Custom wraps design for Experiential Marketing: How We Wrapped Hot Urns for Diageo’s Boxpark Christmas Activation
Meta Title: Custom Wraps Design for Experiential Marketing | Vinyl Wrapping Specialists London
Meta Description: Discover how Project Print Management created bespoke vinyl wraps for Diageo’s festive hot urns at Boxpark. Learn why custom wraps are essential for experiential marketing campaigns.
Introduction: Turning Everyday Objects into Branded Experiences
In the world of experiential marketing, brands are constantly searching for creative ways to capture attention and engage audiences. Sometimes, the most memorable branded moments come from the most unexpected objects. For Project Print Management, one of the most unique projects of the year involved creating custom wraps design for a collection of hot beverage urns—a far cry from the typical vehicle wraps or large-format installations we produce.
This project was commissioned by Diageo, one of the world’s leading beverage alcohol companies, as part of a festive brand activation held at Boxpark during the Christmas season. Their goal was simple: turn functional hot liquid urns into striking, eye-catching branded elements that seamlessly connected with their holiday campaign.
What followed was a specialist vinyl wrapping project that blended creativity, technical skill, and problem-solving—demonstrating how versatile custom wraps can be in modern marketing.
The Brief: Branding 10–30 Hot Urns for a Festive Alcohol Activation
In September, Diageo approached Project Print Management with a unique challenge:
Could we design and produce custom vinyl wraps for up to thirty hot liquid urns?
These urns, which would dispense festive alcoholic beverages, needed to become an integral part of Boxpark’s holiday atmosphere. This meant:
Bold, festive, unmistakably Diageo branding
Durable vinyl wraps that could withstand heat from the operating urns
A premium finish that matched the quality of Diageo’s well-known brands
Quick turnaround, as installation deadlines were tight
Precise technical work, including removing and reassembling components
For us, this brief was not only achievable—it was a chance to demonstrate how effective custom wraps design can be in experiential and engagement marketing campaigns.
Who Is Diageo? A Global Icon in Alcohol Beverages
Diageo is one of the most recognisable names in the beverage industry. Operating in more than 180 countries, the company owns over 200 major brands, including:
Guinness
Johnnie Walker
Baileys
Smirnoff
Tanqueray
Their marketing campaigns are known for creativity, innovation, and top-tier production quality. So when Diageo launches a brand activation—especially during the high-traffic Christmas season—it must make an impact. The branded urns would be placed across Boxpark’s bustling venues, serving thousands of visitors attending seasonal events, street food pop-ups, live entertainment, and festive celebrations.
To deliver on this vision, the custom wraps needed to look flawless.
Why Custom Wraps Design Matters in Experiential Marketing
Experiential marketing—also known as engagement marketing—is about creating immersive brand experiences in real-world environments. It relies on sensory interaction, visual storytelling, and physical touch points that bring brands to life.
In this context, custom vinyl wraps play a crucial role:
1. They turn ordinary objects into branded assets
From hot urns to shipping containers, custom wraps instantly transform functional surfaces into impactful brand touchpoints.
2. They reinforce brand identity
Consistent colours, logos, and design elements help cement the brand in the minds of customers during live events.
3. They make activations more photogenic
In the social media era, beautifully wrapped elements become Instagram-ready props—driving organic reach.
4. They create cohesive visual experiences
Uniformly branded objects help event spaces look curated and intentional, enhancing the customer journey.
5. They offer cost-effective customisation
Vinyl wraps are far more affordable than bespoke manufacturing—and they’re removable, making them ideal for temporary campaigns.
Diageo’s Christmas activation excelled because it leveraged all of these advantages.
