Outdoor activation design is about more than just the location. Without the protection of an exhibition hall, the design must work a little harder. From the materials and layout, to how people move through the space, we’re looking at some of the key things to consider when bringing your activation outside.
Continue reading
It’s natural for businesses to focus heavily on lead generation as opposed to brand-led marketing. After all, it delivers quick, measurable results and is often the easiest activity to justify internally. Leads can be tracked, attributed and reported on almost instantly.
What’s often overlooked, however, is the role of brand generation — the long-term work of building awareness, trust and relevance in the market. As digital media continues to expand, lead generation has also become easier with the help of digital saturation. Yet simultaneously, this is the primary reason why it’s harder than ever to stand out.
As digital media continues to expand, lead generation has become easier with the help of digital saturation. Yet simultaneously, this is the primary reason why it’s harder than ever to stand out. Brand building and awareness generation focus on recognition, authority, and audience size without requiring immediate action or contact details. It’s this sustained investment in brand awareness, credibility and experience, that matters more than ever in 2026 because if businesses become overly dependent on paid acquisition they risk watching their brand equity quietly erode.
Taylah Crome, Brand Manager — DisplayWise, explains why brand-led marketing is more important than solely lead generation campaigns;
“Lead generation answers demand that already exists. Brand generation shapes demand before it does. Without brand investment, lead activity becomes more expensive, less effective and harder to scale. Sustainable growth comes from building both in parallel, not choosing one over the other.”
The brands who will win experiential strategy in 2026 understand that brand is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s a performance multiplier. When executed well, brand-led marketing doesn’t compete with lead generation; it fuels it. In fact, brand activity can often drive stronger, more sustainable lead growth than lead generation alone. Here are four key benefits.
If your lead pipeline feels harder to sustain, you’re not alone. Consumer journeys in 2026 are non-linear, community-driven and increasingly shaped by lived experience rather than ads alone.
In fact, the State of Physical Retail in 2026 report highlights how community has become a central loyalty engine. This year, experience-led brands are reframing stores as community hubs rather than product corridors and it’s working. Sport and street wear brand, LSKD, reports significantly longer dwell time driven by intentionally designed community-led “hangout” spaces.
In an era dominated by algorithms and AI-generated content, real-world brand experiences cut through the noise. By meeting audiences in physical, high-impact environments, brand-led marketing reaches people beyond existing digital bubbles — introducing the brand to new audiences, building early trust, and feeding the top of the funnel long before purchase intent exists.
Authentic brand experiences bind consumers to brands and the strongest brand stories are built on understanding people, not assumptions. Conducting consumer research, surveys, or focus groups reveals how your audience experiences and connects with your brand — uncovering what resonates emotionally, what inspires trust, and what drives loyalty. These insights allow you to craft narratives that are authentic, meaningful, and truly human.
One of the defining trends of 2026 is the demand for authenticity and relevance because when brands show up meaningfully, engagement deepens for the brand community. This strong brand connection drives recall, trust drives preference, and relevance drives long-term loyalty. This year, the best brand-led marketing will be built on personal relationships with consumers, so in-person brand activity and experiential campaigns can be a fantastic way to strengthen those connections.
According to the latest Havas Red New Lens on Brand Experience in 2026, fandoms reward authenticity and participation. Brands that join conversations, rather than commandeer them, gain trust and emotional equity that can’t be bought. In fact, 56% have supported or followed a brand, product, or fandom for at least a decade. This proves that consumers don’t just want to buy from brands — they want to understand them, trust them and feel aligned with their values.
A strong brand is one of the most powerful growth assets a business can have in 2026. Products can be copied, pricing can be matched, yet, experience and perception cannot. Brand-led marketing shifts the focus from short-term clicks to long-term advocacy. Well-executed displays, activations and experiential campaigns encourage organic conversation, social sharing and word-of-mouth — outcomes that paid media alone struggles to achieve. When consumers are ready to buy, the brands they remember and trust — win.
