🌈 Experiential Marketing's Looking Damn Fine in This A.I. World
Are IRL brand experiences enjoying a new premium in this increasingly content-focused industry?
A line of cars filled with July 4 weekend road-trippers snaked around a long stretch of asphalt off Barnegat Road in Manahawkin—the key access point to Long Beach Island on the Jersey Shore (where all good and pure American things happen).
Some were there because of stories they’d read in the local press, others had watched a segment on New Jersey and Philly news broadcast, or noted the mounting hype on social.
All were there for the same reason: To experience the Goldfish Retrieval Service.
For two days, the Campbell’s brand hosted the world’s first Goldfish car wash. It was born from the relatable truth of those orange cracker crumbs finding their way into the deepest crevices of your car. (Anyone with kids can especially attest to the dusty chaos that mounts on—pretty much—a weekly basis. )
People in peach jumpsuits welcomed drivers under arches of brightly-colored suds to enjoy a free cleaning. They fully detailed the vehicles, vacuuming up rogue fare and even setting the rearview mirror right with a Goldfish air-freshener.
While this was happening, people were invited to The Flavor Wall—another first—which housed tube upon tube of every variety of Goldfish. A chance for snackers to replenish their haul.
Around 1,300 cars were serviced in the 18 hours it was open. And for those who couldn’t make it, a giveaway: One-of-a-kind Goldfish mats to camouflage your car crumbs. They sold out in 24 minutes on the first day and one minute on the second.
Side quest: The PR/comms strategy behind this is actually really interesting. Here’s how Goldfish was able to take a one-off, local event and turn it into a powerful national play and viral sensation:
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There’s actual science behind why experiences like this make such a big personal impact (and why, therefore, it is so valuable for brands).
It’s left us wondering if—in a world dominated by A.I. and content creation—there is a new premium on tangible brand plays like events, physical products and all things IRL.
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The Science Behind Brand Experiences
🧠 1. Dopamine and Reward Pathways
Dopamine is the brain’s “feel-good” chemical. When you encounter something novel, exciting, or rewarding, dopamine is released.
The mesolimbic pathway lights up when you're having a thrilling experience. And anticipation of something cool can sometimes be just as powerful as the experience itself.
😮 2. Novelty and Surprise
The hippocampus detects novelty—anything that feels new or unexpected.
Novel experiences activate stronger memory formation and emotional engagement. This is why we remember unique experiences more vividly than routine ones.
When you're surprised (in a good way), it causes a rapid dopamine spike and engages the prefrontal cortex, enhancing perception and attention.
🔥 3. Social Signaling and Identity
From an evolutionary psychology standpoint, perceiving or participating in something different and fun is often about status, belonging, and identity.
Brain regions like the medial prefrontal cortex help us assess how an experience affects our social standing.
We tend to assign more value to experiences that are socially endorsed (popular, rare, exclusive).
⏱ 4. Flow State
A truly immersive experience often induces flow—a psychological state where you're fully absorbed, lose track of time, and feel deeply present.
🌈 5. Emotion + Memory = Lasting Impact
Experiences that combine high emotional intensity (awe, joy, fear, etc.) with personal relevance are more likely to be encoded as powerful memories.
This emotional salience is why cool experiences tend to feel unforgettable.
Novelty + Emotion + Social resonance + Flow = Unforgettable Brand Experience
Here’s another reason why the Goldfish Retrieval Service worked so hard: Because it ran in the backdrop of its new brand positioning, “Be More Goldfish.” It’s anchored in the notion of Goldfish having small memories, and embracing that we should too when it comes to the small things, like accidentally telling someone at work you love them in a Zoom sign-off.
Just like the hero work, Goldfish’s car wash invited us to forget about the day-to-day and get lost in a tiny and fun and joyous adventure.
Mischief’s been on a bit of an experiential tear recently.
Not too long ago, we worked with our longterm partner Tinder to launch RelationChips—sweet and spicy-flavored chips. Turns out eating a chip takes the same amount of time it does on Tinder for a new relationship to form at any given moment: Three seconds.
The act compliments Tinder’s global brand platform, “It Starts With A Swipe,” which is in its third year and continues to drive success in shifting brand perception and the welcoming of new users (specially, Gen Z women). It’s won multiple Effie Awards for repositioning.
Just this week we launched debut work with 7-Eleven to drive hype around Slurpee Day with the coveted Tongue-Too (yes, it’s very real). 👇
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And we’ve gotta talk about the Patrick Plunge (also very real), which makes total sense for Coors Light to own given its “Choose Chill” brand platform.👇
Show me feelings not content.
K thanks bye.
By Oliver McAteer, Partner & Head of Development at Mischief
That bit about the hippocampus firing over novelty? I’ve heard a theory that’s why the years seem to pass so much quickly as we grow older. Basically, we had more wonder as kids when everything was new, so we were logging more memories. (This suggests that forcing yourself to do more new things will keep you feeling young, so I’m off to try BASE jumping)