Event Marketer Sizzle: Top Experiential Marketing Stories of the Week
03.13.26
Is it “Pet Smart” or “Pet’s Mart”? Content creator Ben Lapidus created a viral heavy-metal anthem questioning the retailers official name and organized the “PetSmart Rally for Truth,” held in a California store’s parking lot on Sunday. Attendees gathered with signs demanding answers, and Lapidus called for ceo Ken Hicks to answer the question in a televised, sit-down interview.” The brand has yet to respond, but so far, its attempts to join the social media conversation have fallen flat
📷 Photo of the Week
 
 
For the season-two premiere of “Ted,” Peacock hosted a ’90s-themed “Ted & John’s Mind In The Gutter Party” in NYC, which featured a VIP green carpet, bowling, a claw machine, classic games and an adult video store photo booth… Read more.
🗨️ Insight of the Week
 
“Start with the data, and then use that as a way to find your own answers. How can your brand use this insight to create something that your audience truly needs in the real world?”
–Seán Doyle, Group Creative Director-Experiential, Pinterest
A Numbers Game
Pinterest’s Tips for Leveraging Trends Data in Live Experiences
Pinterest Predicts has an 88-percent accuracy rate, making it a blueprint for trends to come. Savvy brands have been linking up with the platform to build data-driven events… Read more.
Field Report
10 Groundbreaking Exhibits at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026
Held every three years, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 brought together 140,000 construction professionals in Las Vegas. EM explores how brands crushed their exhibits… Read more.
Marketing News
The Brief: Lululemon's Studio Yet, BuzzBallz and ‘Pollen PuttPutt’
This week’s hot topics in experiential cover nostalgic gutter parties, a pop-up health hub, Hulu and Disney+’s post-apocalyptic premiere, and Zyrtec’s allergy-themed mini golf… Read more.
Soccer's Event Playbook
As the World Cup Nears, MLS's CMO is Betting on Experiential
MLS is casting a wide net over the soccer ecosystem in an effort to grow an already thriving fan base. The league has been leaning into brand partnerships and pop-ups… Read more.
The Brief, Live! Show
EM Editors Chat February's Top Experiential Stories
What really happens inside dishwashers? How are brands carving out sports fan spaces? Lip tints? The editors of Event Marketer recap last month’s gold medal-worthy stories… Read more.
💡 ICYMI Last Week
 
📌 EM Updates
 
Last Day for Ex Awards Entries: Submit your events, trade show booths, integrated live campaigns and more into the Ex Awards, celebrating the best in brand experience. New for 2026, alongside our winners, we’ll also be recognizing select campaigns with Honorable Mentions. Finalize your entries by 11:59 p.m. ET tonight.
✉️ Contact Us
 
The Sizzle is produced by Event Marketer, the industry’s largest information resource on experiential marketing. Learn more.
 
Send story ideas and news to: Juanita Chavarro Arias | jchavarro@accessintel.com
For ad and lead-gen opportunities: Jon McLoughlin | jmcloughlin@accessintel.com
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