Successful experiential PR campaigns combine strategic timing, exclusivity, influencer engagement, and immersive brand experiences. The YSL Beauty Drive Thru shows how experiential PR agencies can create memorable brand activations that drive earned media, social sharing, and consumer engagement.
The activation took place the day before Coachella weekend one. It generated significant UGC and earned media for the brand.
The invite-only event took place at a drive-thru-inspired restaurant in the California desert. These drive-thrus are a familiar part of the trip to Palm Desert and reflect a nostalgic West Coast atmosphere.
The guest list included brand ambassadors, media, influencers, actors, singers, and other VIPs.
The activation was part of a larger YSL Beauty experiential campaign that also included events in Shanghai, Madrid, and Mexico City.
Exclusivity, timeliness, thoughtful menu, and surprise elements took this event from a simple activation pop-up to a successful and memorable campaign.
What Is Experiential PR?
Experiential PR is a marketing strategy that creates immersive experiences for consumers. Brands use experiential PR campaigns to boost engagement, encourage social sharing, and generate earned media coverage. Experiential PR campaigns often take the form of brand activations, pop-ups, influencer events, and interactive consumer experiences.
Key Takeaways:
- Exclusivity can increase attendance and generate curiosity among those who are not invited.
- Strategic timing can significantly increase a campaign’s reach.
- A unique menu can help an event stand out and leave a lasting impression.
- Including a surprise element can add shock value and generate talk surrounding a campaign – predictability can be boring
Why Exclusivity Matters in Experiential PR Campaigns
Many experiential PR agencies rely on the general public promoting their campaign or activation event. Public pop-ups attract attention, encourage word-of-mouth, and generate buzz.
The PR team that put together the YSL Beauty drive thru took an almost opposite approach, featuring a star-studded, invite-only guest list. The invite-only format made the event feel luxurious and added an element of mystery for those who were not invited.
Some of these memorable guests included singers like Miguel, actors like Drew Starkey, social media influencers like Beca Michie, and TV personalities like Leah and Olandria from Love Island USA Season 6.
At first glance, limiting access may seem like a missed opportunity. In reality, exclusive events often create more buzz than public activations. People naturally want access to experiences they cannot attend.
YSL Beauty took a combination approach as opposed to a fully public or fully private event. While the pop-up party was star-studded, the brand also opened up the drive thru as a pop-up to the general public while supplies lasted the next day, April 10, for a few hours.
How Experiential PR Agencies Can Use Event Timing to Increase Engagement
The drive thru pop-up was one night only held ahead of Coachella on April 9th – the night before weekend 1 kicked off.
Hosting the activation before Coachella helped drive attendance. Many VIP guests were already traveling to the desert, making the event an easy addition to their schedules. As an added bonus, consumers reliably love Coachella content and look forward to it each year. Piggybacking this pop-up on the eve of one of the biggest content-generating events of the year was a savvy PR move.
Tying the activation to Coachella helped guarantee interest and engagement. Billboards along the route promoted the public drive-thru event to festivalgoers traveling to Coachella.
These billboards served as a unique visual break from hours of desert landscape on the road trip and likely contributed to even more buzz as an added bonus.
Creating Memorable Brand Activations Through Unique Experiences
The drive thru featured a variety of custom cocktails and mocktails named for various YSL Beauty products. One in particular was called “Berry Crush” after their new YSL Beauty fragrance Libre Berry Crush Eau de Parfum that the event, in part, promoted.
In contrast to these chic and classy cocktails, the edible side of the menu featured classic drive thru & diner food such as cheeseburgers, fries, and nuggets.
The food and drinks were served alongside YSL Beauty products, keeping the focus on the brand.
The combination of luxury cocktails and comfort food created a memorable experience. Guests could enjoy both the upscale atmosphere and the familiar menu. The menu also reflected Southern California’s casual dining culture.
Choosing to put an elevated, luxurious spin on a traditionally informal setting made the event stand out. Seeing celebrities in a fast-food-inspired setting created an unexpected and memorable contrast – even though there was a red carpet present of course for the photo ops.
Element of Surprise: The Event Featured Unexpected Musical Guests
Another thing that YSL Beauty’s team got right was the entertainment for the night. While most events advertise their headlining entertainment to encourage attendance, YSL Beauty chose to keep the musical guests a secret.
Performances by artists Miguel and Young Miko shocked guests and added to the excitement and anticipation for the music-filled Coachella weekend that most of the guests were attending the next day.
Surprise appearances, performances, and gifts can make an activation more memorable. These unexpected moments often keep guests talking long after the event ends.
Conclusions: Key Ingredients for a Successful Experiential PR Campaign
The common theme throughout the YSL Beauty Drive Thru that made it such a major success boils down to one thing: thoughtful curation. From the guest list to the menu and entertainment, every aspect of the activation was intentionally designed to create buzz and leave a lasting impression. When creating campaigns, experiential PR agencies should keep in mind factors such as exclusivity, strategic timing, ties to culturally relevant events, surprise elements, and unique brand experiences.
Brands face increasing competition for consumer attention. Experiential PR campaigns help generate engagement, user-generated content, and earned media coverage. Whether through exclusivity, strategic timing, influencer participation, or surprise elements, successful activations create memorable experiences that extend beyond the event itself through social media and word-of-mouth marketing.
For experiential PR agencies, the YSL Beauty Drive Thru serves as a strong case study in how a well-executed brand activation can maximize visibility and audience engagement. Some products naturally generate attention. However, thoughtful planning and creative execution can dramatically increase a campaign’s reach and impact. By combining exclusivity, cultural relevance, and immersive experiences, experiential PR agencies can create events that resonate with attendees long after the activation ends.
