EXCEL REFRESHERS
To connect with music lovers and promote their new product EXCEL Refreshers, EXCEL Gum activated at Osheaga, VELD, and select concerts at Budweiser Stage with a vibrant and fun booth that matched the spirit of the festivals! We at Mad Bash Group were brought on to design and produce this “Refreshingly Fruity” experience—and one look at the photos shows just how much fun we had with it! Inspired by the product’s three bold flavours, the activation featured product sampling, a shady lounge, and Instagram-worthy photo moments for the creative and stylish festival-goers.
A Fruity FESTIVAL activation Worth Sharing
Top of the list: A layered and interactive experience that would draw crowds in and keep them engaged. Like an oasis in the desert, we designed a refreshing pool-water interior that pulled guests in, and a shaded lounge that offered a cool retreat from the sun. Brand Ambassadors offered samples of the EXCEL Refreshers flavours, along with sunglasses and fans, and guided them through the activation, taking photos for them while they perched on the giant pineapple chair or frolicked in the blueberry ball pit. These social-media-worthy photo moments and bold summer aesthetic culminated in a “Refreshingly Fruity” experience!
A GIANT PINEAPPLE CHAIR PHOTO MOMENT
While ideating the preliminary design and brainstorming around the three delicious flavours of EXCEL Refreshers—strawberry, blueberry, and tropical — we knew we wanted to give a larger-than-life presence to the most fabulous of all fruits: the pineapple!
Once inspiration struck, we knew it had to happen: A massive pineapple throne. We commissioned our talented friends at Engineered Arts to bring it to life, and needless to say, despite all the incredible acts, to us, the pineapple was the real headliner.
Framed by a vibrant “splash” vinyl backdrop and surrounded by bouncing 3D fruit attached to the walls, the pineapple chair was for guests to sit, snap, and share—serving as a centrepiece and visual magnet for the EXCEL Gum activation.
NO ONE CAN RESIST THE BLUEBERRY BALL PIT
The ball pit is undeniably a nostalgic favourite for both Millennials and Zoomers. What better place to recreate one of the most beloved childhood play activities than a music festival?
We designed this ball pit to highlight the blueberry flavour of the EXCEL Refreshers product, and we incorporated classic mosaic pool tiles and a refreshing pool-water backdrop. We then filled it with white and blue balls and topped it with 3D blueberries. Passersby couldn’t resist and were compelled to dive in—just looking at it makes you feel cooler!
This setup created a genuinely fun live-action photo moment, and with perfectly placed EXCEL logos on the walls behind, a memorable and joyful brand engagement.
THE STRAWBERRY LOUNGE FESTIVAL REST STOP
Sometimes the most irresistible thing you can offer a crowd is a shady place to sit—so we did just that. Designed to play off the strawberry flavour of EXCEL Refreshers, we chose red slingback chairs with plump strawberry pillows, a red shade umbrella, red stools, and branded EXCEL side tables. Simple yet effective, and with a window overlooking the stage, this was the best seat in the house!
A FUNCTIONAL AND SCALEABLE FESTIVAL ACTIVATION
Other ingenious elements of this activation include storage units designed to look like EXCEL Refreshers containers! When working in a venue like a music festival, which offers limited opportunities for in and outs, functional design to meet the needs of the Brand Ambassadors was KEY. The built-in storage kept gum products discreetly stocked, making sampling seamless and eye-catching.
We also designed a smaller version of this activation for our smaller footprint at Bud Stage. With the pineapple throne taking centre stage, our brand ambassadors offered samples and took snaps for concert attendees who wanted to pose with the pineapple.
Good ideas—we’re full of them!
CREATIVE AND BRILLIANT BRAND ACTIVATIONS
Do you need a WOW moment like this for your brand? Do you know your target audience but need new ideas for how to engage with them on the ground? That’s where we come in! Insanely creative and masters of the moment, we are the creative energy you need on the ground. If you’re curious how we can help you, please reach out! We’d love to hear from you!
VENDORS
Design and Production: Mad Bash Group
Planning, Strategy, and Project Coordination: Middle Child PR
Pineapple Throne: Engineered Arts
Graphic Design: It’s Okay Studio
Vinyl: Event Graffiti
Photography: Steve Gerrard (Osheaga) and Zeik Graphic (Bud Stage)
