The eyes of the world were on London this summer — more than 8 billion eyes, to be precise. And while most of them were watching athletes vie for shiny metal disks, the Olympians weren’t the only ones competing. In temporary pavilions housing rich, immersive, interactive experiences, many of the world’s most beloved and best-known brands were competing for the attention of Olympic spectators. These structures, described by David Segal, a writer for The New York Times, as “tiny islands of promotion … in the epicenter of the greatest spectacle in sports,” were some of the world’s most elaborate brand-controlled spaces on the planet.
EXHBITOR editor Travis Stanton spent two weeks on site in London, poring over the pavilions and sponsor activations, looking for the best of the best. Here, then, are the best (and the worst), including a floating showroom, a “mixed-reality” theater, a gigantic musical instrument, and a master class on immersive multimedia. Click the links below to read about each brand experience, see photos, view videos, and more.
 GOLD MEDAL
THE COCA-COLA BEATBOX
Granted, there were no medals awarded in the sport of experience design, but if there had been, we think The Coca-Cola Co. would have taken gold. Coca-Cola is the longest-running continuous sponsor of both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, with its involvement dating back to 1928. So it’s no surprise that the company’s Olympics activation was a literal symphony of successful experiential-marketing best practices. The centerpiece of the campaign was an experience-rich brand pavilion dubbed the “Beatbox,” which comprised 230 interlocked air cushions and functioned as a gigantic musical instrument. more...
 SILVER MEDAL
THE BP TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCETo tell its story of “More Discovery, More Recovery, More Efficiency,” BP PLC turned London’s Linbury Theater into a wildly immersive world that raised the bar on B2B experiences. While BP did have a pavilion inside Olympic Park, it was entirely separate from the company’s B2B space, which was located in London’s Covent Garden district. BP’s goal for its activation at the Linbury Theater was to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for an invite-only crowd of VIPs that was as memorable as the Olympic events themselves. And, at least in our opinion, the company (with the help of Jack Morton Worldwide) did just that. more...
 BRONZE MEDAL
THE ACER JOURNEY
Occupying a less-than-ideal location in Olympic Park, The Acer Journey beckoned attendees like a tractor beam, with a kinetic façade featuring 30 moving shutters synchronized to reveal different sections of a nearly 1,300-square-foot LED screen, visible from more than a mile away. The shutters resembled giant Acer notebooks, as they slowly opened and closed to reveal a series of CGI movies created to reinforce the theme “Exploration, Discovery, and Knowledge.” Once inside, attendees enjoyed a “mixed-reality” presentation, and accrued points they could later redeem for a chance to win Acer products. more...
 HONORABLE MENTION THE BMW GROUP PAVILIONLike a floating mirage on the Waterworks River, the BMW Group Pavilion served as an Olympic Park oasis. Boasting a mesmerizing waterfall façade, the pavilion underscored BMW’s eco-friendly attributes. In fact, a film inside the pavilion heralded the company’s sponsorship as a meeting of the Green minds, so to speak, announcing “the world’s most sustainable games meet the world’s most sustainable car company.” more...
 HONORABLE MENTION
THE EDF PAVILIONIn the shadows of Olympic Stadium, EDF Energy, the United Kingdom’s largest energy company, erected a pavilion to educate attendees on “The Magic of Electricity.” The attendee experience included a smart-phone-based augmented reality activity, a theatrical presentation, and an open-air electric playground that merged education with entertainment. more...
 HONORABLE MENTION BP FUELING THE FUTUREBP PLC’s pavilion in Olympic Park featured a mirrored façade that seemed to reference the bean-shaped “Cloud Gate” sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Entirely separate from BP’s business-to-business space, which was located in London’s Covent Garden district and open only to invited guests, the Olympic Park pavilion boasted a “360-degree cyclorama theater.” more...
 DISHONORABLE MENTION
THE PANASONIC FULL HD 3D THEATERIn a July 28 press release, Panasonic promoted its pavilion (dubbed the Panasonic Full HD 3D Theater) and introduced the company’s Olympic slogan, “Sharing the Passion.” But all the company shared with visitors who regrettably sacrificed an hour or more of their time was the marketing equivalent of a warm bucket of spit. more...
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