Pepsi Gift Machine
What if a Pepsi can could magically turn into a Christmas gift?
Together with Hero Agency, we set out to surprise people in the middle of the holiday rush with a playful, tech-driven activation in pop-up stores in Aarhus and Copenhagen.
The idea: build a giant custom vending experience that transforms a Pepsi can into a wrapped Christmas present.
The experience was created for a moveable pop-up store, visiting Copenhagen and Aarhus for Christmas. Here visitors could buy a Pepsi soda, scan it.. and moments later the machine came to life: conveyor belts rolling, lights flashing before delivering a wrapped Christmas gift ready to place under the tree.
Turning Holiday Rush Into Holiday Hype
The Pepsi Gift Machine quickly captured attention on Strøget in both cities. Long queues formed, cameras snapped, and the activation sparked strong organic buzz in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Behind the simple idea was a complex custom build experience - a machine that turned Pepsi sodas into moments of holiday magic.
01. Designing the Experience
The ambition was to make the interaction feel effortless.
We mapped the entire user journey — from buying and scanning the can to receiving the gift — designing the screen flow, interaction steps and placement in the space so visitors instantly understood what to do.
A simple scan became the trigger for the entire experience.
02. Engineering the Machine
The installation was built as a custom mechanical system designed specifically for the activation.
At the core was a modular conveyor structure with nine transport belts moving gifts through the machine before delivering them into the pickup box. A hands-free barcode scanner triggered the system instantly, ensuring a seamless interaction.
The entire structure was engineered to be modular, allowing the machine to be transported, installed and serviced easily throughout the campaign.
03. Programming the Magic
Combining sound, light and motion to enhance the experience
Before each activation, ambient sounds and slow-moving lights set the tone and created anticipation.
During the interaction, the belts moved gifts through the system while lights and mechanical sounds signaled that the machine was active and functioning.
All lighting speeds, sound levels, and belt movements were tested and adjusted on-site to ensure smooth operation, clear visibility, and optimal engagement for visitors.
04. Impact in the real world
From setup to social buzz
By combining custom build mechanics, tech-driven interactions, and real-time adjustments, we transformed a simple scan into a memorable, fully immersive experience — while learning a ton about practical logistics, modular design, and live activation dynamics.
Behind the scenes, the custom-built installation ran smoothly throughout the activation, handling hundreds of daily interactions. Modular components allowed quick setup, easy refills, and safe operation — keeping the machine fully functional from first customer to last.
The result? Thousands of gifts delivered, long queues, happy faces, and plenty of camera lenses capturing the magic. A simple scan. A wrapped gift. And a moment of Christmas joy in the middle of the holiday rush.
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Consider us your creative side-kick, neatly sitting in the sidecar to your vehicle. You set the direction, we help make it a memorable ride. From start to finish. For stakeholders and audiences. While you have the hands on the steering wheel, we have the hands free to realize your creative dreams – making you the (race)star, you deserve to be.
