Experiential Lemonade Stand Experience When: August Where: Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Washington D.C. Affluent millennials and Gen X-ers strongly favor brands with messaging which resonates with their beliefs. Millennials also gravitate towards brands using cause-based advertising and feel more connected to corporate philanthropic efforts.1 Mastercard will select one child from Chicago, D.C., New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta to a host a large-scale lemonade stand in a populated part of their city. The lemonade stand will more closely resemble a stylish, modern restaurant than a traditional lemonade stand. The popup storefront, open for a 3 day period in August, will feature Mastercard branding and high-tech equipment, including tap-to-pay processing. The children chosen to be featured will have already shown that they have an entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to improving their community, making them the perfect tiny ambassadors for empowering change and embodying control. Upon first glance, customers will believe they are ordering beverages from a typical food truck or pop-up shop type business. However, when they see that the stand is run by a child (with the help of an adult crew), they will be impacted by a shock value in regards to how kids are taking control and
embracing the technology of the future, ultimately encouraging the use of tap-to-pay payment. Money earned from the pop-up will be donated to the child’s cause of choice. Paid Media Collateral A week following the activations, Mastercard will use footage from the event to promote tap-to-pay capabilities through paid media on its social channels. The creative will show the reactions of customers when they learn that the lemonade stand is run by a tech-savvy elementary schooler, and will emphasize how these entrepreneurial kids, who embody the personality of an adult small business owner, have embraced contactless payment as a pillar for convenience and control in their daily lives. Earned Media Boost The novelty of this activation, coupled with the shock factor of a child running a business, will garner both regional and national media attention, providing earned brand lift for Mastercard. 1. http://academic.mintel.com/display/860619
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