Free toast giveaways, VR headsets that come in cereal boxes and gourmet pie tastings are just a few of the top October 2015 interactive ideas for marketing. Quirky ideas like these and more seek to catch a consumer's attention in the most ridiculous ways in person, creating the potential for a viral campaign online.
As many of these successful campaigns prove, a big advertising budget is not always necessary. In London, interactive cigarette receptacles were set up, which did the double duty of having the public vote for the best sports players, while also cleaning up the city streets.
In the spirit of Halloween, dozens of spooky promotions are beginning to appear, but none quite as creepy as the one from the Coolstuff website this year —the web retailer is giving people the chance to have their order shipped and delivered in a custom life-sized coffin.
Top 70 Interactive Trends in October
70
3D Chocolate Printing Machines
Hershey's CocoJet Prints Unique 3D Designs Like Life-Like Figurines
69
Interactive Litter Bins
This London Litter Campaign Uses Fun Games to Recycle Cigarettes and Gum
68
Gamified Recycling Programs
This Initiative Aims to Encourage Recycling During the Rugby World Cup
67
Morbid Delivery Coffins
Coolstuff.com Will Deliver Your Order in a Life-Sized Custom Coffin
66
Code-Scanning Chat Apps
The Kik App Now Allows Users to Scan QR Codes to Connect to Brands
65
Pop-Up Shoe Stores
This Mobile Shop Lets Customers Experiment with High-Tech Footwear
64
Rejuvenating Holiday Pop-Ups
This RBC Avion Shop Rewards Customers for the Holidays
63
Interactive HIV Ads
This Innovative Ad Encourages Patient Engagement Via Social Media
62
Workout-Bartered Subway Fare
Mexico City is Offering Free Subway Rides in Exchange for Squats
61
Men-Only Fashion Sites
The Hermes Men Site Features Playful Distractions for the Modern Man
60
Heart Attack Simulators
The British Heart Foundation's Medical Simulator Sparks Emotional Pain
59
Pirate-Inspired Donuts
This Campaign Celebrates International Talk Like a Pirate Day
58
Digitized Wine Displays
This Merchandising Project by PERCH Interactive is Powered by Technology
57
Homey Display Windows
Chando’s Retail Window Display Recreates a Stylish Woman's Apartment
56
Credit-Replacing Cars
This Connected Car Lets Drivers Pay for Gas Through Their Car's Dashboard
55
Professional Headshot Tours
LinkedIn is Touring the US to Give Profile Advice and Headshots
54
Interactive Outerwear Shops
This Store Helps Customers Plan Their Next Outdoor Adventure
53
Celebratory Coffee Giveaways
Krispy Kreme is Handing Out Free Goodies for National Coffee Day
52
Cereal-Rewarding Competitions
Kellogg's Launched the #UtterCrunchyNutter to Find its Nuttiest Fans
51
Snack Bar Billboards
The 'Find Your Fave' Campain Encourages the Public to Have a Free Sample
50
Brand Unity Burgers
Burger King Enlisted the Help of Other Restaurants for a Peace Day Burger
49
Interactive Retirement Commercials
This Retirement Ad Lets Viewers See Potential Futures for 2045
48
Fast-Food Reservation Platforms
Mcdonald's Locations in Sweden are Testing Online Reservations
47
Quirky Denim Matchmakers
G-Star Raw's Tinder-Style Web Tool Makes Shopping for Perfect Denim Easy
46
Multi-Sensory Gin Tastings
Bombay Sapphire's 'Gin Journey' Awakens All of a Fan's Senses
45
