Adults across the board are battling burnout and digital fatigue. And now they’re powering down.
According to a Hasbro study of 10,000 people globally, 80% of Gen Z and millennials report feeling worn out, a trend that is driving demand for analog, hands-on creative outlets that allow adults to slow down and decompress.
And brands are meeting the moment with playful products and experiences designed specifically to help grown-ups relieve stress and embrace their artistic side. Let’s explore how analog escapism is making its way into events.
Crayola’s Adult Camp
When Crayola unveiled its “All Grown Up” series of coloring books and markers—the biggest adult-focused product line in brand history—it marked its entry into the adult creative space with a “Camp Crayola” launch event for grown-ups at Domino Park in Brooklyn.
Across freeform coloring sessions, blending masterclasses, a tote bag customization station and iPads equipped with Crayola’s adult coloring app, attendees tested out the brand’s new collection in a polished setting built for comfort, connection and escapism.
Wooden tent structures, canoe installations, botanicals and a campfire vignette drove home the summer camp theme, while a live dj and partner integrations added extra panache to the experience.
Play-Doh’s Museum Partnership
Similar to Crayola, Play-Doh over the summer debuted its first-ever product line designed specifically for the adult segment, Blooms by Play-Doh, a series of kits that guide users through crafting lifelike flowers and full bouquets (which can even be preserved and displayed with a special finishing spray).
To celebrate the launch, the Hasbro-owned brand partnered with New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art as the exclusive sponsor of its Free Friday Nights during West Side Fest and hosted an elevated, hands-on Blooms crafting experience inspired by flowers in the museum’s permanent collection.
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Neopets’ Experiential Comeback
In the early aughts, millennial kids spent a lot of computer time on Neopets, caring for and customizing virtual pets and exploring the online world of Neopia. And 27 years after its launch, with millennials all grown up, the game is making a comeback and revitalizing its community with IRL events.
The strategy kicked off with Neopets’ first-ever pop-up experience, hosted at Shopify NY in New York City. Steeped in nostalgia, “Neopets in Neo York” invited loyal fans and newcomers to strike deals at The Trading Post, win plushies at claw machines, snap photos, get a tarot reading, meet Neopets artist FerWanwan, watch demos of the Neopets trading card game and shop limited-edition merch.
Attendees also gravitated toward the Crayola x Neopets Mural Wall, where they picked out pet illustrations from the Adoption Center and colored them in using none other than Crayola’s new All Grown Up markers.
Lego’s Bloom Bars
Lego took the romantic route to promote its Botanicals collection during Valentine’s Day with Bloom Bar pop-up events in cities around the world.
The floral-inspired experiences varied a bit by location, but most included touchpoints like flower quizzes that matched consumers with Botanicals builds, themed mocktails, swag bags, Lego installations, conversation-starter cards, photo ops, plenty of opportunities to build Botanicals bouquets, and a Lego rose to take home.
The Trend of the Week is coproduced with the support of Pinnacle.
