We’ve all seen it. Brands invest heavily in experiential, get a single social post out of it and then it disappears.
No pickup. No sharing. No second life.
That’s not a budget problem, it’s a thinking problem as the idea was never designed to travel beyond that moment.
If your concept only works in real life, it was never built to go anywhere. The best campaigns aren’t just experienced, they’re designed to catch on and spread.
A stunt is a moment. Social makes it scale.
Working with Aldi Scotland, we develop creative ideas to travel, rather than just land.
A stunt might reach a few hundred people in the flesh, but amplification on social turns that into thousands, sometimes millions, but only if the premise translates.
Taps Aff and AL-Date worked because they were instantly clear. You got them in a second.
Taps Aff started as an April Fools’ product then became something people could actually get their hands on through influencer packs.
AL-Date moved from hijacking Hinge with voice notes into a microsite, in-store vox pops and a stream of content.
If you need to explain it, it won’t take hold and carry.
The post matters more than the moment
When it comes to landing ideas, it’ not about how it looks in person, it’s how it registers on a screen.
- What’s the hero frame?
- Does it make sense instantly?
- Would you stop scrolling?
If it doesn’t work as a post, it doesn’t work – full stop.
Most people won’t see your activation. They’ll see a single image on their phone, which means you’ve designed for the feed, not to increase footfall.
Keep it simple. Make it read fast.
Build the headline in from the start
If you want PR, build the story in.
The best ideas come with their own headline:
- Aldi launches a dating service for Scots
- Scotland’s own canned tap water
If a journalist has to figure it out, you’ve already lost them.
One idea, multiple outputs
With Aldi, every idea is built to connect and stretch.
If it can’t break through , it’s not strong enough yet.
One idea should flex across:
- Social
- Motion
- Press
- Influencers
- Interactive
Taps Aff and AL-Date became full content ecosystems.
If you’ve only got one asset in your playbook, it’s under delivery.
Our AR filters for Aldi at the Royal Highland Show turned a physical activation into something people could use and share long after the event.
The difference between a stunt and a story
A stunt happens once; a story keeps moving.
A stunt is an act; a story resonates and people pass on.
The value of experiential isn’t the moment, it’s what happens after.
So instead of asking “how do we make this big?”, ask: “Would anyone share this if they weren’t there?”
If the answer’s no, it’s not a story – it’s a one-off.
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