According to Lippincottt, trends are set to define this year and continue to show that hands-on brand experiences significantly increase purchase intent and return on investment. Lippincott are an international brand consultancy agency, who’ve worked with Fortune 500 brand powerhouses such as Walmart, Delta Airlines, Starbucks, Marriott, Southwest Airlines and Taco Bell
The agency notes that experiential marketing has shifted away from spectacle for spectacle’s sake and towards more meaningful participation. Product demonstrations, retail sampling and interactive displays allow consumers to experience real value before committing to purchase and these moments do more than drive a single conversion. They build familiarity, confidence and trust – strengthening loyalty, increasing lifetime value and encouraging repeat engagement over time. In 2026, experience is no longer a supporting tactic — it’s a core driver of brand relevance and growth.
Ultimately, brand activity doesn’t always deliver immediate conversions, but it does contribute to making those conversions easier, more valuable and consistent over time. The brands who will win in 2026 understand that brand activity is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s a performance multiplier.
Through immersive experiences that connect, inspire and leave a lasting impression, DisplayWise brings your brand story to life in ways lead generation alone cannot. For over 25 years, we have partnered with brands to create impactful displays and activations that tell stories, spark connection and drive results. From experiential pop up experiences though to immersive brand environments, we manage everything from concept through to execution.
In a world where experience defines differentiation, a DisplayWise activation ensures your brand is remembered — not just seen. Inspired to prioritise brand-led marketing and activation strategies in 2026? Talk to us today.
Delivering outdoor experiential pop ups can often looks simple on paper, but the reality on site can be far more complex.
Continue reading
In 2026, the most successful experiential marketing activations will combine sensory design, modular and sustainable materials, people-centric layouts, and personalised, data-driven interactions.
Continue reading
PUBLISHED: OCTOBER 2025
With rapid advancements in technology and the growing influence of AI across the phygital experiences landscape, it’s more crucial than ever for brands to stay ahead by embedding digital tools into their experiential marketing strategies.
Brand activations remain one of the most powerful ways to drive meaningful engagement and foster lasting brand advocacy. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, brands can elevate their next activation—enhancing efficiency, extending reach, and delivering immersive, memorable experiences that keep audiences coming back for more.
From social media integrations to immersive phygital experiences, digital tools are redefining brand activations Harnessing these technologies not only boosts campaign impact but lays a strong foundation for long-term success.
Lisa Cachia, General Manager – Marketing at DisplayWise explains:
“Ultimately brands need to invest in both an online and offline channel strategy to build awareness and encourage purchasing decisions. Each has their role, and while online channels are easy to measure and faster to implement, the importance of offline marketing should not be discounted. Offline marketing always has and will continue to play a major role in building awareness, credibility and trust.”
Over the past five years, brands have increasingly adopted QR codes, NFC scanners, and Wi-Fi sensors to connect physical activations with digital engagement creating phygital experiences.
Thoughtfully positioned QR codes on displays, packaging, or print can drive more scans when paired with exclusive offers or unique experiences, turning a simple interaction into a powerful conversion tool. Similarly, NFC scanners provide a seamless tap-and- go experience for instant access to content, demos, or downloads, helping brands create frictionless connections with their audience.
Wi-Fi sensors take things further by enabling proximity marketing and analytics, offering insights into foot traffic, dwell times, and repeat visits. By combining these technologies with smart incentives, brands can transform static displays into dynamic, data-driven touchpoints. Whether your goal is to drive website traffic, boost online sales, or generate leads, digital technologies offer a simple yet powerful way to connect with your audience and increase conversions through phygital experiences.
Despite the evolution of digital media, outdoor billboard advertising remains exceptionally effective in 2025. Recent data shows that OOH (out-of-home) campaigns deliver an average ROI of approximately 5.7 times the initial spend, with some campaigns exceeding 15 times return. Digital displays have also been proven to boost brand recall by 47% and attract 30% more attention than static ads.
Whether you’re launching a new product, building brand awareness, or looking to scale impact across multiple locations, outdoor activations are one of the smartest ways to meet your audience where they already are, and where they’re ready to engage.
Integrating tech like animated displays, video content or real-time messaging, into your activations can help your brand capture more attention, track performance and ROI. Want to level-up your next display project? Check out 6 ways to integrate next- generation LED panels because we’ve got the tech, all you need to do is bring your brand story to create an amazing phygital experience.
