AI brands are using pop-ups and events to build awareness and trust
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There was a line around the block in New York City's West Village this week as tech enthusiasts, creators and curious passersby waited to check out Anthropic's pop-up, the Claude cafe inside the Air Mail newsstand.
Why it matters: It's common for consumer, lifestyle and entertainment brands to invest in experiential marketing, but now AI and B2B companies are adopting the playbook.
Driving the news: Over the weekend, more than 5,000 people stopped by the Claude pop-up, while social posts about the activation received 10 million impressions, according to Anthropic.
- "We're positioning Claude as an AI tool for problem solvers, for these people that are chasing after hard problems," said Sam McAllister of Anthropic. "This pop up was our first small physical manifestation of the brand campaign itself."
- Anthropic created a "space to reach real people, have real human interactions and show that the technology they're using can help humans be more human," says Marc Simons, co-founder of Giant Spoon. "That, I think, is the bridge [AI companies] will be trying to cross."
Cursor, the AI coding company, recently hosted a cafe pop-up in San Francisco, with plans to hold another in NYC later this month.
- And this year IBM hosted a multi-day activation in Madison Square Park alongside the U.S. Open, which saw about 200,000 visitors according to foot traffic data.
What they're saying: "In a world where people are so used to experiencing everything through a screen, even in this B2B space, having an actual human live experience has a lot of value, especially when you're trying to explain relatively esoteric technology," says IBM chief communications and brand officer Sarah Meron.
- "For us, it's about finding human connection and translation points," she added. "I don't need the people who walk by our Madison Square Park activation to have a strong emotional response, but I do need them to reevaluate IBM, understand what the company does, and equate us with AI."
Between the lines: B2B experiential marketing has evolved beyond trade show floors. Companies, especially those in the AI space, are looking for ways to differentiate themselves and appeal to end users.
- "B2B event marketing has typically been so boring. It's very dry. It's a sea of sameness," Simons says.
- "Anything that a brand can do that's going to stick out and show you're actually treating this audience like they're humans is going to be a good thing," he added.
The big picture: Brand teams have long built experiential tactics into their campaign rollouts and budgets, and social media paired with young consumer interest makes it worthwhile.
- More than half of those under 35 have attended in-person brand events, per a recent Morning Consult survey.
What to watch: Expect that trend to continue as Gen Alpha and Gen Z look for more ways to unplug from devices and reconnect in person.
What's next: More consumer-facing pop-ups from deep tech, AI or traditionally B2B companies that are looking to cultivate a sense of community and build brand loyalty.
- "You're going to continue to see technology and especially AI oriented businesses having to ensure that they are building their brand and marketing their products so that they're part of the consideration set. There's just no two ways about it," says Michael Nyman, CEO of Acceleration Community of Companies.
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