Padded Bakery Pop-Ups
Belvita's 'Soft Bakes Bakery' Pop-Up Doles Out Free Product Samples
44
360-Degree News Feeds
Facebook and Oculus Rift are Teaming up to Create 360-Degree Videos
43
Denim-Lending Shops
After a '1 Night Stand' American Eagle Lets Consumers Keep or Return Jeans
42
Traveling Pop-Up Theaters
The Adult Swim Pop-Up Drive-In Theater is Touring Across the Country
41
Motorized DJ Booths
Spotify is Touring UK Universities with a Bright DJ Booth on Wheels
40
Lyrical Toast Giveaways
MOOV's 'Lyric Toast Van' Gives Away Free Product Trials and Toast
39
Interactive Automotive Shops
This Store Helps Consumers Understand How to Care for an Electric Car
38
Shareable Livestream Apps
'Periscope' Added Screenshot-Sharing to Further Promote User Broadcasts
37
Gourmet Pie Tastings
This Event Allows Guests to Sample Decadent Desserts and Homemade Ice Cream
36
Crowdsourced Beer Campaigns
Carlsberg Celebrates Sustainability with 'Cheers to Green' Initiative
35
Handshake-Analyzing Apps
This Advertising Week App Helps Users Achieve the Perfect Handshake
34
Fact-Based TV Show Advertorials
Netflix and the Wall Street Journal Team up to Promote 'Narcos'
33
Chocolate-Sharing Cyclists
Cadbury's Quirky Musical Cyclists Dole Out Free Chocolates in London
32
VR Cereal Boxes
Nutri-Grain's BOLT Cereal Box Lets People Experience Virtual Reality
31
Kid-Run Banks
Record Bank's Financial Campaign Has Young Kids Run Its Bank for a Day
30
Kids Financial Literacy Games
'Learning Money with Leo' by RBC Aims to Educate Kids on Money
29
Musical Invitation Machines
This Karaoke Machine Invites People Who Sing to 'Rock in Rio'
28
Streaming Service Festivals
The Netflix Festival Will Have 15 Genre-Specific Screens
27
Food-Enhancing Visuals
Get a Taste for Stella Artois' Sensorium, an Innovative Dining Event
26
Face-Mimicking Billboards
The 'Coke-Moji' Uses Facial Recognition Software to Copy Your Expression
25
Boozy Social Media Incentives
The D1 London Gin Brand is Exchanging Cocktails for Instagram Images
24
Charitable Pedicure Promotions
Oasis' Flip-Flop Promotion Pairs Shoe Purchases with Free Pedicures
23
Live Care Campaigns
'Messages of Care' by Kleenex Shares Kind Thoughts in Real-Time
22
Coffee Search Apps
The 'Time to Coffee' App Speeds Up the Hunt for Coffee in New York City
21
Car-Appraising Trucks
Kagulu's 'Price Scanner' Provides Mobile Car Valuation Services
20
Rhetorical Massage Ads
This Advertisement Cleverly Uses a Quiz See if You Should Pamper Yourself
19
Social Downtime Campaigns
KFC's In-Store Promotion Provides Free Meals when Social Media is Down
18
Humanized Fitness Ads
GoodLife's 'The Struggle is Real' Campaign Uses Real People's Tweets
17
Motorcycle Customization Apps
'Yamaha My Garage' Lets Users Build a Custom Motorcycle Virtually
16
Family-Bonding Food Commercials
IKEA's 'Together We Eat' Campaign Wants to Get to Know Your Family
15
Branded Beauty Pops-Ups
LFW Attendees Can Now Get Styled to Try Out Runway Looks
14
Inclusive Soda Giveaways
Coca-Cola Brought its 'Share a Coke' Campaign to Remote Native Areas
13
Virtual Reality Orchestras
LA Phil's 'VAN Beethoven' Experience Visualizes Classical Music
12
Holographic Snack Displays
These Digital Advertisements are Designed to Make Brand Names Stand Out
11
Locally Curated Tours
