These examples of face-to-face marketing range from frienship-forming bench stunts to chip bouquet proposals. While examples like Nespresso's 'Hello Bench' stunt aimed to connect strangers by helping to break the ice, Doritos' second limited run of its ketchup roses resulted in a romantic gesture from one Vancouver Canucks hockey fan.
Outside of the food and beverage realms, other face-to-face marketing innovations include social media app Snapchat's Snapbot -- a brightly branded vending machine that sell's the company's Spectacles eyewear line -- along with Ebay's emotion-powered popup in London which was outfitted with intuitive, "bio-analytic technology and facial coding software."
Pop-up VR bars, and beachside shipping container hotels round off this list and illustrate the power of spontaneous marketing that requires crowd participation and immersive elements.
42 Examples of Face-to-Face Marketing
41
Secret Celebratory Burgers
A foodora Burger's Priest Pop-Up Hit Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver
40
Transformed Trailer Sneaker Stores
Brooks Running Created a Mobile Space to Promote Its Offerings
39
Couture Cafe Popups
Tokyo's Coco Cafe Combines Cosmetics with Artisanal Coffee and Sweets
38
Shipping Container Athletic Stores
The Nike Pop-Up in Rio Was Created with an Industrial Aesthetic
37
Emotion-Powered Pop-Up Shops
This eBay Pop-Up Used Facial Expressions to Help Shoppers Find Gifts
36
Lifeguard Tower Hotels
This Beachside Hut in Tel Aviv is Now a Luxury Pop-Up Hotel
35
Interactive Mattress Pop-Ups
Silent Night's 'Studio Out the Box' Invites People to a Dreamworld
34
Enchanting Movie Popups
Toronto's Alice Through The Looking Glass Activation is Whimsical
33
Swedish Furniture Shop Restaurants
Ikea Standalone Cafes Could Soon Be in City Centers Worldwide
32
Fried Chicken-Scented Lotions
KFC's Extra Crispy Sunscreen Features the Scent of Fried Chicken
31
Polluted Art Galleries
This Pop-Up Gallery Exclusively Features Art Made with Air Pollution
30
Mobile Cannabis Lounges
Toast and Loopr Teamed up for this Luxe Brand Activation on Wheels
29
Anti-Hero Movie Pop-Ups
The Suicide Squad is Thanking Toronto with its Brand Activation
28
Edible Flavor Clouds
Pringles' Mechanically Generated Cloud Mimics the Scent and Flavor of Chips
27
Edible Snack Cake Installations
McVitie's Launched a Jaffa Cakes Tower for Father's Day 2016
26
Double-Filtered Coffees
For #FeedingTheFuture, The Economist Shared Coffee Made with Used Grounds
25
Beauty Service Drive-Thrus
Benefit is Launching 'GlastonBrow' for Brow and Beauty Services
24
Cauliflower Burger Pranks
KFC Pokes Fun at Extremely Healthy Eating with Its #CleanEating Burger
23
AR-Powered Doll Displays
Mattel's App-Connected Barbie Display Features Scannable Products
22
3D-Printed Smartphone Sweaters
The Made by Google Pop-Up Makes Printed Pixel Phone Sweaters
21
Branded Barber Shop Activations
The Fitting Room's Bryan Brock Discusses the Power of Marketing
20
Smoothie Ice Sculptures
Dole is Giving Away Free Smoothies That are Poured Through Ice Art
19
Environmental Mascot Campaigns
This Angry Birds Publicity Stunt Aims to Raise Eco Awareness
18
Pop-Up VR Bars
The House of Peroni Event Featured Immersive Works of Art
17
Immersive Selfie Towers
Toronto's Largest Selfie Campaign Was Hosted by CF Toronto Eaton Centre
16
Mobile Fast Food Drive-Thrus
McDonald's Dia Drive is a Roving "Drive-Thruck" on Wheels
15
Date-Themed Vaporizer Activations
