Afterpay
Day

Afterpay Day already generates huge attention online, but for 2025 Afterpay wanted to extend that energy into the real world.

Working alongside Thrive PR and XO Media, the challenge was to create an activation in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall that could attract passing shoppers, encourage participation and generate moments people would want to share beyond the event itself.

Rather than creating a traditional retail pop-up, we built an interactive brand environment that invited shoppers to become part of the experience.

Motion tracking, spatial computing and interactive digital content turned participation into a chance to unlock prizes and exclusive offers, blending physical movement with playful digital interactions.

The result was an activation designed to create excitement quickly while keeping the Afterpay brand at the centre of every interaction.

Retail campaigns are often built around something people see. Immersive technology creates something they can actively do.

By responding to movement and placing digital interactions within the physical activation, the experience gave shoppers a direct role in what happened next.

That shift from audience to participant helped turn a promotional moment into something more memorable, social and engaging.

Visitors moved through a series of intuitive interactions designed to be understood quickly in a busy public environment.

Dynamic prize mechanics, interactive 3D content and QR integrations connected the physical activation with digital rewards, while shareable animations encouraged participants to capture and post their experience.

Behind the scenes, the system was built to handle high visitor turnover while remaining stable, responsive and easy to use.

Hundreds of shoppers took part in the activation, with thousands of prizes redeemed through the experience.

The activation also generated significant social engagement and media attention, including coverage on the Today Show, extending its reach well beyond Pitt Street Mall.

By combining physical presence, digital interaction and reward, Afterpay Day became more than a retail promotion. It became something people could take part in — and talk about afterwards.