The Airbnb New York City Map is Created and Guided by Local Hosts
10
Ephemeral Alzheimer's Ads
This Alzheimer's Day Campaign Simulates Lost Memories with Snapchat
9
Experiential Brew Contests
Hooch's Drinking Campaign Urges Consumers to Hunt for an "H"
8
Couture Music Channels
Burberry's Apple Music Channel Fuses Fashion and Technology
7
Deathly Wearable Campaigns
The Mount Pleasant Group's Funeral Home Ad Mocks Wearable Devices
6
Heroic Caregiver Campaigns
CAN's Health Awareness Campaign Champions Caregivers
5
Virtual Reality Baseball Commercials
Gatorade Puts Fans in the Shoes of Bryce Harper
4
Vintage Fast Food Wines
Spain Celebrates Burger King's 40th Anniversary with 'Whopper Wine'
3
Mysterious Drive-Thru Stunts
Mcdonald's 'Good Times' Campaign Films Unknowing Restaurant Visitors
2
Flying Car Campaigns
Cadillac Airlifts Its Newest Car for a Surprise Product Launch
1
Heartening Donation Campaigns
NHS Blood and Transplant Uses Stories to Encourage Blood Donations
Related Ideas
Batman-Themed Kitchen Appliances
Paul Parsons Creates Themed Kitchen Appliance Concepts
Magical Holiday Meal Boxes
Uber Eats is Selling. Wizarding World Holiday Trunk This Christmas
Horror-Themed Phone Campaigns
Samsung's Join the Flip Side Takes Cues from 90s Horror Movies
Idyllic Pet Pop-Ups
Uber Eats and PetSmart Created "The Best Pet House Ever"
Teddy Bear Outerwear
Build-A-Bear Cuddly Couture Shares Cozy, Warm Styles
Streaming Service Restaurants
The Netflix Bites Pop-Up Serves Dishes from Netflix Series
Interactive Arcade Storefronts
JD & Snap London Created an AR Storefront for Christmas
Interactive Holiday Sweaters
The New Pillsbury Holiday Sweater Features a Built-In QR Code
Charming Autumnal Cafe Products
The Starbucks Japan Halloween Drinkware Collection is Cute
Kid-Powered Imagination Campaigns
Lunchables' A.I. vs K.I. Proves Kids' Limitless Creativity
Distorted Burger Campaigns
Burger King's A.I.LLOWEEN Features Unsettling People Eating Burgers
Witty Toy-Brand Horror Posters
LEGO Presents a Range of Playful Horror Posters for the Season
Ninja-Inspired Curated Snack Boxes
Tokyotreat Embraces the Taste of Japan with a Ninja Theme
Convenience Store Metaverses
7-Eleven is Unveiling an Immersive Virtual World at CES 2023
Expansive Halloween Candy Collections
The Mars Wrigley 2023 Halloween Candies are Spooky
Moon Festival-Inspired Snack Boxes
Tokyo Treat Boasts a Moon Festival Theme with Its Latest Box
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
Interactive Kiosk Content
Red Dot Digital Media Debuts Outdoor Kiosks to Enhance Guest Experience
Provocative AR Campaigns
NotCo's 'Not So Happy Animals' Presents Food Logos in a New Light
Provocative Spread Pop-Ups
The Marmite Dark Room Entices Gen Z to Experience an Iconic Spread
GenAI Virtual Shoppers
Cindy by Imaginuity Boots Online and In-Store Foot Traffic
Mood-Boosting Cafe Pop-Ups
Skittles' House of Joy Brightens the Dark Days of February
AI-Created Burger Ads
Burger King Had ChatGPT Generate a Poster to Clap Back at a Competitor
Playful Restaurant Pop-Ups
The Play-Doh Restaurant of Imagination Turns Kids' Creations Edible
Connected Gamer Campaigns
Heineken's Just Another Night Out Shatters Anti-Social Stereotypes
Suggestive Spread Campaigns
The Marmite First Timers Campaign Targets Gen Z
Seasonal Autumn Treats