Blu's 'Six Weeks to Fall in Love' Builds a Product Relationship
14
Pop-Up VR Cinemas
This Temporary Activation Was Set Up at Milk Glass Co. in Toronto
13
Friendship-Forming Bench Stunts
Nescafe's 'Hello Bench' Helps Strangers Break the Ice
12
Olympic Beverage Zones
Coca-Cola is Setting Up #ThatsGold Fan Stations in Rio
11
Instrumental Train Experiences
This Desperados x Mount Kimbie Brand Activation Celebrates Sound
10
Cookie-Dropping Drones
This Stunt from OREO Takes Cookie Dunking to New Heights
9
Robotic Vending Machines
Snapchat's 'Snapbot' Sells the Company's 'Spectacles' Eyewear
8
Boozy Bread Pop-Ups
Virgin Trains' Food Store Pop-Up Features Bread, Baking Kits and Beer
7
Unicorn Cab Rides
Three Mobile is Offering Magical 'Unicab' Rides in London
6
Exam-Based Brand Activations
'Bojangles' Restaurant Surprised Students with Food After Their Exams
5
Hispanic Cinema Pop-Ups
Cine Carretera Popped Up in a Vacant Lot in San Diego to Screen Films
4
Live Long-Form Narrative Experiences
Pop-Up Playground Offers Live Narratives Featuring Actors
3
Chip Bouquet Proposals
This Hockey Game Proposal Was Executed Using Doritos Ketchup Roses
2
AR Superhero Displays
This Augmented Reality Mall Stunt Promotes the Batman vs. Superman Film
1
Curated Snacking Experiences
The Hillshire Snacking Vending Machine Has a Maitre D' and Butler
Related Ideas
Virtual Video Call Makeup
Microsoft Teams Video Calls Now Offer Maybelline Virtual Makeup
Idyllic Pet Pop-Ups
Uber Eats and PetSmart Created "The Best Pet House Ever"
AI-Powered Fresh Food Vending Machines
Daily Blends Debuts Smart Vending Machines
Interactive Arcade Storefronts
JD & Snap London Created an AR Storefront for Christmas
Gen Z IRL Campaigns
Hinge's Phonebook Encourages Gen Z to Connect IRL for Global Day of Unplugging
Live-Painting Sneaker Experiences
The Martell Sneaker Atelier Turns Brainwaves into Unique Styles
Ketchup Dispenser Billboards
'Smack for Heinz' Helps Fans Complete Meals with a Favorite Condiment
Virtual Beauty Storefronts
The Clinique Lab is a Next-Gen Digital Retail Concept
Advanced Video Call Prototypes
Logitech Unveils 'Pepper's Ghost' Booths for Immersive Video Calls
Engaging Shelf Displays
Netvisual is Elevating In-Store Advertising with its Shelf Edge Displays
Hug-Activated Marketing Machines
UNIQLO France and The Pull Launch the Hug to Unlock Ad
AI-Generated Soup Can Art
The Campbell’s 'pAIntings' Initiative is Inspired by Artistic Greats
Fluidless Scent-Releasing Facemasks
Hong Kong Researchers Developed a Smart Mask Using Wax Pads
Virtual Beauty Brand Ambassadors
Nars Cosmetics Unveiled a Trio of Meta-humans—the Power Players
In-Store Beauty Sampling Kiosks
Ulta Beauty and SOS are Partnering to Promote Product Discovery
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
Fast Food-Inspired Beachy Campaigns
Leo Burnett Italia Unveils a New Summery McDonald's Campaign
Candid Furniture Campaigns
Life is Not an IKEA Catalog Shows a Different Side of Home Products
Online Merchandise Storefronts
The Panera Shop Gives Access to Bread-themed Apparel & Carb-Couture
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
Personalized Digital Playgrounds
Pringles Poptopia is an Immersive, Engaging Experience for Fans
Fake Ketchup Campaigns
This Heinz Campaign Exposes "Ketchup Fraud"
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Heat-Sensitive Vending Machines
Sprite's Vending Machine Drops a Drink When Temperatures Rise
AI Social Media Managers
