1. Delta Lounge at SXSW
Delta reimagined the chaotic energy of SXSW into a sophisticated brand oasis, converting a downtown Austin restaurant into a retro-futuristic airport lounge that felt custom, high end, and media-worthy.
Why It Worked for Delta
- Branded Escape: In the overwhelming hustle of SXSW, Delta cut through with calming, sophisticated design
- Key Custom Fabrication: Elements like the custom bookshelf put a unique stamp on the temporary space
- Nostalgia Meets Modern Design: Strategic use of light to cast a modern vibe onto vintage decor was the name of the game
How Highway 85 Can Recreate It
We’d design a modular lounge system with custom airline-themed furniture (think: luggage-tag coffee tables, runway-stripe carpets) and backlit vintage poster reproductions from our grand-format printers. For the airport pop-up, we’d engineer a collapsible concierge kiosk with digital badge scanners and AR wayfinding maps for the festival.
Pro Twist: Add a “Departure Board” displaying real-time SXSW events as “flights,” with Delta-branded boarding passes for exclusive parties. ✈️
2. The Taco Bell Hotel and Resort
Taco Bell blasted Palm Springs with a neon-soaked, millennial-pink dreamscape, transforming a retro motel into a fully immersive brand playground. The exterior glowed with purple and magenta LED signage, while pool floats shaped like giant sauce packets bobbed in the water.
The vibe? A dopamine-fueled, Instagrammable slumber party where every corner was ready to be photographed.
Why It Worked for Taco Bell
- Brand Loyalty Boost: Superfans paid to stay overnight, deepening emotional connections.
- Media & Viral Buzz: The absurdity of a Taco Bell hotel generated massive press and UGC.
How Highway 85 Can Recreate It
We’d design and fabricate custom Taco Bell-themed interiors (neon signage, branded furniture, photo backdrops), engineer interactive food stations, and manage the full build-out. Our large-format graphics team would produce wall wraps, window decals, and wayfinding signage to amplify the theme.
3. PXG’s Pop-Up Store at Fashion Square in Scottsdale
PXG designed the brand’s first-ever apparel-exclusive retail experience in Fashion Square’s luxury wing. The space radiated modern athletic elegance: monochrome minimalism, bold metallic accents, and branded lightboxes.
The centerpiece? A custom PXG Electric Fun Vehicle – a glossy black-and-white golf cart reimagined as a luxe street-legal cruiser. Textured black walls with laser-cut PXG logos added tactical depth.
Let’s just say you wouldn’t know this was a pop-up based on the badass retail design.
Why It Worked for PXG
- Brand Elevation: Isolating apparel in a luxury mall setting (vs. a golf pro shop) repositioned PXG as a lifestyle name, not just gear
- Experiential Commerce: The custom vehicle attracted mallgoers
- Local Collab Cred: Partnering with Arizona-based Go AZ Motorcycles and Spooky Fast Customs rooted the pop-up in community
How Highway 85 Can Recreate It
We’d design a matrix frame, aircraft-grade aluminum displays with integrated digital panels to showcase fabric innovations. Next, we’d produce 3D-textured wall wraps mimicking PXG’s signature grip patterns. For the vehicle showcase, we’d engineer a rotating platform with dramatic spotlights, then replicate the concept for other markets with scalable, shipping-container pop-ups.
Pro Twist: Add a virtual golf simulator where shoppers “test” apparel while playing a hole, with real-time swing analysis displayed on a branded LED wall. ⛳✨
4. Lush Cosmetic’s London Mall Pop-Up
Stepping into Lush’s “The Power of Smelling Good” mall pop-up was a master class in utilizing high end materials, proper color selection, and execution. The vibe? A playful, slightly chaotic science fair—where curiosity (and a little glitter) was encouraged.
Why It Worked for Lush
- Customer Co-Creation: Letting shoppers personalize products increased ownership and loyalty.
- Data Collection: Direct feedback helped refine future launches.
- Experiential Retail: Turned shopping into an event, not just a transaction.
How Highway 85 Can Recreate It
We’d build multiple Instagrammable demo stations with custom sinks and aesthetic ingredient displays. For scalability, we’d engineer mobile pop-up kits for touring multiple cities.
5. Prada’s “Hyper Leaves” Mall Pop-Up
Prada transformed the mall “Galeries Lafayette” in Paris into a neon-drenched jungle, merging high fashion with fantastic design and engineering. It featured oversized tropical foliage in radioactive green, metal-mesh palm fronds doubled as clothing racks and emerald carpeting guided visitors through the footprint.
The women’s section was housed in a glowing cage of neon-lit mesh, while the men’s space was dominated by a gigantic, neon-outlined baobab tree, its trunk woven from the same metallic fabric. Prada’s iconic logo, rendered in pulsating neon, hovered above it all, inviting everyone walking by to check it out.
Why It Worked for Prada
- Unexpected Contrast: Juxtaposing tropical motifs with harsh neon and industrial materials (metal mesh, neon tubing) created the edge
- Instagram Surrealism: The larger-than-life flora and glow-in-the-dark elements made the space instantly viral
- Exclusive Preview: Dropping unreleased FW20 footwear under the baobab tree served as the PR-hood for earned media coverage
How Highway 85 Can Recreate It
We’d engineer custom neon-baobab structures from laser-cut metal, backlit with programmable LEDs to shift from jungle green to electric pink. Our in-house printing lab would produce oversized vinyl leaves with embedded metallic finishes, doubling as display shelves. For the pavilion, we’d construct modular, glow-in-the-dark mesh panels for easy assembly in high-end retail spaces.
Bonus: To amplify the surreal vibe, we’d add projection-mapped “rain” (a digital drizzle of Prada logos) across the foliage.
Let’s grow your brand’s next iconic space. 🌴✨
6. The Scottsdale Princess’ “Freedom Fest”
The Scottsdale Princess transformed its sprawling 65-acre desert resort into a red, white, and blue spectacle for Independence Day, blending all-American nostalgia with over-the-top luxury. The event turned their conference center entrance hall into a patriotic playground featuring some bad*ss decor elements.
Why It Works for The Scottsdale Princess
- Luxury Patriotism: It’s not just a fireworks show—it’s an experience, aligning with the resort’s high-end, family-friendly brand.
- Multi-Generational Appeal: From grandparents reliving classic Americana to Gen Z posting fireworks selfies, it caters to all.
- Revenue Boost: The event drives room bookings, F&B sales, and local buzz, making it a profit center, not just a party.
How Highway 85 Can Recreate It
We’d engineer custom floating firework barges for synchronized water-and-sky displays, design giant LED-lit flag installations for photo ops, and fabricate weather-resistant outdoor movie screens with surround sound. Our in-house print lab would produce glow-in-the-dark event maps and patriotic pool deck graphics.
How Highway 85 Can Amplify These Vibes
We’re absolutely buzzing about visionary activations like these, where brands transform spaces into unforgettable experiences.
Whether it’s a high-energy festival lounge, a luxe retail jungle, or a sky-high fireworks spectacle, we live for the magic of immersive storytelling. Here’s what we can offer:
- Designing and fabricating pop-ups similar to the examples above
- Custom larger-than-life product replicas or instagram-worthy decor
- Our rental inventory of insanely cool special tech (full size holograms, LED globes, touch screens, and much more)
- Project managers who maximize impact and problem solve like ninjas
- Graphics of all sizes that transform the space
We’ll make your brand’s vibe unmissable and unforgettable.
Got a bold idea? Let’s make it real. Drop us a line—we’re ready to geek out, brainstorm, and build something extraordinary together. 🚀✨
Schedule a Discovery Call here.
