FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Panadería Don Julio pop-ups, a Stranger Things Radio Room and Chicago’s secret confessions.
DON JULIO BAKES UP A FESTIVE PARTNERSHIP FOR DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
Last year, Don Julio marked Día de los Muertos by decorating cities around the world with its intricate ofrendas, and celebratory experiences to match. This year, the brand bolstered its commitment to honoring the holiday (Nov. 1-2), and Mexican traditions worldwide by inviting consumers to break bread. Literally.
While ofrendas are essential to honoring loved ones who have passed on during Día de los Muertos, pan de muerto is a sweet bread that is central to those altars, and related holiday gatherings. So the tequila maker heated up a partnership with renowned Mexico City bakery Panadería Rosetta and launched a global Panadería Don Julio pop-up campaign steeped in Mexican culture. And a lot of dough.
The brand showed up in more than a dozen cities, including Bogotá, London, Mumbai, Athens and L.A., delivering a distinct interpretation of Día de Muertos in each locale. While the locations offered unique attendee journeys, however, all of them shared the same format.
By day, the pop-ups operated as traditional bakeries offering Panadería Rosetta’s signature pan de muerto, which was replicated by a local bakery in each city. By night, the spaces transformed into tequila bars that served up Don Julio cocktails crafted by Handshake Speakeasy, ranked as the No. 2 bar in the world, along with live music.
And for those unable to experience Panadería Don Julio IRL, the brand created a short film shared on Instagram that celebrates the holiday’s traditions and evolution, with pan de muerto at the heart of the story. (Agency: Hunter)
Photo credit: Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images (Los Angeles); Courtesy of Don Julio
DISNEY AND SELFRIDGES ARE ALREADY RINGING IN THE HOLIDAY SPECTACLE
In other holiday news, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet and Disney is already elbow-deep in Christmas. The brand has not only kicked off a new cause-based holiday campaign and related global tour, but transformed Selfridges’ massive flagship store in London into a glittering holiday showcase that is dripping in iconic Disney IP, inside and out.
The partnership with the department store, which also spans its Birmingham and Manchester locations, is anchored by its flagship on Oxford Street, the exterior of which has become the centerpiece of a dynamic light show set to Disney’s “Cinderella” soundtrack that takes place every 15 minutes from 5 to 9 p.m. each evening. The spectacle features nearly 330 feet of twinkling lights wrapped around the building, and appearances from the Jolly Roger ship from “Peter Pan” and Cinderella’s carriage. As a finale, a 36-foot-tall, illuminated 3D castle inspired by Sleeping Beauty Castle in Paris is revealed.
In addition to the Selfridges façade, 12 windows on Oxford Street have been turned into displays of handcrafted artistry that bring beloved Disney classics to life, from “Lady and the Tramp” to “Alice in Wonderland” to “Cinderella” and beyond.
And then there are the experiential components of the Christmas campaign taking place across all three Selfridges stores. A highlight is the Confetti Spectacle, which features Santa, a Christmas “fashion fairy” named Stardust and a troupe of dancing, Mickey Mouse-inspired ornaments. Starting in December, in-store entertainment will expand to include live dj and artist performances.
There’s also a bookable Disney Classics Afternoon Tea experience at Dolly’s in London, brand-inspired treats available at cafés in Birmingham and Manchester, curated screenings of classic and new Disney films, workshops and live performances by the Disney Theatrical Group, and a special Magic of Disney pin-trading event for 250 fans.
We hope the team behind this program gets an extra-tall glass (or 12) of spiked eggnog this holiday season.
Photo credit: Tom Morgan; Courtesy of Disney
STRANGER THINGS RADIO ROOM: WHAT’S YOUR FREQUENCY, HAWKINS?
It’s been literal years since we’ve been gifted a new season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” so with the fifth and final season debuting on Nov. 26, it’s no wonder the brand pulled out all of the stops to promote the series over the last few weeks. The latest? A Stranger Things Radio Room pop-up in NYC that focused on the series’ fictional radio station, WSQK.
From Nov. 7-8, fans could enter the ’80s-themed environment on a first-come-first-served-basis to rock out to era hits spun by a live dj, buy show-inspired merch, interact with a claw machine packed with collectibles, stop by the photo booth, catch a glimpse of the Stranger Things × No Boundaries collab from Walmart and score giveaways. No mind-flaying included.
DJS DROP BEATS FROM THE MIDDLE OF A HELIPAD DURING AFROTECH
Oh, yes. Tequila is on the docket twice this week. As the official tequila sponsor of AfroTech Conference 2025 in Houston, Oct. 27-31, DeLeón took its “Bold Spirits, Rise” platform quite literally. With Major League DJz serving as the headliner, the brand hosted live performances on a helipad as part of its mission to support bold creatives and empower up-and-coming talent with the tools and resources they need to succeed.
In addition to the headlining duo, the lineup featured performances by local Houston dj Maiya Papaya, L.A.-based dj Gianni Carter, Shay Latukolan (the choreographer behind DeLeón’s Bold Spirits, Rise ad) and a UnitedMasters contest winner who earned a spot on the roster through DeLeón’s Opening Acts Pledge , a commitment to mentor and empower more than 1,000 rising djs.
The sky-high stunt was just the beginning, according to the brand, which says it plans to bring “more bold energy” to cities like L.A., Atlanta and Chicago in the near future to spotlight local dj talent and its spirits. (Agencies: Hunter, concept and creative; This&That, content and production)
Photo: Courtesy of DeLeón Tequila
THE CONFESSIONS PROJECT URGES CHICAGOANS TO ‘WRITE WHAT YOU CAN’T SAY’
The directions are simple: “Write what you can’t say. Fold once. Deliver to the box.”
The call-to-action is fueling a pop-up installation called The Confessions Project that has been traveling all around Chicago since September. The brainchild of art collective Wrath + Love, the micro-experience consists of a vintage typewriter (hello, catharsis), a standard mailbox and an invitation for anyone in the public to anonymously take a weight off of their shoulders.
Thus far, the spirit of The Confessions Project (“Strangers step up to a lonely typewriter to unburden their hearts in the streets of Chicago. No names. No judgment. Just honesty.”) has drawn hundreds of participants, and, according to Block Club Chicago, topics have ranged from regret to first-date nerves.
What would you confess?