Friz is an All-in-One Tool for DTC Brands on Social
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Experiential Mental Well-Being Events
Batiste's Refresh & Reflect Events Connect & Uplift Students
AI-Created Burger Ads
Burger King Had ChatGPT Generate a Poster to Clap Back at a Competitor
AI Travel Campaigns
Away's Extraordinary Is Out There Uses AI to Show Real-World Destinations
Connected Gamer Campaigns
Heineken's Just Another Night Out Shatters Anti-Social Stereotypes
Suggestive Spread Campaigns
The Marmite First Timers Campaign Targets Gen Z
NFC-Enabled Face Stickers
Shu Uemura's Limited-Edition Stickers Create Digital Content
Romantic On-Demand Gift Deliveries
Minted and DoorDash Have Partnered for On-Demand Delivery
Modern Gifting Services
Fresh Sends Reinvents Flower Delivery & Gift-Giving for a New Generation
Interactive Beauty Metaverses
Fenty Beauty's First Campaign on Roblox Has Mazes & Scavenger Hunts
Mixed-Reality Cola Billboards
This 3D Coca-Cola Billboard Dispenses Real, Cold Drinks
Self-Service Commerce Kiosks
Cantaloupe Go Brings Buy-and-Go Expereinces to Customers
Smart Shopping Cart Ads
Instacart Unveiled Ads for Its AI-Powered Caper Carts
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
AI-Powered QSR Campaigns
allplants Leverages AI To Transforms Fast-Food Ads
Confetti-Filled Snacking Commercials
Frito-Lay Launches the Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
Popcorn Dispenser Billboards
Streaming Service ITVX Marked Its Launch by Sharing Snacks in the UK
AI-Aided Social Networks
Why Be Real Online when you can BeFake
Advanced Adaptive Retail Experiences
Walmart Unveiled New Retail Technologies at CES 2024
Mixed-Reality Shopping Apps
StockX Launched an Immersive Way to Shop with the Apple Vision Pro
AI-Powered Marketing Tools
This E-Commerce Tool Uses Customer Data to Project Reward Impacts
AI-Powered Video Chats
Fireworks Enhances Shoppable Live Video Commerce with Generative AI
Scannable Snack Charity Campaigns
This Pringles Movember Campaign Updates the Brand's Mascot
Food Truck Billboards
McDonald's Transformed Billboards into Digital Food Truck Displays
Community Commerce Pop-Ups
TikTok Shop UK Opened a Pop-Up on London's Oxford Street
Standalone Friend-Finding Apps
Bumble for Friends (BFF) is Being Tested in Select Markets
Travel-Focused Marketing Guides
TikTok Debuts a Playbook for Travel Marketers to Foster Engagement
Multifunctional Cardboard QSR Packaging
McDonald's and Leo Burnett Unveil the Tablebag
AI-Powered Fintech Tools
Square Introduces Ten New Generative AI Features for Content Creation
Gifting-Focused Travel Chocolate Products
Ferrero Travel Market Has Shown Off New Treats
IRL Dating Apps
The Blush App Aims to Enhance the Dating Experience with Real-World Connections
AI-Generated Pizzerias
Pizza Hut is Bringing the Pepperoni Hug Spot to Life in Toronto
AI-Assisted Cooking Partnerships
Unilever and Be My Eyes Partnered to Support Shoppers
Communication-Based Immersive Exhibitions
Intuit Mailchimp and Design Museum Present Email is Dead
Brand Photography Marketplaces
VSCO Unveils a New Marketplace for Photographers to Find Work
QSR Gen Z Campaigns
Chipotle Targets Gen Z with Wellness Snapchat Lens and Menu Items
Interactive Phygital Hoodies
Beyond's Phygital Fashion Capsule Can Be Tried on with AR
AR Selfie Booths
BBC's Pop-Up Booth Lets Passersby Try on Augmented Reality Animal Masks
Integrated Influencer Marketing Platforms
