beaches case study

The Beaches BIA — “Beach vs. Beaches” Holiday Activation:

Pop Marquee Case Study

The case study is about the changes brought about by taking our six foot “BEACH” and converting it to “BEACHES” with two added 3-ft “E” and “S” letters.

Location: Toronto, Ontario  •  Season: Holiday / Early January  •  Assets: 6-ft letters + 3-ft add-on letters

Case Study Summary:

The Beaches BIA rented a 6-foot illuminated POP Marquee sign spelling “BEACH” (with a gift box icon) for the holiday season. In early January, the BIA launched a community conversation: should the district be known as “The Beach” or “The Beaches”? POP Marquee returned onsite and swapped the gift box icon for two additional 3-foot letters “E” and “S” to create “BEACHES.” A short video capturing the changeover was posted to social media and immediately drew attention and in-person reactions.

Objectives:

·        Create a simple, highly shareable moment that sparks conversation and community participation.

·        Demonstrate the modularity of POP Marquee assets, showcasing our fast changeovers with multiple configurations.

·        Increase district visibility during a slower post-holiday period with a fresh hook.

·        Capture social proof and qualitative feedback to inform future campaigns.

Installation & Assets:

Initial Installation (Beginning of January):

·        6-ft letters spelling “BEACH” on standard black pallets, plus a gift box icon.

Changeover (Early January):

·        Removed the gift box icon and added two 3-ft letters (“E” and “S”) to create “BEACHES.”

·        Captured a swap-over video and on-the-street reactions during the install window.

Photos:

Before (Holiday: “BEACH” + gift box icon):

After (Early January: “BEACHES” with two added 3-ft letters):

INSTAGRAM VIDEO:

Activation Details:

The changeover itself became the content. The transition from “BEACH” to “BEACHES” is quick to understand, visually obvious, and instantly prompts an opinion. Because the swap happened in a public setting, the install window doubled as a live focus group and a content capture moment.

Results:

Quantitative:

·        Video views: 200,000+

·        Likes / reactions: 405

·        Comments: 84 (all positive with remarks like “Perfection!”, “What a great change!” and heart emojis)

·        Shares: 52

·        Saves: 17

Qualitative feedback (on-site):

-        During the 15 minutes it took for setup, six passersbys gave positive opinions on the change.

Why it worked:

·        Instant clarity: people immediately understand the “Beach” vs “Beaches” debate.

·        The swap is a “moment,” not just a static install—perfect for short-form video.

·        Modularity: POP Marquee assets can be reconfigured quickly to extend campaign life.

·        Low friction participation: the audience can “vote” with a comment or a quick reaction.