How Freeform’s Y2K-themed Screening Event for ‘Cruel Summer’ Tapped into the ‘Newstalgia’ Trend

“Nostalgia is super important for us, and engagement goes hand in hand with that. So we used all the details from the series in a really intentional way. We had subtle clues for what was to come in season two and every detail had meaning.”

—Theresa Travis, Executive Director-Marketing Engagement, Experiential and Influencers, Freeform

A custom welcome sign greeted attendees as they entered the post-screening reception at Elysian Park.

If you’re stoked about the resurgence of Y2K-era fashion and beauty trends, Freeform’s nostalgic premiere event for season two of “Cruel Summer” was one to behold. The network on May 31 transformed Elysian Park in Los Angeles into the fictional lakeside town of Chatham, WA, from the series, transporting attendees back to the 1999-2000 timeframe in an effort to drive awareness and tune-in to the teen psychological thriller by tapping into the “newstalgia” trend sweeping pop culture—and the experiential marketing industry.

The activation, attended by cast members, celebrities from the era (think: Lance Bass and Tara Reid) and a select group of influential attendees, hinted at key themes featured in the new season via meticulously curated, shareable touchpoints that were designed to drive national buzz. And Disney-owned Freeform left no (retro) stone unturned to capture the attention of its millennial and Gen Z target. Case in point: The lake is essential to the “Cruel Summer” season two plot, so the brand would only host its activation on a property that included one.

“We’re always looking to stand out and not go the normal premiere route with all of our series, but this one has really allowed us to dive into rich storytelling,” says Theresa Travis, executive director-marketing engagement, experiential and influencers at Freeform. “We knew right away that this screening had to happen across a body of water. It was a prerequisite for us for finding the right location and designing everything around it… But Elysian Park had never done anything like this so we had to work with the L.A. City Parks team and the fire marshal to get approvals on everything we wanted to do.”

More Nostalgic Activation Strategies: 

• Balcony Party: Freeform Hosts an Outdoor Screening for the Premiere of ‘Cruel Summer’
• Diners, Drive-ins and Vibes: Paramount+ Recreates the Frosty Palace to Promote ‘Rise of the Pink Ladies’

Upon arrival at the premiere, attendees were guided to seating along the “docks” at the lakeside park, where they viewed the premiere episode of season two on a screen set up across the water (no easy feat, according to the brand). The experience served as a recreation of the “Bloom” event from the show, during which locals gather to view a temporary bioluminescence in the lake. Freeform replicated the concept with strategic lighting effects in the water that supported the air of mystery it aimed to evoke throughout the experience.

Following the screening, a Y2K bonanza ensued in the form of a New Years Eve-themed party as attendees were invited to explore interactive vignettes and themed food stations, and, of course, share it all on social. They first entered a walkway lined with of-the-era touchpoints, like old TV sets playing hit music videos and news clips from 1999 and 2000. Next, they encountered a giant “Cruel Summer” logo and “ride-or-die” photo op set in the wilderness, as well as a “Welcome to Chatham” sign.

At the reception, an Airstream trailer like the one from the series was decked out with show-accurate details, down to the exact posters Megan and Isabella have on their walls. There, attendees could snap Polaroids to hang up in the trailer. Over at a Postcard Tower, they could choose a “Cruel Summer”-themed postcard design, write a message and drop it in a mailbox. Freeform mailed them the following day.

A meticulously detailed replica Airstream trailer from the series parked on-site included a Polaroid photo op.

Inside the park’s Grace E. Simons Lodge, Freeform activated an interrogation room like the one in the show, where attendees were “grilled” by actors portraying town sheriffs. Meanwhile, a dj spun top hits from ’99 and 2000, and gaming fans could check out a PlayStation activation.

Thanks to a partnership with Van Leeuwen, attendees could snag ice cream in flavors like Y2K Sorbet and Shoreliner Café, a pre-existing milkshake and French fries flavor that was renamed for the partnership and represents a key setting in the show. And if that didn’t satisfy their sweet tooth, attendees could hit up a gourmet s’mores station at the end of the event.

Across six photo moments scattered around the activation, content was given the Y2K treatment thanks to a custom ’90s-style overlay that made images appear as if they were taken during the era. There was also a roaming videographer capturing footage on what looked like an old camcorder but was, in reality, powered by an iPhone. And thanks to AI facial recognition tech, Freeform was able to instantly capture and send all photo and video footage each attendee appeared in throughout the night.

“Nostalgia is obviously super important for us, and engagement really goes hand in hand with that. So we used all the details from the series in a really intentional way,” says Travis. “We had subtle clues for what was to come in season two and every detail had meaning… Especially with our audience being a mix of Gen Z and millennials, it was really fun seeing how everybody interprets Y2K. As somebody who was alive during the original time, it was nice to look back and pull some of my memories forward into making this event.” Word. Agencies: Little Cinema (production); Pop Social (social media); PR Dept (p.r.).

Kick it Back to the Y2K Days:

Photo credit: Frank Micelotta/Freeform

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