Smurfs takeover for Dubai Shopping Festival 2024

A three-week Smurfs activation across the mall for the Dubai Shopping Festival, built around a magic-forest activity area with Papa Smurf's house, an AR mirror that turned visitors into Smurfs, a mirror maze and craft games, plus a 25-minute 'Smurf-tastic Science Fair' stage show and character meet-and-greets. Run with Dubai Calendar and the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, licensed from IMPS and produced by EventBox.

The brief

Families visiting Dubai malls during the Dubai Shopping Festival 2024.

The idea

For three weeks the mall built a Smurfs magic forest with Papa Smurf's house, an augmented-reality mirror turning visitors into Smurfs and a mirror maze, plus a stage show and character meetings.

What to borrow

A licensed character world gives families a reason to stay at a mall longer than a shopping trip.