FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover cave raves, salty stunts and nostalgic Bowl Heads.
MINUTE RICE DISHES OUT BOWL CUTS AND A HELPING OF NOSTALGIA
Millennials will recall that the hairdo of our youth was unequivocally the bowl cut. From the classrooms filled with boys sporting the dishware-inspired haircut, to the boy bands who rocked it on stage, it was a cultural phenomenon. And thanks to Minute Rice, and America’s preoccupation with rice bowls, there’s a revival afoot (or is it “ahead?”).
As part of its Epic Made Easy platform, which launched April 21, the brand leaned into the rice bowl trend by officially labeling superfans as “Bowl Heads,” and crafting an influencer-led social strategy to match. The concept: Minute Rice Cups make rice bowls so easy and delicious that the bowl will literally go to your head.
Then on May 6, the campaign was transformed into an IRL activation that brought 100 creators to L.A. to get bowl-cut glow-ups at the wig glam bar, whip up rice bowls at DIY stations, pose in an oversized microwave installation and engage in other content-centric touchpoints, like a glam cam. Because nothing screams “glamorous” like a childhood haircut. (Partners: The Feedfeed; Planit)
Photos: Courtesy of Minute Rice
IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND THIS CAVE RAVE, TAKE A HIKE
Some brands drop killer experiences directly at their attendees’ feet—Columbia makes them work for it.
At least that was the case for members of the Columbia Hike Society, which gathers for hiking events across the UK year-round, including a yearly HikeFest celebration. But for 2026, the third annual soiree could only be reached by trekking through the rolling hills of England’s Peak District, with Columbia’s hiking guides at the helm.
Those who braved the cold, wet hike through rugged terrain were ultimately rewarded for their efforts when they arrived at their secret destination: an actual cave where a rave was hosted by the brand and headlined by British dj Duskus.
With a remote location and minimal phone reception available underground, the event gave hikers the opportunity to be fully present and immersed in their surroundings. You might call it peak experiential.
Image credit: @__drlv__/Instagram
MORTON’S ‘SALT GIRLS’ RAIN DOWN ON KANSAS CITY
Where are all the salty peeps at? We’ve got news for you.
On May 20, the iconic Morton Salt Girl jumped off of the brand’s packaging and into real life at Union Station in Kansas City, MO, to celebrate the forthcoming opening of the Morton Amphitheater. In partnership with Live Nation, the brand unleashed roughly a dozen “Salt Girls” donning yellow dresses, blonde wigs, white umbrellas and musical instruments, who delivered a flash mob-style performance.
The stunt was designed for virality, but for some invited influencers, the lackluster experience caught fire on social for the wrong reasons. The event has even been dubbed “salt gate,” with creators calling it overhyped and underwhelming.
Perhaps we file this one under “there’s no such thing as bad press.”
Photo: Courtesy of Live Nation
A&W CRAMS FANS INTO ITS SMASH BURGER-INSPIRED POP-UP
As the first Canadian QSR chain to add a smash burger to its menu nationwide, A&W celebrated by taking cues from the product itself. On May 22, three days before the national launch of its Smash Burger, the brand hosted a pop-up at one of its restaurant locations in Toronto called The Smashed A&W. And it’s just what it sounds like.
The venue was redesigned with the “smash treatment” inside and out, with mugs, condiment bottles, seating, signage, receipts, menus and trays all squished into smaller versions of themselves. Those who stopped by and squeezed into the restaurant scored a free Double Smash Burger and plenty of social-worthy touchpoints on the side.
Image credit: @fred.bk/Instagram
ICE CREAM HITS THE RUNWAY AT MAGNUM’S FASHION SHOW IN CANNES
During this year’s Cannes Film Festival in France, Magnum invited “pleasure seekers” to plant a stake at its beachside footprint on La Croisette for the House of Magnum, the brand’s first-ever runway fashion show. Curated by image architect and Magnum’s “Taste Architect” Law Roach, the May 14 presentation featured couture looks “Designed for Pleasure” and inspired by the company’s sweet treats.
The apparel line was developed by eight international designers and came to life across 15 looks on-site, each interpreting the House of Magnum through their own creative lens, and the cultural context of their local market.
The show opened with British designer Ethan Leyland and closed with Heidi Klum, the House of Magnum “muse,” who wore a glittering green dress created by Turkish designer Raisa Vanessa that was inspired by the pistachio flavor from the brand’s new Signature range.
And if that’s not enough CPG fashion for you, see how Magnum recently delivered ice cream-themed manicures at Coachella. (Agency: Auditoire)
Photo credits: Sofi Adams; PA Media Assignments
