NYC Marketing: The Do's and Don'ts of Pop-Up Events
And How They Can Make Or Break Your Marketing Strategy
Summer in New York City is the season of the pop-up event. You literally can’t turn a corner in Soho any day of the week without running into a block-long line for a freebie! While pop-up events are a cornerstone for NYC marketing, some brands leave their devoted customers sunburnt, dehydrated, and simply wanting more from their pop-up events—which, in turn, can actually hurt their marketing strategy.
Recently, some brands have had stunning (and rewarding) pop-up events, and some have had events people went nuts for that left them asking, “Why did I come to this?” We’re breaking down these events' do’s and don’ts so your next NYC marketing event can succeed. ⬇️
NYC Marketing: The Do's and Don'ts of Pop-Up Events
Rhode’s Pocket-Sized Pop-Up
If you’re a Rhode stan or an NYC girlie, you know that the Rhode Pocket-Sized Pop-Up happening in Soho is all anyone can talk about in downtown Manhattan. Rhode just launched a new line of pocket blushes, so they were at the helm of this event. The brand also showcased their summer peptide lip tints, new summer colors of their iconic phone cases, and all core skincare products.
Our hot take? This pop-up was a flop. Here’s what the brand did well and where they ultimately missed the mark.
The Do’s:
Creating a multi-day event: The event lasted from June 24th to July 3rd, giving Rhode supporters ample opportunities to catch the event. (But don’t get excited, this joy won’t last)
Creating a shoppable event: Once attendees entered the event, they could purchase a limited “menu” of items. It was simple but a great way to convert.
Event-exclusive products: They released a new shade of the pocket blush, “sprinkle,” exclusive to the pop-up event.
Hailey’s product integration: While waiting online, attendees received samples of Hailey Bieber’s new strawberry glaze Cosmic Bliss ice cream. It’s Hailey’s world; we’re just living in it.
Keeping attendees comfortable: People waiting in line received Box Water, some reusable Rhode water bottles, and umbrellas to help beat the heat.
The Don’ts
Create an event like this with no RSVP or sign-up required: As we said, it was great the event lasted for as many days as it did, but that STILL didn’t truly ensure that many Rhode fans got to experience the event. The pop-up was open from 11 am-7 pm daily, but the entry lines were cut off by noon most days. People showed up at 5 am to get a spot on this line. The NYC marketing girlies literally had their laptops and were working in the line! Having people sign up or RSVP to the event could have kept numbers reasonable and made the experience more enjoyable.
Offer no incentive: Here’s the hard truth. There was nothing special about this event besides the fact that it was an New York City marketing event. The brand never gave out any product freebies, and there was no discount code for people inside (or those who couldn’t get in). The only thing you could do was look at a mirror, swatch products, and actually buy something. And…you could just buy online.
Not limiting time inside the event: The line moved so slowly because there was no cutoff for people who did get inside. If people wanted to be greedy, they could stay in there all day! To keep the line continuously moving, people should have been counted off into groups and given a time limit in the space.
Looking for more inspo? Click here: 10 UNIQUE NYC SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW
Amika’s Perk Up Pop-Up
Amika’s Perk Up Pop-Up event to showcase their new Perk Up dry shampoo was so NYC marketing coded! This interactive event featured tons of photo ops, styling by Amika professionals, and so much more. Here’s what they crushed and what they could’ve done to improve the event.
The Do’s
Created an RSVP: New York City marketing events are almost too unpredictable to do without an RSVP. Creating this list also gave them an idea of how many people they could expect, which most likely prepared them for other aspects of the event.
Offered freebies: Freebies came in all kinds of varieties at this event. People could take home samples of their new Perk Up dry shampoo, but the event also offered dry styling from Amika stylists! Plus, there were treats like boba tea.
Created an Instagramable atmosphere: The entire pop-up was SO on brand and made for the NYC marketing gurus. Throughout the space, there were multiple set-ups for super cute photo ops. All Rhode had was mirrors…
The Don’ts
Not having products for sale: While we LOVE that they weren’t focused on sales for this event and wanted to focus solely on the customer experience, having some of their new products for sale would've been another great addition.
Not having a local Amika guide: If they wanted to really tap into NYC marketing, they could’ve had a station or representative available to help customers find local salons in the city that use Amika products!
Looking for some NYC social media marketing tips? Click here: LOCAL TIPS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING NYC-BASED BUSINESSES
Maybelline’s Summer Carnival
Okay…this might win for the best NYC marketing event of the summer! Maybelline’s Summer Carnival offered one of the most unique pop-up experiences we’ve seen in the city to showcase new products like their Firework Mascara, Lifter Liner, and Sunkisser Liquid Blush. Here’s why the event was successful and where it could’ve used a little support.
The Do’s
Pick a theme and nail it: When attendees stepped into this event, they were transported to a carnival. The best part? The carnival was made up of Maybelline products! Not one aspect of the event strayed from the theme.
Keep it interactive: There was no getting bored at this pop-up! The space was split into three sections, each with different games for attendees to play, such as skeeball, ring toss, and a “strong man” contest. There were also tons of photo ops in the space, making the event extremely Instagramable.
Space things out: Because the event space was split into three separate sections, guests could cycle through them all as they pleased. There was less opportunity for the space to become overcrowded because people could spread out. Not only that, but they were probably able to let even more people in because of the ample space.
Offer different freebies: Freebies were in no short supply at this event! People reported receiving free makeup samples upon entering and leaving the event while supplies last. Everyone was also given one free drink ticket and one free food ticket to be redeemed at the event's food and drink center. You could also make a custom charm bracelet, grab a free t-shirt, and test out some of the new products with the help of the Maybelline team.
The Don’ts:
No notes—they honestly crushed this.
Need to get your next pop-up event on social media? We’re your team!
Something ALL of these brands did before hosting their marketing events? They teased them on social media! And in case you missed it—social media marketing NYC based businesses is our specialty.
Our team of social media marketing experts is located in NYC, Arizona, and beyond and is ready to help your brand take over social media. If you want to host a successful pop-up, you’ll need to create a community on social media that makes people feel welcome and supports their needs, and we have just the strategy to do that. Send us a message today, and let’s get social!
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WRITTEN BY:
Angela LaRose
Copywriter + Social Media Strategist