SocialTalk Helps Users Discover, Track, and Connect
Record-Breaking AR Mirrors
Maybelline New York & FFFACE.ME Debuted a Large Interactive Experience
AI-Powered Gelato Packaging
Sweet Cheeks Partners with Bravo to Debut Gelatos with AI Packaging
Experiential Shopping Platforms
sune Shares a Fun and Engaging Way for Gen Z to Shop
Digital Avatar Cosmetics
e.l.f. Cosmetics & Snapchat Debuted the First Bitmoji Beauty Drop
AI-Enabled Delivery Chatbots
Uber Eats Launches an AI Chatbot to Help Improve User Experiences
AI-Generated Wedding Registries
Honeyfund Experiments with AI in New Finally Ever After Registry
Product Exploration Retailer Tools
These New Instacart Discovery Tools Connect Brands to Retailers
Tongue-In-Cheek Soda Campaigns
Pepsi Jokes at Coca-Cola in It's Tastes Better Campaign
Tech-Enhanced Facial Workouts
NuFACE's Fitness For Your Face Introduces a New Facial Workout
Coffee Shop Video Calls
Coffee Video Calls Brings the Ambiance of a Cafe to Virtual Calls
Festival Friend Matching Apps
Hey! VINA & Absolut are Connecting Coachella Best Festival Friends
AI-Generated Selfies
DreamBooth Creates Realistic Images Based on a Set of Photos
Candid Celebration Campaigns
Edible's "There's an edible for That" Celebrates Even Awkward Moments
Social Marketplace Updates
Instagram Launches a Marketplace to Better Connect Brands and Creators
Virtual Car Meetups
7-Eleven is Inviting Fans to Meet Virtually in Fortnite
Interactive AR Experiences
The Sendit App Engaged Gen Alpha on Valentine's Day
Influencer Snack Bar Campaigns
Nature Valley Launches a Social-Oriented Digital Marketing Campaign
Omnichannel Grocery Technologies
Instacart Launches the New Omnichannel Solutions for Grocers
Refreshing Festival Activations
The Mitchum Fresh Factory Shares Experiential Sampling
Video Game-Like Chat Platforms
'PFPChat' Gives Online Meetings a More Creative Spin
Conversational Campaign Creators
Creating Google Ads Campaigns is Simpler with AI Chat Features
Communication App Shopping Experiences
WhatsApp Flows Allow for In-App Booking and Shopping
Customized Convenience Retailer Apps
Family Express is Introducing a Personalized App Experience
Themed Heart-Shaped Chips
Japanese Snack Brand Calbee Unviels its Valentine's Day Chips
Miniature Collectible Campaigns
The World’s Smallest Lines are the Focus of Influencer Marketing
Third-Party Artisanal Marketplaces
Michaels Launches the MarkerPlace Alternative Marketplace
Loneliness-Combating Social Campaigns
Hinge Launches the New One More Hour Campaign and Fund
AI Social Media Management
From Discovery to Post Scheduling – Storefries Does it All
AI-Powered Socialization Apps
The 'BU' App Takes an AI-Driven Approach to Event Planning
Personality-Inspired Drink Packaging
Tetra Pak's Smart Packaging Leads Fans to a Personality Test
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
Anniversary-Honoring Graphic T-Shirts
Places+Faces Launch Collaboration Tees for 10 Years
Human-Like AI Marketing Avatars
Studio Neiro Helps Scale Marketing With Engaging AI Videos
Short-Form Foodie Feeds
Uber Eats is Testing Out a New Vertical Feed Like TikTok and Instagram
Kindness-Promoting Marketing Campaigns
Once Upon a Coconut Launches 1 Million Acts of Kindness
AI Email Marketing Campaigns
Emotsy Creates Personalized Campaigns for Stronger Digital Connection
On-Site Avatar Workers
DeepBrain AI Offers Lifelike Avatars for Remote Workers to Operate On-Site
Friendsgiving Event Series
Butterball and Bumble Foster Togetherness with #FindYourTable
