The editors of Event Marketer announce the winners of the 23rd annual Ex Awards, the experiential marketing industry’s most prestigious recognition program. The 2025 awards program drew more than 1,000 entries from around the world across 29 categories, with brands including PepsiCo, Walmart, Verizon, Stanley Drinkware, Samsung, Cadillac, FX, and more, taking home the coveted trophy. But it was Visa, and agency partners Imagination and BRUT, who took home the highest honor—the Grand Ex Award—for “Live at Le Louvre.”

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Live Más LIVE garnered more than 7 billon media impressions and 632 pieces of media coverage of onstage announcements, including the new Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme.

It’s a good problem to have: Fans so passionate, so hungry for a first taste of news, let alone a delicious taco, they’ve created actual websites and launched voluminous discussion forums—dedicating real time and effort—to posting and predicting menu updates and tracking down any lead, or person, necessary to be the first in the know.

For years, Taco Bell’s answer to these activities has taken shape through clever and generous fan campaigns—2017’s FOMO-inducing “Secret Test Kitchen” dinners come to mind, as does 2019’s Taco Bell Hotel that oozed with superfan hospitality. No matter the wildly inventive experiential moment the team has dreamed up, a well-paced rollout strategy has followed. Until, that is, Live Más LIVE.

“You build these programs that take months to create, and it can go sideways with a Reddit post. And so, another goal of this was to be in control of the leaks this year and have more control over the storytelling,” says Matt Prince, director-brand communications and p.r. at Taco Bell.

More From Taco Bell’s Event Portfolio:

• Taco Bell Sashays into LGBTQ+ Hearts with a Drag Brunch Series
• Superfans Melt for the Taco Bell Hotel Experience
• Stunts: Taco Bell Canada Fans Trade a Drive-Thru for a Slide-Thru on the Slopes

To beat the leaks, the brand decided to leak—and let fans sink their teeth into it all. The concept: to showcase a full marketing calendar of every menu rollout and collaboration coming down the pipeline this year, on top of giving ravenous fans a behind-the-scenes look at how Taco Bell’s menu is created. From a p.r. and earned media standpoint, this was an entirely new approach. The brand typically won’t disclose, outside of a few weeks in advance, new menu items or collaborations.

“This really was, for the time, laying it all out, and there were implications on how this was going to affect media coverage and brand buzz over the course of the year—are people going to think: Well, I got it all; there won’t be anything new,” Prince says. “Those were really interesting challenges and opportunities to address, and we’re starting to see the results of it as we roll out some of the programs we talked about [at the event].”

A SUPER SHOWCASE

A custom interactive microsite created exclusively for Taco Bell Rewards members, livemaslive.com featured special offers and merch, a live chat and an AR photo booth.

Before we dig deeper into those results, let’s go inside this media event of all media events—an Apple launch-worthy, hybrid, fan-driven and -inspired, live-streamed menu reveal experience for superfans, influencers and journalists over Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas. The showcase took place on Feb. 9, 2024, within a custom-built, pop-up tented venue next to Fashion Show Mall on the Strip. It was live streamed on YouTube and on a custom interactive microsite, livemaslive.com, created exclusively for Taco Bell Rewards members. On-site features included a miniature model of the first-ever Taco Bell restaurant, complimentary beverages, hexagonal rigging (that mimicked a giant Crunchwrap), and live beats spun by dj and producer LP Giobbi.

The brand enlisted a cast of partners to execute the project, more agencies than it has on any project. Little Cinema handled creative direction, experience design and creative technology, including building out the digital experience on livemaslive.com using its proprietary Backstage platform; Uncommon served as executive producer of the venue and concerts that weekend; Cyrano Rox managed food exhibition; BIITE scripted the show and created in-show video content; and Broadcast Management Group managed the broadcast and simulcast.

Fans were driven to the experience via Taco Bell in-app push notifications and eblasts to the entire Taco Bell Rewards Members list. Viewers (the several hundred in attendance and those tuning in virtually) enjoyed musical performances by singer-songwriter Omar Apollo and rapper and singer-songwriter Armani White (who also served as host).

The show featured The Bell Awards, which annually hands out honors for things like, “Menu Hack of the Year” and “Drive-Thru Ride of the Year.” This year, all-pro NFL wide receiver Davante Adams and content creator Davis Burleson hosted the presentation.

Company leaders then took the stage, including ceo Sean Tresvant, cmo Taylor Montgomery and global chief food innovation officer Liz Matthews, offering attendees and viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Taco Bell’s R&D process and announcing menu news and partnerships for this year, including the new Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme, and a Taco Bell x Salt & Straw collaboration on the always-crispy Ice Cream Chocolate Taco with the Portland-based ice cream company.

