Brand Campaigns, Activations & Pop-Ups: FAQs

Brand Campaigns, Activations & Pop-Ups: FAQs

Answers to common questions about booking MattB Customs for a live brand activation, workshop, expo presence, or retail pop-up.

What's the difference between a campaign, an activation, and a pop-up?
In practice they overlap - a campaign or activation is usually a single event or expo appearance (a workshop, a live customisation station), while a pop-up tends to mean a temporary retail presence, sometimes touring across several store locations. Get in touch with what you're planning and we'll confirm the right format.

Do you travel to run activations at our venue?
Yes - MattB Customs has delivered on-site activations at events across UK, EU & Rest of the world including , the London Marathon Expo (with New Balance), Nike Back to School Tour across the middle east (Saudi & Dubai) or JD Roadshow tour stopping in France & Ireland.

MattB Customs x Nike activation in Dubai and Saudi Arabia – customisation workshops using footballs and basketballs

Can you build a custom digital tool, like an online customiser, for our event?
Yes - for Nexthink's own company event, we built a fully branded online customiser so attendees could design their own shoes on the spot, then produced and shipped every pair individually. See the Nexthink case study for the full example.

Does the activation have to involve sneakers?
No - the same hand-finishing techniques (painting, engraving, vinyl, dyeing) apply to a wide range of product categories. Our work with Fujifilm customised cameras and accessories, not footwear.

Custom hand painted Instax cameras for the Fujikina event at the house of photography store in London Soho

What size crowd or format can you support?
Formats range from a single workshop station for a few dozen guests to a multi-day expo presence handling hundreds of pieces, like the 820 pairs personalised across four days for New Balance. Tell us your expected footfall and we'll confirm the right setup.

New Balance London Marathon event activation with runners customising performance running shoes

How much lead time do you need to book an activation?
The bigger or more custom the format, the more lead time it needs. Get in touch early with your event date and audience size so we can confirm what's realistic.

Can the activation run across multiple locations or a tour?
Yes - the JD Sports Roadshow Tour is a direct example of the same live-customisation format delivered consistently across several stops.

How do we book you for our event?
Email business@mattbcustoms.com with your event date, venue, expected footfall, and what you'd like guests to walk away with, and we'll come back with a proposed format and quote.

Related reading

See Campaigns and Pop-Ups for the full overviews, or browse the full Case Studies library. Need a single gift for one person instead? See Bespoke & Executive Gifts: FAQs.

Planning a campaign, workshop, or activation? Get in touch via our Work With Us page or email business@mattbcustoms.com.