Second Chance Campaigns
eos' Second First Kiss Gives Consumers a Shot at a Do-Over
Flame-Grilled Billboards
This Fiery Billboard Promotes the Flame Grilled Whopper-Flavored Doritos
Virtual Game Tourism Campaigns
Cape Town Launches a Virtual Game for a New Tourism Campaign
Social Media AI Chatbots
Instagram Plans to Incorporate its Own AI Chatbots in the App
Personality-Focused Dating Apps
The Bokay App Expands Its Services Across Canada
Hilarious Fandom Cheese Campaigns
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Launches First-Ever Paid Ad Campaign
Restaurant-Inspired Frozen Comfort Foods
The Boston Market At Home Frozen Foods Has Been Expanded
Personalized Grocery Billboard Campaigns
Tesco Ireland Gets a New Live-Prompt Campaign
AI-Fuelled Mobile Design Apps
Adobe Launches its Express Mobile App for Design On-the-Go
Automotive Parking Lot Pop-Ups
Mercedes-Benz Turned Parking Lot Spaces into a Mini Showroom
Authentic Ambassador Campaigns
BeReal is Looking for "The Realest Person on Earth"
Meme-Based Dating Sites
Schmooze Helps Singles Find Love Through Memes and Jokes
Friendship Cream Cheese Campaigns
The 'You’ve Got a Friend in Philly' Campaign is Charming
Offline Shopping Campaigns
'Shop Offline' Helps People Rediscover the Joy of Real-World Shopping
Interactive AR Galleries
Chips Ahoy's Happy By Design Campaign Spotlights Multicultural Artists
Social Media-Integrated AI Lenses
Snapchat Launches the New AR Lenses with ChatGPT
CPG Brand Beer Collaborations
Unique Snacks and Chatty Monks Made the 'Split Face' Brew
Quirky eCard Platforms
Happiepages Has an Online Celebratory Card for Any Occassion
AR Voter Campaigns
Snapchat & the Dutch Ministry Engaged and Inspired Gen Z Voters
Virtual Shopper Solutions
Firework Launches a One-to-One Video Chat Solution for Virtual Shoppers
Review-Based Marketing Campaigns
These Amazon Campaigns Bring Real Reviews To Life
Pocket Concierge Apps
The Scene Matches Users to Restaurants, Bars, Clubs & Cafes
Animated-Photo AI-Fueled Chat Apps
EmbodyMe Unveils its New Xpression Chat Platform
Playful Dating Experiment Campaigns
Kraft's Swipe Right for Mayo Campaign Social Experiment
SaaS Influencer Marketing Tools
Beeing Social Launches 'Buzz Bee Buzz' for Influencer Marketing
Localized Networking Platforms
Presence Connects Users with Like-Minded Individuals Nearby
Ad-Focused Reaction Tools
Wunderman Thompson Launches 'Reveal' for Gauging Audience Responses
Video Call Shopping Services
Apple's Specialist over Video Service Enhances Personalization
Network-Connecting AI Solutions
Village AI Connect with Your Network to Close Deals
Mental Health Community Engagement
OOt Social Health Recently Launched Its Application
Connection-Building Dating Platforms
Happie Aims to Build Meaningful Connections Between Users
Inclusive Try-On Programs
Perfect Corp. Connects Beauty Brands with Digital Beauty Innovation
Cocktail-Inspired Togetherness Activations
Smirnoff's Global Connectivity Initiative Launched
Subtle Marketing Pop-Ups
FOMO Nudge Encourages Users to Buy with Subtle Pop-Ups
Cash-Gifting Greeting Cards
Hallmark + Venmo Cards Simultaneously Share Heartfelt Messages & Money
New Year Sandwich Promotions
This Urban Eat On-Pack Promo Offers Hundreds of Prizes Up for Grabs
Festive Chip Campaigns
KETTLE Chips' Christmas Campaign Features 24 Days of Prizes
Generative AI Beverage Ads
The Coca‑Cola® Masterpiece Campaign Leverages AI to Create Visual Magic