Amid this all, the livemaslive.com digital experience featured special offers and merch, buttons driving to Taco Bell app downloads, a live chat with branded emoji buttons, and an augmented reality photo booth for fans (all trackable activities for the marketing team). Afterward, TikTok blew up with green screen-effect clips and commentary.

SPIRIT OF INNOVATION

What inspired the program, and what is ultimately Taco Bell’s real secret sauce, was the organization-wide belief in not just being an innovative brand in QSR, Prince explains, but in being one of the most innovative brands in the world. “Period,” he emphasizes.

“One of the reasons we have a lot of success is because we consistently look outside the category to find inspiration,” Prince says. “Obviously, the brands like Apple, entertainment companies, these big tech companies, they’re playing with a different playbook, and I think where we find inspiration is asking the question: Do we have permission to play in that same space? And when we think about our answer, it’s always: Yes, absolutely. But we have to do it in our own way.”

And they did. The team rewrote its own playbook for communications, and now has the benefit of “full storytelling” at the team’s fingertips to go deeper with executive or fan commentary instead of having to speak broadly about the brand’s plans throughout the year. In letting the cats out of the bag so early, the entire company is benefitting from early-access insights.

On a stage surrounded by Crunchwrap-inspired hexagonal rigging, Taco Bell executives offered an inside look on the brand’s R&D process and upcoming menu item drops.

“It’s been a big unlock for us on a lot of different things, not just the marketing, but from a food innovation standpoint,” Prince says. “We’ve been able to get great learnings and insights from consumers way earlier on in the process on products that we mentioned that we can use to help tinker and build and grow programs as we get closer to launch.”

The results look different, and good, too. On top of the event earning more than 7 billon media impressions (post-launch, alone), it earned more than 632 pieces of media coverage (immediately post-event), and raked in a half a million views on YouTube and a quarter million views on the custom microsite. The team is noting different patterns, too. “Different spikes happening at different times.”

But the most surprising and telling result has been the content created and driven by fans—the ultimate objective, of course. Prince calls it the brand’s first experiential event “of this magnitude” in the age of TikTok. And with consumer commentary in the “Whaaaaat,” “Nooooo” and “Oh my God,” range, and headlines like, “Taco Bell Decided to Host Its own E3 Out of Nowhere,” Silicon Valley better look out for some new competition. Because Taco Bell gobbled up all the buzz.

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Contests, music, sports, swag, snacks and gamified experiences got the energy up for the first day of EMS. Read on for a recap of what went down around the conference center.

More from EMS 2024:

• EMS 2024: Inspiring Keynotes, Brand-led Panels and Creativity Take Center Stage on Day Two
• Winners Unveiled: The 2024 Ex Awards

DYNAMIC WORKSHOPS

John Capano led an interactive master class on developing a measurement framework.

Kicking off EMS, experts led interactive workshops and master classes to engage attendees with tricks of the trade, applicable insights and collaborative group work. First up, John Capano, managing director of The Ev&Ex Agency and vp of the Experiential Marketing Measurement Coalition (EMMC), taught participants how to develop a measurement framework through an activity that assigned a hypothetical event to each table and encouraged them to consider the attendee journey, input from key stakeholders and the overall “why.”

Then, Matt Sincaglia, vp-strategy and analytics at RedPeg and founding member of the EMMC, ran the second master class on “Measuring DEI in Events and Experiences” that defined key terms, explained visual and nonvisual representation, highlighted the importance of transparency in accountability, and outlined best practices for pre- and post-event data acquisition. The session’s workshop component focused on creating a DEI measurement framework around a specific DEI goal, KPIs and support metrics.

Over in the Creative Brief workshop, attendees took part in a charette that had them dreaming up campaign strategies for three legacy brands looking to make new connections with a Gen Z audience. The twist: It was all analog. No genAI, no digital blueprints, no filters. “Consider what conventions can be turned upside down as you jump into the exercise. I encourage you to borrow from friends in improv and say, ‘Yes, and…’” said Jessica Heasley, group editor and publisher of Event Marketer.

Participants received kits that included building bricks, magazine cutouts, glue and stickers, and they listened to Beyoncé on vinyl while they worked together in pairs on their proposals or visual concepts. Circulating the room were three guest industry mentors to provide feedback (à la “The Great British Baking Show”), before the top campaign ideas were presented to the group.