In 2025, immersive tech is no longer emerging, it’s expected. AR and VR are transforming brand activations, creating virtual worlds that go far beyond virtual try- ons. Think fully immersive experiences that showcase products, tell stories, and drive deeper engagement. We’re now in the phygital experience era, where digital and physical experiences merge to create a unified, interactive environment for audiences.
Meanwhile, AI powers smarter, more personalised brand journeys, from 24/7 virtual assistants to data-driven predictions that convert browsers into buyers. For any forward-thinking brand, integrating AR, VR, and AI. This isn’t optional, it’s essential. Check our latest article on how you can prove your phyitgal experience moved the needle when you design with tracking and measurement in mind from day one.
Over two days, the YSL Beauty Love Game takeover with DisplayWise and PIM Group delivered high consumer engagement. From personalised makeup artist touch-ups, and interactive games through to live masterclasses, this pop up was the perfect blend of phygital experiences – all set within a fully bespoke fit-out that reflected YSL’s bold and luxurious DNA.
To celebrate the launch of the new Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss, guests registered via a free digital ticketing system that not only enhanced the sense of exclusivity but also acted as an effective lead capture tool. Inside the activation, DisplayWise manufactured the structures that brought the phygital experiences to life —including the “Love, Match, Win” digital memory game and the interactive “Love Wheel”, where participants pressed a button to light up the wheel and reveal their prize. Every guest received a product sample, creating an instant moment of delight and deeper brand connection through surprise and reward.
Want to see how the phygital experiences came together in action? Check out our case study on the YSL Beauty Love Game pop up and discover how a phygital approach can inspire your next brand experience.
Email marketing is far from outdated, in fact, it’s more powerful than ever. In today’s privacy-focused digital landscape, owned channels like email offer brands direct, data- rich access to their audiences without relying on shifting social algorithms (which are now impossible to stay-up to date with!).
Email is a key player in activation strategy: use it to gather feedback, promote events, drive VIP engagement, and unlock exclusive experiences for your most loyal customers. By integrating smart email automation and segmentation into your campaign, you turn your database into a performance engine, fueling everything from event buzz to post-activation conversion.
Long-standing agency partner Bastion, approached Display Wise with a brief to construct an outdoor pop up that embodied Lancome’s brand DNA while creating a futuristic space evoking the feeling of a high-tech spacecraft.
Positioned in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall, Lancôme’s first-ever Skin Science Club invited guests to explore the brand’s scientific skincare innovations through a free, ticketed event. This exclusive booking system not only created a sense of prestige but also served as a key data touchpoint — enabling personalised follow-ups and ongoing customer engagement beyond the event itself.
Inside the space, guests experienced personalised consultations using Lancôme’s A.I.- powered skin analysis tool, with results instantly displayed on iPads and then conveniently emailed directly to them. This digital integration bridged the gap between the physical and digital, providing consumers with tailored skincare insights while capturing valuable data for future communication. Each visitor also received acustomised skincare kit aligned with their results — a thoughtful moment of connection that turned an in-person consultation into a lasting brand relationship.
Thinking about taking your brand outdoors? Get in touch with DisplayWise and we’ll help you create an activation that blends creativity, tech, and craftsmanship to truly engage your audience.
As the digital landscape evolves, your brand activation strategy should too. In 2026, the brands that stand out are the ones blending tech, creativity, and connection to create phygital experiences. From AR and VR to QR codes, AI, and smart email campaigns, every touchpoint can be immersive, measurable, and unforgettable. Because when you combine online and offline strategies, brands don’t just drive sign-ups or sales—they create loyal fans, spark buzz, and deliver experiences that keep audiences coming back for more.
A multichannel approach ensures your brand stays top of mind across both physical and digital touchpoints, creating phygital experience — throughout the entire customer journey.
Let’s create something extraordinary—get in touch with our team today.
UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2025
The Christmas pop up and retail season is one of the most competitive times of the year, with every brand vying for consumer attention in crowded shopping centres and digital spaces. For brand managers and marketing professionals, the challenge lies in cutting through the noise to create a campaign that not only attracts shoppers but also leaves an emotional (and magical) brand connection.
Far more than a temporary retail space, a well-designed holiday activation can immerse customers in your brand story, spark social sharing, and drive measurable sales uplift at a time when purchase intent is already high. From integrating tactile and traditional design features through to weaving in sustainability and luxury cues, we’ve collated 5 projects that highlight how the right creative approach can transform a seasonal display into an memorable brand experience.
