Hospitality’s role in retail pop-ups
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“Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat.” — Guy Fieri, Restaurateur
Even while pop-up stores are already commonplace in retail, pop-up dining has grown in popularity, whether it takes the shape of temporary dining areas, branded food trucks, or in-store coffee shops.
This surge has been largely attributed to social media. Even a simple food, like jacket potatoes, can produce a lot of engagement, as seen by viral TikTok superstars like Spudman and Spudbros. This is in line with the increasing desire for one-of-a-kind, transient culinary experiences, that generate excitement both online and off.
A pop-up’s unpredictable nature creates a sense of urgency impossible for regular retail to match. This inherent scarcity creates excitement and draws in crowds. The exclusivity that a pop-up brings is a component of the magic of marketing; whether it is a coffee cart, a colour-led café, or a fully-fledged branded activation.
Capitalising on the Coffee Boom
A masterful example of integrating pop shop retail design with the rapidly growing coffee culture was Gucci’s retail brand activation during New York Fashion Week. Wrapped in its iconic Ancora Red, the company converted a 1962 Airstream into a sophisticated mobile café that provided free coffee, postcards, and red tulips to customers. Aside from serving coffee, this experiential retail event provided a sophisticated atmosphere, which was even further enhanced by brand representatives distributing vinyl copies of artist Romy’s ‘Mid Air’ and the Ancora manifesto.
Although Gucci isn’t known for its coffee expertise, the brand’s retail activation encouraged consumer involvement by creating a memorable and shareable experience. Gucci’s approach demonstrates that coffee pop-ups are one of the most effective strategies for engaging with customers. Both luxury and high-street stores are incorporating shop-in-shop cafés and mobile coffee activations to increase foot traffic and brand affinity. As coffee culture continues to flourish, firms like Blank Street redefining category design.
[Image Credit: Gucci]
MAC GlowPlay Ice Cream Cart
We collaborated with MAC Cosmetics to deliver beauty to the streets with their specially created GlowPlay cart, a lively blend of retail theatre and hospitality-led brand activation, set against the background of London’s bustling Covent Garden.
The cart was a striking, on-brand continuation of the GlowPlay line, adorned with sleek black elements and wrapped in joyful punchy pink hues. The cart displayed eye-catching product images, and an enormous MAC lip stick-style prop, creating an oversized moment that was mesmerising for social media sharing. A mounted mirror encouraged impromptu beauty trials on the street, while MAC ambassadors wearing campaign tees welcomed people to take advantage of an exclusive sneak peek at the new collection. This is another excellent illustration of MAC’s innovative use of pop-up forms, even though it wasn’t a full-scale retail construction. More about our collaborations with MAC can be found in our case studies, which include our high-impact window display design and the one-million-shade-match moment.
A Taste of Colour
A pop-up that merged design, cuisine, and destination experience in the centre of Monte Carlo, was colour giants Pantone, who gave a master class in colour-led branding. Pantone’s renowned colour scheme served as the focal point of the activation, which turned a bright red food truck into a completely vivid, chromatically designed environment.
Every component was based on brand storytelling; from the Monte Carlo Red-wrapped façade to the colour-coded menu. Not only were signature Pantone hues visible, but they were also enjoyed with cold-pressed juices, sandwiches and patisserie all matching certain swatches. Chairs, platters, and napkins all featured playful tones that transformed commonplace objects into marketing assets. This ingenious activation is a wonderful illustration of multisensory retail, where product, location, and colour scheme all came together to create a memorable, Instagram-worthy brand encounter.
[Image Credit: Pantone]
Are you looking to create your ideal pop-up?
From MAC’s playful street cart to Pantone’s colour-drenched café, the best pop-ups master the art of scarcity through blending storytelling
with sensory design and hospitality to create imaginative, buzzworthy brand moments.
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