The “Trends in Experiential Exhibits” panel featured speakers (from left) Amy Sondrup of Access TCA, Kate Alter of Philips Healthcare, Sarah Jensen of Toshiba, and Aaron Conk of Delta Faucet Company.

The “Trade Show Exhibits x Experiential = The Future” Master Class featured a “Beyond Booths” session with Jon Wolff, global events manager for Lenovo’s Solutions and Services Group, who shared insights on how exhibits are evolving and a practical guide to making brand stories stand out through innovative displays. Continuing the conversation, a panel of corporate exhibit marketers spoke on the future of experiential in exhibit spaces.

Lastly, the EMS Executive Forum pre-conference, hosted by InVision Communications and designed for brand-side marketers, centered on creating personalized and differentiated brand experiences that appeal to audiences across generational divides.

ACTION IN THE HALL OF IDEAS

The puppy park saw a lot of attendee traffic to pet and play with the dogs.

Following an afternoon of education sessions, attendees had their first chance to explore the Hall of Ideas and interact with exhibitors at the Opening Reception, plus get an up-close look at a Tesla Cybertruck brought in by Electrify Expo. From custom hats to printed tote bags to phone charms, participants got their swag on while enjoying cocktails and sweet treats at booths, like cotton candy and popcorn. Taco bars stationed in the aisles offered a savory snack.

A hit last year, the puppy park returned to EMS, offering attendees even more canine cuddles. The white picket-fenced, grassy corral was a hot spot at the reception, with dogs clamoring for pets and toy time. New for this year, EMS jumped on the pickleball craze, with a full court right on the show floor, and on day one, it was already bringing out attendees’ competitive spirit. They came to play.

A big draw of the night was the vintage concert t-shirt contest hosted at the Highmark Hub. Eleven participants showed out with tees representing The Rolling Stones, Britney Spears, Spice Girls, NSYNC, Woodstock, Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin and even some local bands near and dear to their hearts. Decided by audience cheers, the winner received a $75 Ticketmaster gift card, and fans of The Smiths turned out to lead its t-shirt wearer to victory.

‘EX-A-PALOOZA’

Ex Award attendees added to their festival attire with tattoo-inspired art.

Keeping the music theme going, we were living for all the festival chic looks that showed up at Event Marketer’s 22^nd annual Ex Awards Gala. Flower crowns, crochet tops, rhinestone jeans, sparkly cowboy boots, bandanas and tropical suits made an appearance at the ceremony, and attendees got tattoo-inspired art painted onto their hands and arms. They showed off their outfits in a photo op pulled from the festival scene that displayed their auras in four-photo GIFs and prints. The good vibes continued through the night as winners were announced, with interludes of Taylor Swift’s greatest hits, particularly her “22” song, and dance breaks.

This year’s program drew more than 1,000 entries from around the world, with brands including ABC, Amazon Studios, Bayer, Cadillac, Caterpillar, Dell, Frito-Lay, Paramount+, Salesforce and YouTube ultimately adding to their trophy cases. But it was Taco Bell and a cast of partners—Biite, Edelman, Uncommon, Cyrano Rox and Little Cinema—that took home the highest honor, the Grand Ex Award, for “Live Más Live.”

“Like an Apple launch for a taco, the event hyped a year’s worth of innovation announcements in a single event… and combined brand announcements with entertainment and access like never before for consumers,” said Rachel Boucher, head of content at Event Marketer, during the ceremony. “It epitomizes what a hybrid experience can be and might make you rethink your campaign timelines and touchpoints altogether.”

The Grand Ex Award went to Taco Bell and its partners for “Live Más Live.”

Attendees cheered on their peers with the same energy shown to headlining artists at Coachella, and we were here for it, especially as winning teams strutted and danced down the catwalk, where they were met with a modelesque fan-blowing moment and paparazzi shots.

HALL OF FAME

During the Ex Awards ceremony, Event Marketer also named a new inductee into its Experiential Marketing Hall of Fame: Alex Sapiz, svp-corporate marketing at Cisco. Sapiz was chosen for an array of contributions she’s made to the modern event program as a global events leader, from attendee wellness to attendee choice, personalization and engagement tracking. But above all, Event Marketer editors recognized Sapiz for being a champion of measurement practice. She was honored in a special segment that featured a surprise compilation of video messages from her colleagues—most of whom called Sapiz “the G.O.A.T.”—and received the Experiential Marketing Hall of Fame “Golden Badge.”

Alex Sapiz, svp-corporate marketing at Cisco, was inducted into the Experiential Marketing Hall of Fame.

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