For the “Give Something Beautiful” holiday campaign, DisplayWise crafted a vibrant, in-mall pop up at Melbourne Central for the Black Friday sales and pre-Christmas period. The design brought Sephora’s global campaign to life using 3D icons, puffy textures, and the brand’s bold colour palette, while adapting to local retail constraints and high-traffic demands.
A striking oversized gift box served as the focal point, with bubble-like, puffy 3D ribbon and wall panels that brought the gifting theme to vivid life
The materials used maintained the soft, textured aesthetic while being robust enough to withstand four weeks of heavy foot traffic.
To ensure exact colour matching (especially magenta-pink), the team opted for premium painted finishes rather than printed graphics.
The design was modular and prefabricated, enabling swift overnight installation without disrupting shopping centre operations.
Incorporating oversized props, such as gift boxes, ornaments, or sculptural frames, can create striking visual anchors that not only draw attention but also double as photo opportunities for shoppers. To deepen the sensory experience, layering in soft-touch textures encourages customers to engage physically with the space, adding a memorable tactile element for your Christmas pop up. Finally, opting for a modular build allows for your brand to repurpose elements for future campaigns and supports circularity principles as well as sustainable design.
Ready to bring your Christmas pop up shop to life? Contact DisplayWise today to start planning your festive activation that’s guaranteed to deliver big brand impact.
L’Occitane’s House of Wonder was a festive, Santa’s workshop-style pop up located in the heart of Pitt Street Mall. DisplayWise collaborated with the brand on this holiday activation with the goal of inviting shoppers to explore and purchase limited-edition Christmas collections, complete with an interactive experience that blended festive cheer and sustainability principles.
The first 100 shoppers each day had the chance to spin the wheel and win a prize from a range of exciting festive products, including the coveted L’Occitane Classic Advent Calendar. This daily promotional activity encouraged early holiday shoppers to engage with the brand in a fun and interactive way.
True to L’Occitane’s eco-conscious values, the pop up also emphasised sustainability by featuring the brand’s Refill Fountain for eco-friendly product refills, a Terracycle bin for recycling and a focus on refillable, zero-plastic waste products. Assets from the previous award-winning ‘Sustainable Pop Up Refill Station’ were also repurposed, highlighting the importance of reusability.
Festoon lighting, reminiscent of Christmas lights, further helped create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, enhancing the magical holiday spirit.
Creating a festive and interactive shopping experience while emphasising sustainability can resonate deeply with today’s eco-conscious consumers. Consider introducing a similar “Spin & Win” element to attract foot traffic and boost engagement during peak holiday shopping hours. Alternatively, set up sensory zones where customers can touch, smell or sample your products paired with expert-led demos or consultations to make the pop up experience more immersive and informative.
From bold creative concepts to seamless execution, DisplayWise can help you craft the perfect holiday activation. Let’s talk about your Christmas pop up today with sensory experiences at the forefront.
For Lancôme’s Le Louvre campaign, DisplayWise collaborated with agency client, Bastion Experience, to create an exquisite Christmas pop up at the Emporium Melbourne. Inspired by the grandeur of the Louvre Museum, the pop up featured elegant marble finishes, opulent golden accents and Lancôme’s iconic rose symbol. This centerpiece was a striking brand icon that served as a sophisticated backdrop for the limited-edition holiday collection.
The back wall featured an interactive gifting wall and advent calendar design, allowing customers to explore and engage with various Lancome products. This setup not only provided a personalised shopping experience but also assisted staff in managing and refreshing stock throughout the Christmas pop up period.
Strategically placed lightboxes with custom branded graphics captured the attention of shoppers from the busy street and drew them into the immersive space. The clever use of the Louvre’s iconic imagery also helped bridge the brand’s luxury aesthetic with the historic elegance of the French landmark.
By incorporating recognisable brand symbols and festive elements into your Christmas pop up shop, you can forge a memorable connection between your brand, the holiday season and the customer. To extend on this idea, you could host mini-workshops or live demonstrations in your pop up shop, such as DIY gift wrapping, holiday cocktail making, or even festive craft sessions if they align with your brand identity. Why not try partnering with industry influencers to enhance the appeal and provide valuable, engaging content for your visitors? For tips on how to find the right influencers, read our latest article to leverage these genuine endorsements that will boost brand awareness and attract more foot traffic.
The Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Christmas pop up, crafted in collaboration with our agency client Bastion Experience, was a captivating blend of digital and in-store marketing, situated at the iconic Chadstone Shopping Centre. This activation was a key component in ‘The Biggest Christmas Tree Challenge on TikTok’ campaign, which invited customers to create their own holiday tree inspired by the opulent setting of the festive pop up.
At the heart of the display was an extravagant Christmas tree adorned with Flowerbomb bottles, shimmering LED lights and luxurious decorations that reflected the fragrance’s signature scent and elegant packaging.
The custom Christmas tree featured replica couture tulle ornaments from Viktor&Rolf’s haute-couture clothing line along with a faux fireplace mantlepiece, a Viktor & Rolf branded chair and couture Christmas dinner table. These additions created a warm, inviting atmosphere while maintaining the high-end, glamorous aesthetic of the brand.
True to Viktor & Rolf’s commitment to sustainability, the pop up also used eco-friendly materials. GreenTick Acrylic™ was used for the custom branded signage and recycled cardboard was used for the print materials, to align with the brand’s environmental values whilst appealing to eco-conscious shoppers.
Integrating digital campaigns with physical pop ups can create a seamless brand experience that engages customers on multiple fronts during the holiday season. Additionally, the use of sustainable materials not only supports environmental responsibility but can also enhance your brand reputation with eco-conscious consumers.
Why not set up an eco-friendly gift-wrapping station with recycled or recyclable festive wrapping paper? If you don’t have space for a wrapping station in your pop up footprint, you could offer custom gift tags or reusable wrapping options to emphasise sustainability and provide a memorable, yet practical festive service. For more tips on how to increase sales this holiday retail season, check out our latest article.
Alternatively, get started now and speak to DisplayWise about a sales-driven pop up build that’s guaranteed to maximise your holiday revenue this season.
Le Petit Emporium was an exquisite Christmas pop up that unified several luxury brands under one roof, showcasing the prestigious portfolio from L’Oréal, including Lancôme, Prada, Giorgio Armani, YSL, Viktor & Rolf, Ralph Lauren and Valentino. In collaboration with our agency partner, Bastion Experience, DisplayWise ensured each brand was represented in a custom designed space, reflecting each unique identity whilst catering to the ambiance of Chadstone – The Fashion Capital shopping centre.
Each area within the pop up was crafted to embody the essence of the respective brand. From the elegant sophistication of Prada through to the bold glamour of Valentino, the design elements, including opulent décor and high-end product displays, were tailored to enhance each brand’s unique attributes as well as assisting shoppers locate their preferred products.
Despite the distinctiveness of each brand’s space, the overall design maintained a cohesive theme of luxury and exclusivity. This approach ensured a seamless flow throughout the Christmas pop up, offering visitors a rich and immersive retail experience that celebrated both individual brand identities and the collective allure of the emporium.
Collaborating with multiple brands in a single pop up creates a dynamic and diverse environment that can attract a broader audience. Why not partner with complimentary brands to offer a limited-edition or exclusive product collaborations only available at your Christmas pop up shop? This exclusivity can drive traffic and create buzz, enhancing the perceived value of the experience. Alternatively, offer an exclusive “luxury sampling” program where customers can receive curated gift bags featuring mini-sized products from each brand.
Let’s create a magical brand experience for your customers this season. Get in touch with team to design and deliver your Christmas pop up shop that delights customers, sparks conversations, and inspires social sharing.
Ultimately, to create an effective Christmas pop up this year, we’re predicting that brands need to focus on 3 main elements; brand storytelling, value-add collaborations and sustainability. By drawing inspiration from these successful campaigns and integrating innovative design elements, you can create a unique experience that resonates with your audience and drives engagement.
At DisplayWise, we specialise in crafting bespoke holiday pop up shops and brand activations that capture the spirit of the season and enhance your brand’s visibility. Ready to bring your Christmas pop up vision to life? Contact the team today to explore how we can help you design a memorable and successful holiday campaign together.
