Unexpected Spaces: Turning the Ordinary Into the Unforgettable
Written by Aanchal Vombatkere, guest contributor.
From bus stops to beach promenades, brands are thinking outside of feeds and into high-traffic street corners and public spaces. That also means that all of this innovation requires balance. Most people would not appreciate being followed by their ads. With rumours of aerial displays, cloud projection and holography to light up the sky with ads (yuck) - tread carefully. Such holographic skyline applications need to be used for disaster relief, not ads - but that’s a conversation for later.
There’s so much room for creativity outside a feed that’s limited to your phone’s dimensions. Larger than life installations have a fascinating psychological impact. Our brains, thanks to endless feeds and fried dopamine receptors, tend to filter out the familiar. This is called selective attention, but we tend to snap to attention when something disrupts our expectations. So when brands create an experience in an unexpected place, they’re hijacking our brain’s novelty detectors, creating stronger memory imprints that stick to us long after the unexpected encounter.
In this blog, we’ll explore some larger than life projects by brands that have made incredible examples of transforming spaces into nuanced, high-impact brand experiences.
Everyday Spaces Transformed
Laundromats Reimagined by Tide in Times of Need
Tide's "Loads of Hope" campaign is a global campaign meant to bring families some normalcy after facing natural disasters like floods, hurricanes etc. This has expanded to parts of the US like Florida, Ohio, New Orleans and many others that have been affected by natural disasters over the years. These pop-up laundry stations provide free washing services while creating powerful emotional connections with the brand. Tide Loads of Hope has done over 68,000 loads of clean laundry and now we’re committed to expanding the impact of clean clothes tenfold by 2030. It's a perfect example of purpose-driven marketing that serves a genuine need.
Image sourced from tide.com
When balancing utility and experience, ask yourself:
Does this solve a real problem for my audience?
Is the brand integration natural or forced?
Will people remember this as helpful or intrusive?
Can we create an emotional connection through service?
Mundane Urban Infrastructure Reimagined
Pepsi Reimagines Bus Stops as Interactive Galleries
One winter, you’re waiting inside a sheltered bus stop and all of a sudden, without warning - you see a distant meteor on a collision course straight to you. Believe it or not, that’s Pepsi's augmented reality marketing spectacle. Pepsi certainly changed that narrative with their innovative augmented reality bus shelter campaign in London. Commuters were treated to virtual alien invasions, prowling tigers, and UFO sightings – all while simply waiting for their ride! The campaign went viral almost instantly, with people actually hanging around bus stops longer just to experience the show.
Ikea Turns Metro Stations Into Cozy Corners
IKEA took Paris Metro stations and transformed them into cozy living rooms complete with sofas, lamps, and décor that showcased their products while providing tired commuters with a comfortable place to rest. The genius of this activation was how it solved a real pain point (tired feet during commutes) while demonstrating the brand's products in context.
Images sourced from: Anna Brones blog
When adapting transit spaces, always consider:
Safety regulations and emergency access
Permission from transit authorities (as always start these conversations EARLY!)
Peak traffic times and flow patterns
Weather protection for your installations
Nature as Your Canvas & Muse
Corona’s ‘Plastic Doesn’t Belong in Paradise’ Installation
Corona beer took environmental activism to a whole new level with their "Wave of Waste" sculpture on Ipanema Beach in Brazil. Created entirely from plastic collected from ocean cleanup efforts, the massive wave sculpture not only created a stunning visual but also reinforced Corona's commitment to protecting beach environments.
“As a brand that is synonymous with the beach, we are seeing the destruction of shorelines and oceans up close,” said Felipe Ambra, Global VP of Corona. “Our ads usually showcase paradise the way we assume it to be, pristine and beautiful, but today it’s increasingly hard to find a beach without plastic. Through our work with Parley, we hope to reverse this trend. This World Oceans Day, Corona wants to remind the world that we all need to protect our beaches to continue enjoying them.”
When using natural public spaces for brand activations, remember to:
Seek the right permits from the local government, as a rule of thumb; get into those conversations VERY early.
Leave absolutely no trace (seriously, plan for complete cleanup)
Consider weather contingencies (Mother Nature doesn't care about your launch date)
Respect wildlife habitats and protected areas
Use sustainable materials whenever possible
Creating the Unexpected in Digital Spaces
Boursin’s VR Experience Through a Fridge Full of Cheese
Ten years ago, Boursin created an ‘ahead of its time’ sensory VR experience in UK fairs and select grocery stores that transported shoppers into a refrigerator where they could "fly" through ingredients representing the product's flavours. It's our favourite example of how brands that are thoughtful, early adopters of tech get a creative edge. The physical installation included fans and scent diffusers that synchronized with the virtual experience, creating a multi-sensory brand moment in the most unexpected of places – right next to the dairy aisle!
When transferring physical principles to digital realms:
Always ground virtual experiences in sensory reality
Consider how physical context enhances digital content
Use technology as an enabler, not the star of the show
Create a clear transition between everyday reality and your brand world
Conclusion
While all of the above have a unique perspective on experiences for their audiences, they have a lot in common:
They solve a problem or create delight for the audience
They maintain authentic connections to both brand identity and location context
They create shareable moments that extend beyond the physical experience
They respect the original purpose of the space while reimagining its potential
When looking for transformation opportunities in your local market, start by observing how people naturally interact with spaces. Where do they pause? Where do they rush? Where could a moment of unexpected joy or utility make their day better? The most powerful locations for transformation are often hiding in plain sight – those everyday spaces we've all stopped seeing because they're so familiar.
And that's exactly where the magic happens – when brands help us see the extraordinary potential in the ordinary world around us.
Want to build your own unexpected experience? Contact us today for a free consultation to reimagine connection.
