Experiential Activation by an Entertainment Brand
Rick & Morty Wormageddon
Brand: Adult Swim
Agency: XD Agency
With a need to make its sixth season launch a smash success in the face of declining cable subscriptions, Rick & Morty tapped into the passion of its fan base. With the help of two show writers, Wormageddon was born. Tying the Season 5 finale into the premiere, the story follows a worm bent on world domination. Then came the scavenger hunt, hosted through Rick & Morty’s social channels. Over two weeks, an immersive scene featuring Rick and Morty fighting Wormageddon appeared in surprising places all over the globe. With nine of the scenes kept in secret locations, fans had to access their encyclopedic knowledge of the show in order to track them down. Each winner walked away with a trophy and PR photo. The premiere of Rick & Morty’s sixth season was a smash success, attracting more than a million viewers and earning the place of the No. 1 original comedy on cable. —S.C.
Experiential Activation by a Beverage Brand
Infinite Potential. Zero Limits.
Brand: Sprite Zero Sugar
Agency: Momentum Worldwide
Looking to expand its reach among Black and Hispanic youth ages 16-24, Sprite Zero Sugar crafted a purpose-driven message to grab Gen Z’s attention. With consumer studies indicating a huge interest in entrepreneurship and creativity for Sprite consumers, the key became creating new possibilities. With a notable disparity in the numbers of Black creatives working in Hollywood at the forefront, “Infinite Potential. Zero Limits.” was born. Celebrating the release of Wakanda Forever, Sprite Zero Sugar invited fans to scan bottles with their phones. This launched an AR guide that would match their skills with those of creators working on the film, showing a path forward for Black creatives hoping to work in the film industry. Taking the product to HBCUs for a first look at the film, Sprite Zero Sugar even created a scholarship program around the launch. This led to an astonishing 54% increase in sales alongside 835-plus million impressions, exceeding campaign expectations. —S.C.
