Planning summer brand activations people want to share

Summer can be a useful time to bring a brand into places where people are already gathering. Festivals, beaches and local events offer different possibilities from a campaign seen only on a screen.

The setting alone will not make an activation work. People need a reason to take part, and the experience needs a clear connection to the product.

Make participation easy

Heineken's Clinker activation at Coachella used the familiar gesture of clinking drinks to introduce a music-matching device. The appeal was easy to understand: find out whether someone nearby shares your music taste.

Rhode's Coachella photo booth paired a product giveaway with a photo opportunity. Participants could try the product and leave with something to share.

These are useful examples because the action is clear. For a smaller event, ask what someone can do within a few minutes and what they take away from it.

Choose a setting that fits the brand

Aperol's Coachella activation used cocktail-making and an Italian summer setting. The experience was recognisable as Aperol before someone needed to read a description.

Spotify Beach at Cannes combined performances with activities such as a shared playlist on a Jam Bike. Music was part of the experience itself.

Nike's RunTown pop-up in London brought footwear trials and events to runners ahead of the marathon. It gave people a reason to visit beyond browsing a product display.

For a local brand, that might mean a demonstration at a neighbourhood market or a gathering tied to an activity customers already enjoy. Choose the setting because it suits those customers.

Think about the person seeing it later

An event has people attending in person and people who may see photos or videos afterwards. A clear visual feature can help, but it should make sense without a long explanation.

Before spending on production, try describing the activity to someone who has not seen the plan. Can they explain what happens and why they would participate? If not, simplify it.

Give people the option to share without making posting a condition of enjoying the experience. Ask for permission before reusing their content.

Plan for what happens afterwards

Decide what you want the event to achieve. Product trials, enquiries and repeat visits call for different follow-up plans. Social reach can be useful, but it does not tell you on its own whether people became customers.

Set a budget and choose a few measures you can collect reliably. Review attendance, participation and the next action people took. Note what you would repeat and what you would change.

A small activation can be worthwhile when the activity fits the audience and the team can follow through after the event.

Sofia de Mello-Barreto is an Product Marketing Lead working across product marketing and growth. Book a Growth Audit.