Events

A ‘Transformers’ Street Mural Activation Packs a Commercial Punch for Hasbro and Amazon

marketingcawpuser 10 months ago 3 min read

To capitalize on the buzz surrounding the release of the “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” feature film in the U.S., and to drive traffic to the official “Transformers” Amazon storefront where exclusive toys, apparel and other products are available, Hasbro in collaboration with Amazon activated a fan event in the East Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, on June 3—a setting for the film, and where the film premiered two days later at Kings Theatre.

Targeting core fans of the franchise, the four-hour activation, dubbed Transformers: Battle in Brooklyn, was anchored by a 14-foot by 26-foot ’90s graffiti-style mural created by local Japanese artist and influencer Dragon76. The mural depicted characters from the film—like Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal—and served as a striking backdrop for fan photos. A QR code stamped on the mural drove fans directly to the Amazon storefront. The artist, who has more than 50,000 followers on Instagram, signed the mural and a few prints for consumers.

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Street teams helped spread the word about the activation, as did event listings and social posts. In addition to checking out products and collectibles in person that are available on Amazon in a showcase under a tent, consumers could spin a wheel to win a variety of prizes, from toys and products to tickets to the premiere. Shoppable QR codes allowed consumers to order items directly from Amazon within the footprint to be shipped home. On the street, local food trucks, Glazed & Confused and Takumi Taco, served up bites from “Transformers”-branded menus.

Beyond the activation, Transformers popped up in other spaces throughout the New York area, from ’90s graffiti artwork displayed at different subway stations to branded MetroCards distributed in machines across three major subway terminals. QR codes embedded on the MetroCards linked directly to the Amazon Transformers store.

“As we looked to build a consumer experience on Amazon for the movie, we were tasked with thinking creatively about ways to reach the Amazon consumer, but do it in a way that we were off-platform driving to platform, and that’s where this idea came to mind,” says Sue Perez-Jackson, head of global ecommerce at Hasbro Licensed Consumer Products. “This event ultimately drove more traffic in that day to the ‘Transformers’ Amazon storefront than we had seen the entire month of May. It just goes to show that these types of events, these grassroots activations, really do impact the business significantly.” Agency: MAG.