In summer 2026, Carmex wanted to put its Shimmer Gloss range into the hands of a Gen-Z audience. Working with Promohire and Flourish Management, they delivered a lively brand experience, designed to encourage product sampling and generate plenty of social media content.
With a fully branded double decker bus, complete with an immersive interior, this campaign made an even bigger impact than Carmex had hoped.
Don't believe us? Click the video to discover this activation for yourself!
Known for its distinctive lip care products, Carmex has built a brand around fun and accessible beauty. With the launch of its new Shimmer Gloss range, the focus was on reaching a Gen Z audience and getting the latest products directly into the hands of potential customers.
Flourish Management, specialising in influencer and consumer activations, has worked with Carmex for more than four years. Together, they wanted something that would bring the products to life beyond the shelf – and so Promohire was called to deliver something fun, effective, and engaging.
The brief was to create a brand activation that would push the Shimmer Gloss into the spotlight, with product trial and games at the heart of the action.
A branded double decker bus offered the perfect platform. It provided plenty of space for an immersive walk-on experience, while its large frame served as a giant canvas.
Carmex’s brand activation needed:
A branded promotional bus, daring people to stop and stare
An immersive, Shimmer Gloss-themed interior downstairs
Interactive games and fun to entice crowds to get involved
Product sampling, drinks and freebies to take away
Plenty of opportunities for user-generated content
A custom layout able to handle high foot traffic
This would need to be delivered on time and within budget – with every inch of space maximised so guests would feel welcomed on board.
Here’s how we helped make this brand activation worth shouting about and sharing…
The double decker bus was transformed from top to bottom to create a bright and colourful home for the Carmex campaign. The exterior wrap gave their promotional bus impact before guests even stepped inside, while the branded elements and claw machine encouraged guests to join the fun.
Inside, the lower deck became the brand experience hub, giving visitors a chance to discover the Shimmer Gloss range, play a spin-to-win game, grab samples, and capture content for social media.
With 500 guests expected a day, deciding how to use each deck was essential. But rather than spreading the live experience across both floors, Carmex and Flourish Management chose to keep it to the lower floor only. This meant a more focused journey and an easier time managing the crowds.
This kept the upstairs free for storing supplies, so stock could be organised and replenished without removing anything from the guest experience.
A successful activation needs plenty of work behind the scenes too. See our video walkthrough below for info...
Promohire handled the vehicle transformation and interior fit-out – plus logistics to get the bus into position for each event. From products and equipment to operating a large promotional vehicle, our team helped to keep everything running smoothly.
See our campaign services to find out how we can fully support your project or manage every detail on your behalf.
This Carmex campaign very quickly exceeded expectations.
While 500 visitors were expected a day, that number doubled to over 1,000!
The high footfall showed just how effective the bus was at attracting Carmex’s target audience and getting the new Shimmer Gloss range into their hands. And with stops in Brighton and Manchester, the campaign created a memorable way for Carmex to move beyond traditional promotion and connect with the people who matter.
“Promohire have been absolutely fantastic to work with and we’re already pitching to other clients to work with them again.” – Pip, founder of Flourish Management.
Great brand experiences like this don’t happen by accident.
From choosing the right vehicle and planning the layout to managing logistics and product sampling, it’s the details behind the scenes that make an activation work. For Carmex, that meant a customised double decker bus from the Promohire team!
Whether you’re planning a product launch, sampling campaign or large-scale customer experience, we can help you find the perfect vehicle and bring your project together.