Consumer brands are increasingly tapping the power of immersive experiences to engage customers in new, memorable and unforeseen ways.
While many brands are devoting focus to connecting with users in a digital landscape, others are sticking to the real world. Some of the more recent attractions, experiences and vacations were offered by Mtn Dew, KFC and Busch Light. Here’s more on all three companies’ latest efforts.
MTN DEW
The PepsiCo-owned soft drink brand announced in early December 2021 the creation of its MTN DEW Outpost, which it’s calling an “outdoor enthusiasts’ playground,” at the Doe Mountain Recreation Area, an 8,600-acre mountainous wilderness park featuring 45 miles of trails outside of Mountain City, Tennessee. The location was purposely selected because of its critical role in MTN DEW’s origin story, as Doe Mountain was where the beverage was first made. The Outpost is slated to open in May and will feature a mountainside overlook and viewing platform, and allow for MTN DEW to host product tastings and outdoor events, including scavenger hunts and group hikes. Through January 14, fans were able to apply for a one-week position to work as a MTN DEW Outpost Ranger, with the winner receiving $5,000, RVshare-provided travel accommodations, a Polaris RANGER XP 100 Premium, a MTN DEW-branded uniform and access to unreleased MTN DEW products. MTN DEW is also working to create sustainable jobs for the Mountain City community, which is part of a $1.3 million initiative that MTN DEW started to support outdoor activities in 2021.
KFC
For the third-consecutive holiday season, the Louisville, Kentucky-headquartered fast-food chain sold its 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog, a gag gift inspired by KFC’s secret recipe that gives off an uncanny fried chicken scent as it burns. This past season, the brand upped the experience a notch by inviting fans to enter to win a three-day, two-night, KFC-themed getaway for up to eight guests, hosted at a secluded Kentucky retreat referred to as the Kentucky Fried Chicken Firelog Cabin. The 7,000-square-foot, three-story home is complete with four bedrooms, a theater, a built-in bar, pool and hot tub, surrounded by 200 acres of protected nature reserve. Included in the experience for the winner, selected January 3, was an evening with Chris Scott, KFC’s head chef, who reimagined KFC’s menu items into a five-course meal.
Busch Light
The Anheuser-Busch-owned beer brand offered workers the chance to collaborate in a remote location with the creation of TreeWork, announced in September 2021. Named as a parody on WeWork, the flexible co-working spaces, TreeWork offers the chance for workers to do their jobs and create content in an open, relaxing, picturesque space. Positioning itself as a beverage that pairs well with the great outdoors, Busch Light hosted TreeWork in a remote, undisclosed location in northern Colorado. The office space came along with grilling, campfires, Busch Light happy hours and the chance to camp outdoors under the stars.
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Renda is an associate editor at PPAI.