The two-story chalet was designed to transport guests into a luxurious aprés-ski party, striking a balance between playful and mindful, but purpose-built for sponsor integration and social sharing. A larger-than-life hearth invited guests to explore the wintry dreamland complete with cozy corners, colorful plaids, and snowy backdrops. An interactive gifting wall filled with a cache of gifts contained in secret compartments provided a carefully curated surprise-and-delight moment to celebrate holiday gift-giving.
“We wanted to do something special for the winter season, taking the [lessons] from Play/Ground and applying them to another tentpole franchise,” PopSugar’s Chief Revenue Officer Geoff Schiller told Adweek. “This isn’t just walking around in a mall looking at clothing. It’s a way for consumers to interact with the brands and get a sense of their purpose.”
The Sugar Chalet is part of the media company’s rapidly evolving experiential division and flagship event franchise, which includes PopSugar Play/Ground, the annual immersive wonderland drawing 15,000 millennial and Gen Z women to Pier 94 on Manhattan’s West Side. Experiential is becoming a new and important source of revenue and consumer engagement for PopSugar.
PopSugar is now owned by Group Nine, the digital media group formed by the merger of Thrillist, NowThis, The Dodo, and Seeker with a sizable audience of millennial and Gen Z women who want immersive and communal experiences mixed with shopping.
These event activations provide integrated and experiential opportunities for brands to connect with the coveted millennial and Gen Z consumers. The Sugar Chalet featured curated brand activations, holiday shopping, mini-makeovers, cooking workshops, wellness sessions, and an appearance by Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. Brand partners include Athleta, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Nature’s Way supplements, CBD brand Seventh Sense, and online fashion retailer 6pm.com. New York’s MNDFL studio led meditation sessions, and FoodByMaria hosted cooking and spice-blending tutorials.
Photo: via PopSugar