A Sweet Return: Scentbird, Drift, and Strawberry Shortcake's Experiential Marketing Partnerships

A Sweet Collaboration

In a landscape where trends shift rapidly, nostalgia has become a creative anchor for brands seeking emotional connection. By tapping into Strawberry Shortcake’s legacy and reintroducing it through scent, Scentbird and Drift didn’t just revive a beloved character—they reignited a feeling.

Last year’s launch of Strawberry Shortcake x Scentbird was a runaway success, going viral across social media and earning widespread acclaim for its playful, memory-triggering scent. This fall, Scentbird builds on that momentum with the debut of Strawberry Shortcake Eau Fresh Picked—a new chapter in the collaboration that reimagines the fragrance with a multi-sensory twist. Regatta supported the rollout by developing partnerships and experiences that connected fans and media to the story behind the scent.

But this campaign didn’t rely on nostalgia alone. The Strawberry Shortcake x Scentbird was crafted using Scentbird’s EmotiWaves™ technology, a scent innovation designed to activate neural pathways associated with positive memories. By intentionally pairing nostalgic fragrance notes with emotion-triggering technology, Scentbird transformed scent into storytelling you could feel.

The campaign’s essence was captured perfectly in one line:

“It’s not just a fragrance—it’s a memory in a bottle.”

Kick-Off: Milk Bar NYC

This fall, media and influencers gathered at Milk Bar NYC for a sweet, multi-sensory kickoff. Guests experienced the new scents, met Misty and Strawberry Shortcake, and decorated cakes inspired by fragrance notes.

Why it mattered: This wasn’t just a demo. With Regatta’s support in experiential strategy and partnerships, it became a content engine. Attendees naturally became brand advocates, sharing photos, videos, and stories that amplified the launch across social media, creating authentic buzz that carried the campaign well beyond the event.

                                          

Media & Influencer Highlights

The Milk Bar NYC kickoff didn’t just happen at the venue—it rippled across social media and digital press, creating a layered amplification strategy that blended traditional media coverage with creators. Influencers like @dishingdaily, @eatingalonediaries, and @ms_katie_baby shared Instagram Stories and social content featuring Misty and Strawberry Shortcake, spreading excitement beyond the event itself.

On the media side, representatives from Allure, Byrdie, CNN, Forbes, Glamour, NBC Universal, among others, captured the launch through Stories and social posts, highlighting the playful, multi-sensory nature of the collaboration.

This collective storytelling amplified the brand’s voice across platforms organically and at scale, ensuring the launch of Strawberry Shortcake Eau Fresh Picked and the Drift Home Scent Diffuser resonated widely. The momentum was part of a broader, multi-channel campaign, including immersive on-site experiences, social-first storytelling, and interactive giveaways where each touchpoint reinforced the launch story, creating a fully immersive, memorable, and shareable experience.

                                

NY Comic Con Comes Alive

The activation didn’t stop at Milk Bar. NYC Comic Con brought the Strawberry Shortcake world to life:

• Street Team Engagement: Brand ambassadors handed out samples of Eau Fresh Picked and Eau de Parfum, letting fans try before they share.
• Mascot Magic: Misty and Strawberry Shortcake created playful photo opportunities and organic content capture.
• Social-Driven Giveaways: Drift Home Scent Diffuser giveaways and interview-style interactions encouraged fans to engage and post their experiences online.
  

By combining sampling, immersive branding, and social amplification, the campaign transformed attendees into active participants—fans who were not just experiencing the brand, but sharing it and spreading the story.

Lessons in Sensory Marketing

Fragrance has a unique ability to trigger memory, and when paired with immersive experiences, it transforms audiences into enthusiastic participants rather than passive consumers. Strawberry Shortcake brings the story, and Scentbird and Drift bring the tangible experience together, creating a bridge between imagination and reality. Fans aren’t just discovering a fragrance; they’re stepping into a world, sharing memories, and generating content that extends the narrative.

This is modern experiential marketing: campaigns that don’t just promote, they activate culture. By combining scent, storytelling, and interactive experiences, brands create emotional touchpoints that stick, turning products into memories, audiences into advocates, and moments into movements.

                                    

From Fragrance to Fandom

The Scentbird and Drift x Strawberry Shortcake campaign shows that today’s strongest marketing goes beyond product placement. Fragrance becomes a gateway to experience. Events generate social buzz. Fans become brand ambassadors. And every touchpoint leaves a lasting emotional impression. This proves nostalgia isn’t just a creative theme — it’s a strategy.

             

Ready to create a campaign that leaves a lasting impression?

At Regatta, we believe the most memorable campaigns are the ones people can feel, share, and live. With this collaboration, Scentbird and Drift set a new standard for multi-sensory, culture-driven marketing — proving that story, scent, and strategy can combine into a campaign that’s as playful as it is powerful.

If you’re interested in exploring partnership opportunities with our client, Scentbird, or curious about how to build campaigns that resonate, we’d love to connect.

Download our white paper: Unlocking the Power of Marketing Partnerships.