Target Launches a Fall-Themed Private Label Sweets Collection
Social Ghosting Donut Campaigns
The Krispy Kreme Ghosted Box Encourages Relationship Rekindling
Festival-Inspired Japanese Snack Boxes
TokyoTreat's Subscription Box is Themed & Limited-Edition
Magazine-Integrated QR Features
ARCADE Launches the ELLE x Clarks Shoe Visualiser and Experience
Digital Grocery Screens
Kroger Launches the New Digital Smart Screens Across 500 Store Locations
Inspiring Multi-Shop Pop-Ups
Pinterest's Possibility Place Immerses Guests in Inspiration
Cannery-Inspired Phone Boxes
LookUp Makes Digital Detox Tools in the Shape of Fish Tins
Mixed-Reality Cola Billboards
This 3D Coca-Cola Billboard Dispenses Real, Cold Drinks
AR Sampling Advertisements
The #TakeATaste Campaign Shares Free Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Bottles
Smart Shopping Cart Ads
Instacart Unveiled Ads for Its AI-Powered Caper Carts
Halloween QSR Drinkware
Starbucks Brews Up Halloween Excitement with New Themed Drinkware
AI-Powered QSR Campaigns
allplants Leverages AI To Transforms Fast-Food Ads
Monster-Themed Ice Creams
The Baskin-Robbins Okashina Okashina Halloween Celebration is Spooky
Monetizable Mobile Gaming Apps
'Playbite' Enables Players to Win Gift Cards and Prizes
Popcorn Dispenser Billboards
Streaming Service ITVX Marked Its Launch by Sharing Snacks in the UK
Craft Cocktail Popcorn Snacks
Eatable Offers Chocolate Espresso Martini Milk Chocolate Kettle Corn
Water Digital Wallet Loyalty Cards
Liquid Death Has Introduced the Liquid Death Country Club
Autumnal At-Home Baking Products
These Nestlé Toll House Seasonal Products Come in Several Options
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
Immersive Hybrid Billboards
Meta's Halloween Thrillboards Tease Immersive Meta Quest 3 Experiences
AR Yogurt Packaging
Chobani's Interactive Yogurt Packaging Engages Snackers for Halloween
Idol Singer Breakfast Promotions
Mos Burger Offers Dining Experience with Idols via AR
Gifting-Focused Travel Chocolate Products
Ferrero Travel Market Has Shown Off New Treats
Gen Alpha-Targeted Ice Cream Trucks
Unilever Taps Robomart to Launch 'The Ice Cream Shop'
NFT Cocktail Machines
The Skull Society Unveils the First "Smart" Cocktail Vending Machine
Extraterrestrial Influencer Campaigns
MoonPie's Alien Acquisition Shares Ads for Extraterrestrials
Game-Themed Soft Drinks
Coca-Cola Unveils a League of Legends-Themed Zero Sugar Can
Halloween Food-Delivery Campaigns
Grubhub is Encouraging Customers to Order-In with New Campaign
Communication-Based Immersive Exhibitions
Intuit Mailchimp and Design Museum Present Email is Dead
New Year-Inspired Snack Boxes
TokyoTreat New Year's Box Offers Special Snacks for the Season
AR-Powered Cereal Games
General Mills Releases a New Digital Monster Game for Consumers
QSR Gen Z Campaigns
Chipotle Targets Gen Z with Wellness Snapchat Lens and Menu Items
Night-Out Chocolate Campaigns
The Cadbury Spectacularly Nice Promotion Offers a Range of Prizes
Co-Branded Daylight Savings Giveaways
Klondike & Instacart Unveil a Surprise This Daylight Savings
Cringe-Worthy Photo Campaigns
Sour Patch Kids is Challenging Fans to Choose "Cringe or Candy"
Edible Insect Lollipops
Orkin's Pest-Infested Pops Bring Awareness to Pest Control
Financial Support Apps
'Cleo' is Helping Gen Z Feel More Confident About Money
