Pranil Chandra December 16, 2024
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Pop-up events are still one of the hottest marketing tactics, and there’s a good reason for it—they allow brands to create a memorable, immersive experience that drives customer engagement like no other.
Today’s top brands aren’t just setting up any old pop-up stand; they’re getting super creative with their events, considering all the usuals like the timing, duration and location of their displays and going above and beyond the imagination with their themes to ensure plenty of consumer footfall heads in their direction.
In this article, we’re diving into the six latest trends in pop-up event marketing and sharing why each one is captivating audiences and delivering results for businesses. If you’re looking to make an impression with your pop-up store marketing, keep reading and discover can set your displays apart in today’s market.
Pop-up events are very much the in-thing in retail world. It’s been the case for some time now and has shown no sign of slowing down in 2024 – quite the opposite, in fact – with every likelihood this marketing trend will remain in favour for retail marketers during 2025.
And why are they so popular again? Retailers love pop-up displays for several reasons:
In person, temporary brand experiences can typically last anywhere between a few days and a few weeks. Whether you’re planning a display that runs for a short and snappy period or for much longer, either way it needs to land and expand with a bang! Think of your pop-up like a Jack-in-the-box – an attractive-looking, often colourful package with a HUGE surprise waiting inside!
So, what’s trending with pop-ups today? Here are the top 6 trends and latest happenings with this fly-in-fly out style of marketing to help inspire your next temporary retail display!
As is the case with all marketing, pop-ups are becoming greener. More marketers are seeking out eco-friendly materials and using them instead of traditional ones like MDF to align with their brand’s green goals. Yet popular substrates like Re-board are more than eco-friendly; they’re lightweight (making them easy to transport) and easy to work with while stable and durable, allowing you to achieve any design and build you like. And that’s what pop-up creators LOVE about materials like Re-board, where their mind-blowing concepts can come to life and truly capture attention!
IKEA did this incredibly well with their pop-up cafe in Shoreditch, London. The Swedish furniture and homewares brand used Re-board for much of the cafe’s structure and furniture, aligning perfectly with their commitment to sustainability and innovative design. The lightweight yet sturdy Re-board allowed IKEA to create eco-friendly displays, tables, and partitions that could be easily assembled, dismantled, and recycled after the event. This approach reduced waste while highlighting IKEA’s focus on environmentally conscious materials in an eye-catching and interactive setting that reflected their brand values. It demonstrates perfectly how Re-board can be used to build a functional and visually appealing environment that’s truly sustainable, resonating with IKEA’s target audience.
Pop-up activation experiences usually last anywhere between a few days and a few weeks. Yet with brands trying harder than ever to create something truly unique, an even faster type of pop up has emerged – one that lasts a matter of hours or less!
A great example of a very short pop-up retail display was Coach’s “Sundae Funday” collaboration with ShopRunner in New York City, which lasted only a few hours. This event involved a branded truck where customers could sign up for the ShopRunner app and receive a free flower bouquet for Mother’s Day. Lasting for only a small part of a single day, it created buzz and resulted in thousands of app sign-ups over just a few hours.
Similarly, Nike’s limited-time pop-up at the NBA All-Star Weekend showcased exclusive gold-dipped Air Jordans for a few hours, generating excitement among fans and reinforcing the brand’s appeal with a unique, time-sensitive offering.
Let’s face it, most people love a competition! By incorporating a competitive edge within your pop-up, you’re creating extra excitement for consumers and giving them more reason still to engage with you.
Here’s what Pantone achieved at their Pantone Cafe pop-up in Monaco. Well-known for its universal colour system, the brand hosted a unique café where visitors could order colour-themed snacks and share them on social media to win prizes. This created a fun, competitive atmosphere while consumers indulged in the “colour contest,”, enhancing social engagement and brand awareness for Pantone.
Spotify also went with a competition-based pop-up display to promote the K-pop band, BLACKPINK. Their immersive pop-up featured exclusive BLACKPINK merchandise, photo rooms, and fan challenges that rewarded winning participants. Fans were encouraged to share their experiences, using a hashtag to boost engagement. This event highlighted fan loyalty and made the pop-up a thrilling interactive experience for BLACKPINK’s following.
Another pop-up trend we’ve seen in recent years is the multiple stand approach, with a series of displays spread over different areas within the one pop-up. This approach has become especially popular with retailers and an effective way to beckon a crowd that’s spread over a larger space.
Apparel brand Vuori did this well with their Hamptons pop-up last summer. It involved a leading pop-up in a central location within the retail outlet and several smaller merchandising tables positioned to create movement across the store. Vuori’s modular displays included mini product stands that allowed for flexible reconfiguration, enhancing product accessibility and customer engagement throughout the campaign.
Another example is the L’Oréal skincare brand who popped up in shopping malls during 2023. This pop-up featured multiple mini stands within the same retail area, each dedicated to a specific skincare line. With areas for testing products, skincare consultations, and interactive digital displays, the multi-stand setup encouraged visitors to explore various products in a cohesive, informative layout, while spaced apart to provide distinct consumer experiences.
And from several stands, we go to one stand! Ultimately, the trend here sees retailers creating a single display that’s relatable to the target audience and typically designed as a lifestyle simulation or to invoke a feeling of nostalgia.
Beauty brand Sephora took this approach to promote their eco-friendly beauty line. They created a single-stand pop-up, including digital signage and sample areas where shoppers could interact with select sustainable products, which featured at major malls across the USA. The minimalist display emphasised Sephora’s commitment to eco-conscious products, allowing customers to sample sustainably sourced and packaged beauty products in an easily accessible and clear format.
Another example is the Penguin Random House brand, who used a single stand within their mobile pop-up book truck. The stand served as the main display for featured book titles, allowing readers to browse and sample select books on-site. This small, well-curated selection kept the experience intimate and drew attention to specific authors or book themes – with the mobility of the book truck underlining the urgency to ‘look while you can’.
This trend began some time ago and continues to work well for immersive and interactive pop-ups that engage customers.
And there are plenty of examples of it – like Disney in New York capturing the surreal, vibrant and dreamlike scenes of Alice Through the Looking Glass in a Wonderland-inspired pop-up, and Selfridges in London setting up a Harry Potter-themed retail display complete with wand displays and Hogwarts-themed decorations to promote the launch of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
More recently, we’ve seen this done effectively by Universal Studios at their Hollywood and Orlando locations, where they launched an immersive experience inspired by the 2024 remake of the movie Wicked. These pop-ups allowed visitors to step into the Land of Oz with themed locations, costumes, and props designed to bring scenes from the upcoming film to life. Set in Universal’s Feature Presentation stores, these displays include themed merchandise, photo opportunities, and props that fully transport fans into the movie’s magical world.
The Alien franchise has embraced movie-themed pop-ups on several occasions. Recently, ahead of Alien: Romulus, Regal Cinemas created a pop-up experience featuring merchandise and themed items like the “Specimen Popcorn Container.” Shaped like an alien egg and filled with “incubating” popcorn, this container complemented the franchise’s creepy aesthetic, appealing to both fans of the Alien films and moviegoers looking for a unique cinematic experience.
They might be temporary by nature – but interactive pop-up events are here to stay!
To discuss a pop-up store marketing strategy or learn more pop-up display ideas, talk to the experts at NEXT Printing.
Our team can help you transform a brand concept into a captivating temporary retail display that pulls in footfall, engages consumers and increases sales.
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