Event Activation & Design
Gingerbread BLVD
Trusted Media Brands
The Taste of Home Gingerbread BLVD activations brought festive magic to Madison Square Park with interactive installations, attracting 335K+ visitors, 100M press impressions, and 4 industry awards.
About
Taste of Home Gingerbread BLVD was an annual holiday activation in Madison Square Park, designed to bring festive magic to life through interactive installations. Launched in 2014, it evolved each year to captivate visitors with immersive experiences, delighting families and New Yorkers alike while showcasing sponsor brands like Folgers, Mars, and Domino Sugar. The event aimed to create memorable moments, foster brand engagement, and establish itself as a cherished NYC holiday tradition.
Categories
Partner Activations
Experiential Design
Design Operations
Brand Awareness
Role
Developed concepts and provided creative inspiration for the event’s evolution and design.
Managed event logistics, including signage creation and overall coordination.
Collaborated with printers and vendors to ensure timely delivery of branded materials, such as apparel, coffee cups, cocktail menus, and giveaway items.
Sourced and executed cobranded swag and collateral for attendees and staff.
Partnered with City Bakery to produce gingerbread replicas for exclusive customer cocktail events.
Oversaw vendor coordination and ensured all supplies and materials met quality standards and critical time windows.
Approach
2015: Expanded the village to four themed homes, such as a ski chalet, surf shack, farmhouse, and houseboat, introduced Folgers as the presenting sponsor, and integrated Shazam-powered QR codes for virtual interior tours.
2016: Fabricated a single walk-in gingerbread house with animated characters, Folgers coffee displays, and interactive windows featuring the characters frolicking in a NYC winter wonderland.
2017: Enhanced interactivity making the house a fully immersive environment, with scent technology and motion-sensing graphics, allowing visitors to engage with digital candy and chocolates.
2018: Elevated the experience with a meticulously crafted dining room featuring a gingerbread village, a moving train, and toys. Visitors could sit at the table, enter a sweepstakes for a private dinner, and enjoy photo ops with an outdoor sleigh.
Results
Attracted an estimated 335,000 visitors over the two-week activation each year.
Achieved a 10.7MM social media reach and 100MM press impressions.
Garnered 4 industry awards, cementing its reputation as an innovative marketing activation.
Delivered memorable brand engagement through immersive, award-winning experiences and cobranded giveaways, establishing lasting connections with attendees.
Results are mostly based on 2018's activation.
