform), the brand on July 15 recreated its iconic ’90s-era dining room with a modern twist, and invited celebs, creators and media to chow down.
On top of throwback favorites like Personal Pan and Stuffed Crust Pizzas, attendees tried out new items, like Triple Cheese Mac, all while dining under those checkered light fixtures. A reimagined salad bar (a former Pizza Hut staple), a vintage photo booth and a red-leather booth installation, along with the brand’s famous red cups, checkered table cloths and Personal Pan Pizza boxes, all added to the nostalgic atmosphere.
The Hut Originals platform also includes a streetwear collection from Dinner Service NY that was inspired by Pizza Hut uniforms and the brand’s BOOK IT! program. During the Back to the Hut event, attendees could have items from the capsule embroidered right on-site. Because no one out-pizzas the hut. (Agency: Patrick J Clayton Productions)
Photo credit: Scott Roth (Back to the Hut)
GLOWING FOR GLORY WITH E.L.F. BEAUTY AT NYC’S HOUSE OF GOAL
With its “eyes, lips and face” set on continuing to advance female empowerment, and laying the groundwork for fan engagement during the 2027 Women’s World Cup, e.l.f. Beauty activated at Footballco’s House of Goal during its final weekend, and led with a multigenerational strategy that connected youth players, leaders in the women’s soccer community and creators.
From July 17-19 at the free soccer fan fest in Brooklyn, e.l.f. capitalized on fervor around the Men’s World Cup, while further entrenching itself in women’s soccer culture and driving discussions around empowerment.
Among touchpoints, young attendees strutted in a branded Tunnel Walk that served as a fit-check photo moment positioned next to a “Glow For Glory” wall, answered what it would mean to live the life of an NWSL player for a day, got mic’d up in a “Ready Steady Glow” experience featuring soccer skills challenges, posed for curated photo ops, and at a “Hotline Glow” installation, shared what they’re looking forward to most at the Women’s World Cup.
A live performance by Jane Handcock rounded out the glowing sponsorship. (Agency: Day One Agency)
Photo credit: Footballco: House of Goal
SALOMON’S ‘RUN VAULT’ UNLOCKS COMMUNITY-BUILDING (AND SCRATCH-OFFS)
Running clubs are having a moment, so for the launch of its biggest store yet, sports lifestyle brand Salomon executed a week’s worth of experiential programming in NYC that was designed with the running community top of mind.
An open-to-the-public Morning Miles run that took off from the storefront, curated wellness talks, a custom gear bar and an electrolyte happy hour were among activities and touchpoints. But it was the “Run Vault on Wheels” that cruised around the city ahead of the store’s official debut that caught our eye.
The mobile vault roamed across 25 miles, with ambassadors on hand to build hype and curiosity around the new Salomon location by distributing scratch-off cards featuring rewards and exclusive prizes (like customizable shirts or commemorative swag) redeemable only in-store during the grand opening… and likely giving competitors a run for their money. (Agency: MATTE Projects)
Photos: Courtesy of Salomon
AT THIS AMERICA250 FESTIVAL, IT’S ONE NATION UNDER SQUAD
First, we brought you the grand debut of Hertz’s Gold Squad. Then, we followed the pups to Goldens in Golden. This year, the crew stole the show at Rolling Stone’s inaugural Stateside Music Festival in Kingston, NY. And we’ve got all of the adorable details.
The one-day festival on July 4 celebrated the U.S.’s 250th birthday, and as a founding sponsor of the event, Hertz was more than ready to level-up the festivities with 25 of its highly trained golden retrievers, the largest Gold Squad deployment in the history of the program.
The pups roamed the grounds in “uniform,” earning plenty of head scratches and belly rubs. In addition, Hertz introduced attendees to its Gold+ loyalty program via a series of touchpoints, like a parking lot takeover with dedicated spaces for current loyalty members.
Highlights included a welcome station featuring golden retrievers and welcome kits stocked with cooling fans, bandanas, sunscreen and other essentials; mobile popsicle carts dishing out free, dog-shaped popsicles; and a large-scale “Roadside Attraction” license plate installation built for snapping and social sharing.
We can’t wait to see where the squad takes us next. (Agency: Preacher)
Photos: Courtesy of Hertz
CLOVER’S CELEBRATION VILLAGE FLOATS INTO NYC’S SAIL250 EVENT
Speaking of the country’s 250th anniversary, a series of nationwide SAIL250 events, billed as “America’s maritime celebrations,” have taken place over the last three months. And during the NYC iteration at the South Street Seaport over the first week of July, tech platform Clover, which helps small businesses grow, made its own splash with a “celebration village.”
The brand sailed into the seaport with a bright-green footprint and an activation that taught visitors how it helps modern companies manage and expand their operations—without boring them to death.
Games like cornhole and Plinko, music, exclusive prizes, food, a 360-degree photo op and chances to network with local entrepreneurs were all part of experience. The parade of ships was just an added bonus. (Agency: The XP Agency)
Photos: Courtesy of Clover
