Sizzling event design proves products through finger-lickin' fun

The Home Depot: Memphis in May

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Setting the stage for mouth-watering brand activation

The “sweet smell of success” at a product demonstration event? When the goal is to sell outdoor cooking gear, it doesn’t get any better than the rich and smoky aroma of barbecue ribs.

As the top retailer of grills, sponsoring The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest at the Memphis in May festival made sense. It’s where the best behind the grill showcase their skills. The annual outdoor festival was the perfect place to prove to attendees that making prize-winning barbecue on products sold in The Home Depot stores is possible.

The brand needed a highly visible demo space where grill experts could show off their sizzle, while highlighting product features. We started from a shipping container in the retailer’s instantly recognizable orange, then topped it with a larger-than-life The Home Depot logo. Anchored in the middle of the action on “BBQ Alley,” this vibrant and dynamic stage was a draw from day one.

A durable, flexible space was also key to hosting 16 grill suppliers. Barn board walls gave the stage a rustic vibe that fit with the event, while a video screen and roofilne mirror meant folks in the back had a view of the char marks. For a brand that wants to equip and empower backyard chefs, thoughtful details show The Home Depot is true to its brand promise.

Strategy

Creative Services

Digital Services

Event Production

Technical Production

Handling the heat (and everything else) with professional event production

This festival was a chance for brand representatives to rub elbows (and pork shoulders) with 3,000 barbecue enthusiasts; plus, build trust with world-class BBQ chefs, restaurants and businesses competing. The Home Depot needed a partner to act as an extension of their brand.

Not only did the creative staging and tent layout, high-energy atmosphere and tantalizing smells captivate the crowd, but we also handled all elements of AV and transitions between six daily demos over the four-day festival. Social media fans got a taste of the fun, too. Even without the aroma of BBQ or delicious samples, videos gave them a peek at their favorite barbecue personalities in action.

Our client was so comfortable with our expertise, they left before the show was done, wholly trusting us with the last interactive demos and complete breakdown of the space. Detailed planning and management ensured that everything executed smoothly.

year partnership

festival days

demos each day

grill suppliers

feet of fencing

3,000

barbecue enthusiasts

∞

racks of ribs