Photos by Jennjenn_letsgo
To promote the release of the new comedy series Single Drunk Female, Freeform launched a pop-up experience in Los Angeles, selling branded products in an environment that captures themes in the main character’s life.
The show, which debuted in January, follows 28-year-old Samantha Fink, a writer and alcoholic who is navigating the journey of early sobriety. After losing a job at a media company, Fink moves back in with her mother and begins working at a local grocery store—and “Fresh Start Mart,” the activation, resembles a grocery store, albeit not a traditional one. The retail therapy pop-up was open from January 21-23.
The difference between Fink’s place of employment and the pop-up, is Fresh Start Mart doesn’t sell groceries, but self-care products. Aisles were lined with items such as beauty masks, branded t-shirts, tote bags, caps, notebooks, water bottles, mugs and more, and the store served fresh-pressed juice and hot coffee. Each guest was invited to attend for free and was given $20 in Fresh Start Mart cash to choose their own items, an ode to a theme in the show about having limited cash on hand.
The experience was designed by members of Freeform’s in-house experiential team, who partnered with New York-based BMF Media on production. Fans were encouraged to hang around and discover Easter eggs, intended to connect them further to the show.
In the store, guests could use a coffee machine and select which popular quote they’d like written overtop in foam. Catchy options included, “We get coffee and go shopping,” “You would be a Pisces,” and “It’s hard to be a person.”
While sipping their coffees, guests could sit at a bistro table, which had a backdrop that introduced show characters and showed Fink as Employee of the Month. Show actors were available for a meet-and-greet on the first day of the pop-up, including Lily Mae Harrington, who plays Felicia, Fink’s “party” friend, and Sasha Compère, who plays Brit, Fink’s former best friend.