Experiential Marketing 7 | SunMatrix Ramble

Powerade: Workout Billboards in Berlin

A billboard does not just tell you to train. It invites you to climb it, lift it, or punch it, right there on the street, then hands you a Powerade when you are done.

Powerade, with the help of Ogilvy & Mather, set up several workout billboards in Berlin that, apart from advertising the product, also doubled up as workout equipment to emphasize the brand’s attitude, “You have more power than you think”.

People practicing their rock climbing, weight lifting, and boxing skills on the unique billboards were also rewarded with some free Powerade to help replenish their electrolytes.

In sports and performance brands competing for attention in dense urban spaces, turning an ad surface into a usable experience is a direct way to earn participation instead of only impressions.

Why this works as outdoor advertising

The mechanism is a clean value exchange. The brand offers an activity that creates immediate proof of effort. The participant gets a short challenge and a visible outcome. The product then shows up as the natural next step, not as an interruption.

What Powerade is really buying

This is not mainly about reach. It is about association. The ad makes the brand feel like a training partner, not a poster. It also turns physical engagement into a public spectacle, which draws more people in and makes the moment more memorable than a standard billboard.

What to steal for your next activation

Make the product a logical reward. The drink lands because effort comes first.
Design for participation, not just viewing. If people can do something, they will stop and watch others do it too.
Keep the idea explainable in one line. “Billboard that is also a workout” travels fast.
Let the environment do the distribution. Public performance creates its own audience.

A few fast answers before you act

What is a “workout billboard” in this campaign?

A billboard installation that doubles as real workout equipment, so people can climb, lift, or punch as part of the brand experience.

Why does turning a billboard into equipment change behavior?

It shifts the role from passive viewing to active participation, which increases time spent, memorability, and the likelihood people talk about it.

What is the main value exchange for the audience?

A quick public challenge plus a tangible reward. Free Powerade after effort makes the product feel earned and relevant.

What is the biggest execution risk?

If it looks unsafe, complicated, or embarrassing, people will not try it. The interaction has to feel obvious and low-risk at first glance.

What is the simplest way to apply this idea without building hardware?

Create a participatory moment that produces visible effort and a clear reward, even if the “equipment” is replaced by a simpler challenge format.

McDonald’s Pay With Lovin’

McDonald’s puts a simple idea on the biggest stage. Instead of paying with money, selected customers can “pay” for their meals with small acts of love, like calling their mother, hugging, doing a dance, or praising friends and family.

The mechanic starts February 2 and runs through February 14, aligned to Valentine’s Day.

Why this lands as a live, in-restaurant activation

This is not a message about love. It is love turned into a participation currency inside the restaurant. That shift matters because it changes the role of the customer from viewer to performer, and it gives the brand a moment that is inherently human.

It also keeps the barrier to entry low. The “payment” is something almost anyone can do immediately, without preparation, without downloading anything, and without needing a special environment.

The role of the Super Bowl spot

The TV ad functions as the public promise. It tells people what McDonald’s is about to do in stores, and it primes viewers to expect real interactions rather than another brand film.

A pattern worth reusing

If you strip it down, the model is straightforward.

Announce a simple, socially shareable behaviour.
Make it executable in the moment, at the point of sale.
Tie it to a clear time window so it feels special, not permanent.

A few fast answers before you act

What is “Pay With Lovin’”?

A McDonald’s promotion where selected customers pay for meals through small acts of love instead of money.

What counts as “lovin’” in this execution?

Examples shown include calling your mother, hugging, doing a dance, or praising friends and family.

When does it run?

From February 2 through February 14, aligned to Valentine’s Day.

What category of marketing is this, in practice?

A live, point-of-sale activation that turns a brand value into an on-the-spot customer action.

Herta Knacki FootBall: The Football Machine

Herta, described as a Nestlé brand in Belgium, launched Knacki FootBall. Small meatballs designed to look like footballs. Instead of relying on standard sampling, the brand and BBDO Brussels turned a train-station moment into a game people could not ignore.

At Antwerp Central Station, a vending machine offered the product for free. Then came the twist. Press the button and the machine opened into a miniature football pitch, with Belgian football legend Leo Van Der Elst waiting inside. To walk away with the snack, you had to score.

In high-traffic commuter environments, the best sampling ideas turn “free” into a short challenge with a story-worthy payoff.

Free is easy. Earning it is memorable.

The mechanic is deliberately unfair in the right way. People approach expecting a quick handout. The reveal forces a choice. Walk away, or step in and play. That decision point creates tension, and tension creates attention.

Standalone takeaway: Sampling gets retold when it includes a moment of risk or effort. The product becomes a trophy, not a giveaway.

A vending machine that behaves like a stadium

The physical design does most of the communication. The moment the door opens, everyone nearby understands what is happening. It becomes a spectator event, which is crucial in a station setting where most people do not want to stop unless something is already happening.

Why the celebrity opponent matters

Leo Van Der Elst is not a generic “host.” He is the difficulty setting. His presence turns the activation into a genuine duel, and that makes the outcome feel earned whether you win or lose. It also gives the content a built-in headline when the story travels online.

What the brand is really reinforcing

Knacki FootBall is a novelty product, so the job is not deep education. It is instant association. Football. Fun. A quick bite. The machine makes those associations physical, then anchors them to a specific place and moment people remember.

What to steal from The Football Machine

Build a single, obvious action. Press the button. The rest happens to you.
Make the reveal legible from 10 meters away. If bystanders cannot decode it fast, you lose the crowd effect.
Turn sampling into a challenge. Effort increases perceived value and shareability.
Use a real “difficulty signal.” A credible opponent or constraint makes the game feel legitimate.
Design the exit. Winning should end with a clear reward and a clean photo moment.

A few fast answers before you act

What is Herta Knacki FootBall “The Football Machine”?

It is a vending machine activation where commuters expecting a free sample discover a miniature football pitch inside, and must score a goal to win Knacki FootBall.

Where did the activation run?

It is described as being installed at Antwerp Central Station in Belgium.

Why use a vending machine for a food launch?

Because it creates a familiar expectation. Then you can subvert it. That contrast generates surprise, crowd attention, and strong word of mouth while still delivering the product sample.

What makes this work in a train station specifically?

Stations are full of people who are time-poor. A reveal that is instantly understandable, plus a short game loop, can stop people without requiring explanation.

What is the biggest operational risk with this kind of live activation?

Throughput and safety. If the game takes too long, queues become friction. If the experience feels unsafe or embarrassing, people avoid participation and the crowd effect collapses.