Each summer, New Orleans pulses with energy as nearly half a million people converge for the ESSENCE Festival — the nation’s largest celebration of Black culture, empowerment, and entertainment. It’s more than a festival; it’s a cultural moment. By day, guests dive into seminars on empowerment and community. By night, the city lights up with unforgettable performances from music legends.
For years, Walmart has been a committed partner of this vibrant event, creating experiences that connect, educate, and entertain. In 2018, they brought on Bluewater to help elevate their presence to the next level.
Walmart needed more than a tradeshow booth — they needed an immersive, high-traffic environment that could flex from daytime engagement to Gospel Sunday performances, attract attention across the exhibition hall, and provide space for a variety of branded experiences. It had to be bold, interactive, and truly memorable.
Bluewater set out to design an open, flexible, and visually dynamic space. The booth featured:
- A stunning LED backdrop with four massive video walls broken up by branded graphics
- A sweeping LED ribbon across the front to give visual depth and polish
- A layout built to handle high foot traffic and transform seamlessly into a performance stage on Sunday
But it wasn’t just about the look — it was about engagement. Bluewater developed five interactive activations that made Walmart’s booth a true destination:
Endless Aisle Runner
Guests raced each other as virtual Walmart associates in a custom game using pressure-sensitive platforms and Microsoft Kinect, combining physical movement with digital interaction.
#ReignOn Selfie Wall
A visual celebration featuring an ornate throne and Queen-themed card backdrops, perfect for DIY or guided photos — all tagged with #ReignOn and shared widely on social.
“I AM” Photo Experience
Using Intel RealSense tech, attendees were surrounded by affirming words in a personalized digital portrait, instantly emailed using ShareBot Sync.
Social Wall
Real-time content from attendees using Walmart’s hashtags was pulled into a live display via TagBoard, keeping the booth connected and current throughout the weekend.
Lead Capture
Walmart ambassadors used custom tablets to register over 3,200 unique attendees — data that was sent directly to Walmart’s CRM for ongoing engagement.
Everything came together on Gospel Sunday, when the booth became a stage — literally. Crowds gathered as the space transformed into a live performance zone, powered by the same AV and lighting elements that made the rest of the booth shine all weekend long. The energy was electric, the attendance was overwhelming, and the experience, unforgettable.
The result? A Best Consumer Environment award for Walmart at ESSENCE Festival 2018. More importantly, thousands of attendees left the booth with a deeper connection to the brand — having been seen, celebrated, and inspired.
Walmart’s partnership with ESSENCE Festival isn’t just about presence — it’s about purpose. With Bluewater’s help, their 2018 booth didn’t just stand out; it stood for something: empowerment, innovation, and meaningful connection. It was a space that echoed the heart of the festival — and the community it celebrates.
