Pop-up marketing is rising in popularity. According to a study done in 2022 by Shopify, 32% of brands say they’ll be establishing or expanding their use of pop-up and in-person experiences in the next year. 

80% of surveyed brands in the retail industry who have done at least one pop-up say that their activation was a success. 58% said they would be likely to do another pop-up.

As you can see, more and more companies are adopting this marketing strategy and adding it to their marketing toolkit. This strategy is changing what it means to engage with consumers.  

It is changing the marketing landscape as we know it. 

What is Pop-Up Marketing?

So you might be wondering, what is pop-up marketing? Pop-up marketing is when a company hosts an in-person event or experience in the location of its choosing, where consumers can attend and engage with them. These events are called “pop-ups.” 

Pop-up marketing falls under the umbrella of brand activation, which is also gaining a lot of popularity in the marketing space. 

Companies host pop-ups for many different reasons. Pop-ups can be used to generate buzz and excitement or raise awareness about a brand, product, or service. 

Pop-ups are taking the marketing industry by storm, and many different companies in different industries are taking part in this new trend.  

Why is Pop-Up Marketing Becoming So Popular?

Pop-up marketing is proving to be an effective way to reach consumers and generate excitement for a brand and/or product. 74% of consumers say that engaging with brand pop-up experiences makes them more likely to buy the promoted products. 

Companies are always trying to strengthen relationships with their consumers, and pop-up marketing is an awesome way to do that, especially for e-commerce brands or brands that are not accessible to everyone. 

Brands can connect with their consumers in a more personal way and give back to them since they are creating a unique experience for them.

When these pop-ups occur, consumers can experience their favorite brands in person and be a part of something bigger. They feel special as these pop-ups occur in select locations. 

These events are different from influencer events since they are for anyone who can attend. It is exclusive to the location, but not exclusive in a way where only influencers who are invited can attend.

Additionally, pop-ups are open only for a short period, so it creates a sense of urgency for the consumer to attend the event. 

Now you know what pop-up marketing is and why it’s so popular. 

Let’s see how brands are using this marketing strategy. 

5 examples of pop-up marketing in action

There are so many great examples of brands creating these unique experiences, but here are just 5. Keep reading to see 5 amazing examples of pop-ups that iconic brands organized.  

Pop-Up Marketing Example #1: Glossier You Fleur NYC Pop-Up

Pop-up marketing has been taking over the beauty industry. They have almost become a normal thing for beauty brands to do. 

All different kinds of beauty brands have dipped their toes into pop-up marketing, including Glossier. Glossier has done many different pop-ups, but one deserves to be highlighted. 

For their newest fragrance release, Glossier You Fleur, Glossier hosted a pop-up in New York City. This pop-up gave people the chance to experience Glossier You Fleur before it was officially released. These visitors were the first to experience Fleur. 

During the pop-up, they gave visitors surprise gifts, and the first 100 visitors received an extra gift. This pop-up also included unique decor such as a life-sized Glossier You Fleur perfume. 

With this pop-up, Glossier generated a ton of buzz and excitement on social media for Glossier You Fleur. Everybody was talking about this event and how eager they were for the official release of this perfume. Glossier was able to promote and raise awareness for their new fragrance using a pop-up.  

Pop-Up Marketing Example #2: Rhode London Pop-Up

Another beauty brand that has adopted this marketing strategy is Rhode. Rhode hosts pop-ups very frequently. In fact, Rhode is actually kind of known for its pop-ups. 

They do these events very well, and they're not only in the U.S. Rhode has jumped across the pond to the UK with their pop-ups.

To promote their new product, Rhode hosted a pop-up in London. This specific pop-up allowed consumers to experience many of Rhode's products, and they were the first to experience Rhode's new product, Barrier Butter. 

The Rhode store also had a Maison Kitsune coffee cart.

Rhode accessed a whole new market and audience through this pop-up. It raised a lot of awareness for Rhode as a company and its products in the UK. Rhode also generated a lot of excitement for their new product, Barrier Butter.  

Pop-Up Marketing Example #3: Poppi World

Pop-ups have also spread to the food and beverage industry. 

Poppi is a great example of a beverage company using pop-ups to generate excitement and buzz for their brand. Poppi has quickly become a very iconic brand, and their pop-ups have been very successful. 

For their new flavor release, Cherry Cola, they created a very unique pop-up called Poppi World. Poppi World was hosted in New York City, and visitors were able to experience not just Cherry Cola but all kinds of fun events and activities. 

They were also able to buy merch and more Poppi products. They were even able to meet one of Poppi’s co-founders, Allison Ellsworth. 

This pop-up generated so much buzz on social media. Everyone was talking and posting about Poppi World. Poppi did such a good job making this pop-up so exciting and inviting that everyone wanted to go and experience it. 

Poppi World was successful in generating more excitement and love for the Poppi brand.  

Pop-Up Marketing Example #4: Universal Epic Universe

This strategy is even spreading to the theme park industry if you can believe it. 

Universal recently opened its newest theme park in Orlando called Universal Epic Universe.

To celebrate and promote this new park, Universal hosted a portal tour where they opened portals in different cities all over the U.S. These portals are replicas of the portal that guests first enter through at Epic Universe in Florida. 

Alongside these portals, visitors were able to experience many fun activities, an awesome night event, and a sweepstakes challenge. 

Universal’s portal tour did a great job of bringing a piece of the new park to so many people all over the country. These pop-ups created more excitement and anticipation for the new park, Epic Universe. It also raised awareness that a new, thrilling theme park is now open to the public. 

Pop-Up Marketing Example #5: Maison de Sabré

Just like the beauty industry, the fashion industry has been overrun by pop-ups. 

Maison de Sabré hosted a pop-up in New York City to give consumers a unique shopping experience. This pop-up included a one-of-a-kind charm bar and an opening event where guests received a special gift with their purchase. 

Maison de Sabré used this pop-up to raise awareness for their brand and to create a fun and special experience for their consumers. At this event, attendees got the chance to go all out at the charm bar and leave with a purse that they accessorized themselves.

This is a rare experience that consumers won’t forget about, which is the goal that companies strive for with their pop-ups. They want to be unforgettable and to have a special place in their consumers’ minds.   

Key Takeaways

All of these brands embraced pop-up marketing to level up their marketing strategy. They created immersive experiences for their consumers and generated a lot of excitement for their brand and product. 

However, the pop-up experience isn’t only about the product. As shown above, these events included more than just the product that these brands were promoting. Whether it was fun activities, complimentary beverages, or special gifts, these brands made sure to include something extra for the attendees. 

These events were not just about giving away free products or seeing something for the first time. They were about creating a unique, unforgettable experience where the attendees feel valued and appreciated.

People are taking time out of their day to attend these pop-ups and support their favorite brands, so these experiences cannot be or feel transactional.

The power of pop-ups is real, and brands are taking notice of it. Don’t be surprised if you continue to see more of these experiences “popping up.” Companies are only just getting started. 

✍️Written by Amaris Jimenez