PAUSE IS POWER
Role: Experiential Lead
Date: April 1-3, 2022
Location: Minneapolis Convention Center - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Client: The Coca Cola Company
Imagine standing at the free throw line in the closing seconds of a college basketball championship game. The crowd is roaring, the pressure is mounting, and everything comes down to a single shot. Now imagine if, in that moment, you could take a breath and pause time just long enough to refocus, reset, and come back stronger.
For March Madness 2022, POWERADE invited fans to experience exactly that through an immersive, multisensory activation that brought the pressure of the NCAA Finals to life. Designed to mirror the intensity of stepping up to the line with the game on the line, the installation surrounded participants with dynamic sound, light, and motion cues replicating the energy of a live arena. As players took their shot, they were guided through a moment of stillness (an intentional pause inspired by POWERADE’s “Pause Is Power” campaign) highlighting the mental strength it takes to perform under pressure.
By blending sport psychology with cutting-edge experiential design, POWERADE transformed the stress of competition into an empowering reminder that stepping back can be the most powerful way to move forward.
This activation was produced for VMLY&R Commerce.