Wasteful Shopping Billboards
Not On The High Street's Billboards Highlight a "Don't Gift Guide"
Celebratory Hot Chocolate Promotions
This Cadbury 200th Anniversary Promotion is Launching Now
Digital Product Care Brochures
'Lolita & Zoitza' Partnered with Tapkit on Informative Brochures
Customizable White-Label Consumables
Printify Offers On-Demand Consumables for Brands & Businesses
Music-Themed Cafe Pop-Ups
The Spotify Wrapped Cafe Pop-Up in Paris Served "Wrappucinos"
Candid Celebration Campaigns
Edible's "There's an edible for That" Celebrates Even Awkward Moments
Toaster Pastry Prediction Platforms
Prop-Tarts Challenges Pop-Tarts Fans' Intuition
Customizable Halloween-Themed Treat Boxes
Halloween Sugarwish Boasts Customizable Gifting
Virtual Car Meetups
7-Eleven is Inviting Fans to Meet Virtually in Fortnite
Customizable Holiday Treats
Sugarwish Offers Special Holiday Treats as Part of Its Gifting Service
Interactive AR Experiences
The Sendit App Engaged Gen Alpha on Valentine's Day
Savory Ice Cream Sandwiches
Nightingale x Pizza Hut Dreamed Up a New Snack for April Fool's Day
Avocado-Centric Pop-Ups
Avocados From Mexico's House of Goodness is Coming to the Real World
Omnichannel Grocery Technologies
Instacart Launches the New Omnichannel Solutions for Grocers
Spooky Seasonal Soda Promotions
This Fanta Halloween Promotion Offers the Biggest Rewards Yet
Syrup-Inspired Coffees
IHOP & Kraft Heinz Collaborated on Pancake-Inspired Coffee
Gamified Burrito Campaigns
Chipotle Launches Wordle-Inspired Game for Fans to Win Free Burritos
On-Demand Mobile Ice Cream Stores
Mars Teamed Up with Store-Hailing Service Conjure
Interactive Digital Menus
Tabmeal Empowers Restaurants to Revolutionize the Way Guests Order
Life-Size In-Store Countdowns
Toys R Us Asia and Craig & Karl Created an Advent Calendar for All
Wellness Drink Mix Promotions
This Horlicks On-Pack Promotion Supports New Year Wellness
Beauty-Focused Shopping Apps
The 'Trendio' Live Shopping App Offers Access to Beauty Content
Over-the-Top Easter Desserts
Serendipity3 & PEEPS Teamed Up to Create an Easter Beverage
Miniature Collectible Campaigns
The World’s Smallest Lines are the Focus of Influencer Marketing
Ghoulish Halloween Cake Toppers
TOUS les JOURS' New Lineup Includes the Halloween Cloud Cake
Cinco de Mayo Campaigns
Cuervo with Haley Lu Richardson on a Celebratory Campaign
AR Pizza Menus
Hungry Howie's Uses AR to Promote a Secret Pizza Menu
Off-Season Doughnut Campaigns
The Krispy Kreme Pumpkin Spice Doughnut is Back for April Fool's Day
Seasonal Popcorn Bottle Kits
These New Popcorn Kitchen Popcorn Kits are Ready for the Holidays
Spooky Street Ad Experiences
These Fanta Halloween Projections Took Over a Busy Stockholm Street
Gamer-Targeted Chip Promotions
Pringles is Launching a New Gaming On-Pack Promotion
AR-Enabled Cereal Packaging
Honey-Comb Cereal Teamed Up with Terry Crews for a Digital Experience
AR-Enabled Advent Calendars
The Lindt TEDDY Augmented Reality Advent Calendar is Interactive
Horror-Themed QSR Short Films
The Jack In The Box 'Feeding Time' Short Film Offers Free Food
Breakfast QSR Marketing Campaigns
IHOP Partners with TikTok for Newest Release
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
Halloween-Themed QSR Meal Containers
