From the fandom to the temps, it’s hot, hot, hot in SoCal this week, where EM has landed for what is arguably the superfan event of the year: San Diego Comic-Con. Among brands leading the experiential way once again is Paramount+ and its touring activation, The Lodge. The footprint is bigger and the IP is more expansive this year, and that’s not to mention the brand’s all-new Nerd Out fan fest taking place at the Omni Hotel, and its larger-than-life booth installation inside the convention center.
For now, we’ll narrow it down to highlights from The Lodge, where fans are encouraged to “find their mountain.” But stay tuned for the full lowdown from Paramount+’s widespread SDCC 2025 presence.
Stepping Inside
After checking in and scoring a ski-lift-ticket-inspired badge (which includes two drink tickets) attendees entering The Lodge are met with high-energy music and friendly brand ambassadors that help guide the way through each series-themed vignette.
Among them—a mysterious vault from “Dexter: Resurrection” that “remembers everything.” Passing by faux stone walls and into the vault itself, attendees can explore detailed display cases of creepy props and a few of Dexter’s “relics” from the show before walking away with a “bloody” branded towel and an invitation to scan a QR code that offers a full 3D virtual walkthrough of the vault and its sinister contents.
It was a very different vibe over at the CBS Sports Clubhouse, a space that showcased the NFL content available on Paramount+, which this year was bigger than ever. Stadium-style seating, displays of all 32 team jerseys, an interactive target practice game played on a mock football field, a foosball table and a sports bar serving up drinks were all part of the mix. And it didn’t hurt that we happened upon a brand ambassador dishing out delicious (and if we’re being honest after a day of travel, life-saving) French fries in branded cartons while we were getting our sports fandom on.
And at the Parisian café-themed area promoting the forthcoming series from the “NCIS” franchise, “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” brand ambassadors dish out raspberry macarons as attendees enter the space, where they first encounter shelves of floral mugs—then realize the setting is a “safe house,” complete with surveillance equipment and maps. The highlight of the space, however, is a GIF-style, shareable photo op that places the participant on a “wanted” poster between the show’s two stars. Let us just say: we found this one to be social media gold.
“A lot of times, there are one or two big properties, but the idea [here] is that we can have ‘Dexter: Resurrection’ in the same spot as ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ and the same spot as ‘Landman’ and even ‘Mission: Impossible,’” says Michelle Garcia, evp-consumer marketing at Paramount+. “We have this really amazing collection and it feels like such a nice way to bring it all together—and even expose the fans who are maybe coming for ‘Star Trek’ to the other ones—in a way that’s cohesive under the Paramount+ umbrella.”
Naturally, Paramount+ went all-in on its “Star Trek” IP, too, offering “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” and “Starfleet Academy” experiences that drop fans right into the action. From a meticulously detailed Starfleet holodeck where fans can snap photos as the “captain,” to smoking green cocktails served by an in-character bartender, to the dreamy Intergalactic Love Lounge that featured ambient nature sounds and faux cherry blossoms, there was something for everyone.
From AI to Analog
One of our favorite aspects of The Lodge this year, however, is a new offering from Paramount+ that taps into everyone’s favorite new toy: AI. But the engagement goes beyond the buzzword. As part of its “Find Your Mountain” messaging, Paramount+ is giving fans standing in line for The Lodge a chance to answer a few simple questions, like their dream vacation spot and favorite Paramount+ series.
Using AI, the shared info then yields a custom land “deed”—the fan’s own chunk of real estate on the Paramount mountain—complete with a custom image and stamped brand logo. Not only was a digital copy sent to participants’ phones via text, they could stop by the Fan Frontier Outpost upon exiting The Lodge to receive a physical print-out of the personalized deed, appropriately rolled up into a scroll.
“Here we are going from the most AI [experience] to analog,” says Garcia. “The idea is that it’s this custom little plot of land, it’s something where we are able to truly personalize a little piece for the fan on the Paramount+ mountain. So we thought that it’s an interesting way to, again, connect IP to someone more personally…. How does AI come in to help create and expand on, not to change anything, about the IP, but really connect people to that IP in a unique way.”