McDonald's Boo Buckets are Back in Several New Styles
Pizza Craving Campaigns
Domino's Pizza and WorkInProgress Launch the Emergency Pizza Campaign
Vacation Rental Campaigns
Airbnb Debuts an Animated Ad That Celebrates Booking a Place to Yourself
Digital Experience Gifting
Memory Crate Lets Users Gift Coupons, Experiences, or Acts of Service
Personalized Grocery Billboard Campaigns
Tesco Ireland Gets a New Live-Prompt Campaign
Toronto Day of the Dead Celebrations
Chotto Matte Toronto Offers Day of the Dead Celebrations
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
App-Only QSR Halloween Deals
The Wendy’s HalloWEENDY’s App Deals are Scary Good
Haunted Winchester Houses
Spirit Halloween Carves Out a Week of Surprises Ahead of Spooky Season
Halloween Pizza Promotions
TOOMBSTONE Pizza is Giving Away Pizzas to Jasons
Review-Based Marketing Campaigns
These Amazon Campaigns Bring Real Reviews To Life
AR-Enabled Google Tools
Google Launches a Slew of New Features for Search, Shopping, and Maps
Seasonal Convenience Store Coffees
These 7-Eleven Seasonal Menu Items Embrace Cold Weather Flavors
Spooky Cafe Menu Items
These Dunkin' Halloween Treats Come in Four Varieties
Mixed-Reality Treasure Hunts
EE is Kicking Off Its Inaugural Game Day with a Special Treasure Hunt
Halloween-Focused Menu Additions
'Krispy Skreme' Introduces a New Range of Halloween Treats
Haunted Gingerbread Houses
Sticky Fingers Bakery's Halloween Gingerbread House is a Sweet Treat
Retailer-Backed Holiday Experiences
J. Crew Launches a New AI-Powered Holiday Experience
Confectionary Candy Debuts
Hancocks Debuts a Series of Candies for the Autumn Season
Seasonal Coffee Promotions
GetGo Café + Market October Coffee Mondays Offer Java Savings
Seasonal Cafe Birthday Promotions
Starbucks Canada is Giving Away PSL Temporary Tattoo Sheets
Christmasy Convenience Retailer Promotions
The 7-Eleven Holiday Deals are Here for 2023
Convenience Store Coffee Promotions
The Circle K Free Coffee Week Promotion Takes Place This Month
Pizza-Themed Beer Promotions
This Old Golden Hen Promotion Offers Wood-Fired Pizza Ovens
Fall Pumpkin-Flavored Menus
Ellianos Coffee Launches Three New Pumpkin-Flavored Beverages
Holiday-Themed Playful Quizzes
Foney Fonts Challenges Players to Recognize Holiday Typography
Autumnal Apple Crumb Cupcakes
Gigi’s Cupcakes' Just Added a New Apple Cream Crumb Cupcake for Fall
April Fool's Lifestyle Collections
Nugget Introduced Its 'Most Trendiest - High Endiest' Line Yet
New Year Sandwich Promotions
This Urban Eat On-Pack Promo Offers Hundreds of Prizes Up for Grabs
Autumnal Grocery Retailer Deals
These Nisa Autumn Deals Offer Halloween Cost Savings
Spooky Cider Campaigns
This Brothers Cider Campaign Celebrates the Halloween Season
Celebratory Tex-Mex Meal Kits
The Old El Paso Day of the Dead Packs Celebrate the Mexican Holiday
Pumpkin Frozen Coffees
Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is Serving Cooling, Comforting Drinks
Seasonal Halloween-Themed Donuts
Krispy Kreme Debuts a Halloween Doughnut Collection for October
Spooky Dessert Halloween Decorations
The Dunkin' Spider Donut Inflatable Celebrates the Treat
Festive Chip Campaigns
KETTLE Chips' Christmas Campaign Features 24 Days of Prizes
Novelty Polling Websites
Funnypoll Gives Users a Quick Laugh in an Often Overwhelming Online Space