Custom wraps design: Our Expertise in Wrapping the Unusual
At Project Print Management, we specialise in unusual wrapping projects. Since starting in vehicle wrapping back in 1995, we’ve wrapped everything from:
Trailers and vans
Construction site equipment
Freestanding installations
Retail fixtures
Art structures
Appliances
Temporary structures for marketing events
This long history means we’ve seen vinyl technology evolve dramatically. When we first began wrapping vehicles, the available films required painstaking application techniques. Today’s vinyl, particularly airflow adhesive (easy-apply) vinyl, allows for:
Faster installation
Reduced air bubbles
Cleaner repositioning
More durable finishes
Enhanced colour accuracy
Our printers—using solvent and latex technology—produce high-resolution, vibrant wraps that hold up even in challenging environments. This made them perfect for Diageo’s urns, which needed to look premium and festive while withstanding frequent handling and heat output.
The Wrapping Process: Precision, Preparation, and Technical Expertise
Wrapping a hot liquid urn is not as simple as wrapping a flat panel or a vehicle. These units contain components that must remain functional, safe, and accessible.
Our process included several specialist steps:
1. Full Component Disassembly
To achieve a seamless finish, we removed:
Handles
Taps
Lids
Drip trays
Buttons and surrounds
Rubber or plastic fittings
This left only the external metal shell—a perfect surface for applying vinyl.
2. Surface Preparation
Proper surface cleaning and degreasing ensures:
Strong adhesion
Smooth application
Long-term durability
Even minor imperfections can affect the final finish, so this stage is critical.
3. Designing the Custom Wraps
Our design team worked with Diageo’s branding guidelines, creating wraps that:
Matched their holiday theme
Showcased their product lines
Stayed consistent with campaign visuals
Appealed to the Boxpark demographic
4. High-Resolution Printing
Using latex or solvent printers, we produced vibrant, durable graphics suitable for indoor and heated environments.
5. Careful Application by Skilled Wrappers
Due to the curved shape of the urns, the vinyl had to be applied with:
Heat guns for conformability
Expert stretching techniques
Precision trimming
Patience and experience
Our team specialises in complex geometries—this is where our decades of wrapping knowledge truly shine.
6. Reassembling All Components
Once wrapped, we reinstalled every component and tested each urn to ensure:
All taps functioned smoothly
Heat settings operated correctly
Safety features remained intact
Only after a full operational check were the urns approved for Diageo’s activation.
The Result: Festive, Eye-Catching Urns That Elevated the Boxpark Experience
The finished urns were delivered in time for installation at Boxpark Shoreditch, Boxpark Wembley, and Boxpark Croydon—three of London’s most vibrant cultural hubs.
The custom wraps:
Enhanced the festive atmosphere
Created branded moments across each venue
Made the drinks service feel immersive and premium
Aligned perfectly with Diageo’s seasonal campaign
Attracted attention from visitors and social media sharers
For Boxpark, which prides itself on dynamic street food, entertainment, and cultural events, the branded urns added another layer of visual excitement to their Christmas programming.
About Boxpark: A Hub for Food, Drinks, and Creativity
Boxpark is known for its innovative blend of street food, bars, and live entertainment, nestled inside urban pop-up environments built from repurposed shipping containers.
There are currently three locations:
Boxpark Shoreditch – the original site, a cultural hotspot for food and nightlife
Boxpark Croydon – offering a vibrant suburban destination with events and street food
Boxpark Wembley – a major entertainment venue near the stadium, hosting large-scale events
Each location attracts thousands of visitors weekly, making Boxpark an ideal platform for high-visibility experiential marketing campaigns. Diageo’s branded urns were a perfect fit for these lively, community-focused settings.
Why Brands Should Consider Custom wraps design for Product Activations
As marketing becomes more competitive, brands must work harder to stand out. Custom wraps design offers an affordable, flexible, and highly visual solution for temporary and permanent branding projects.
Key Advantages for Brands:
Quick to produce and install
Suitable for nearly any surface or shape
Cost-effective compared to custom manufacturing
Fully removable without damage
Ideal for short-term events or seasonal promotions
Creates memorable, photogenic brand moments
Helps unify the look and feel of large activations
From a single wrapped object to a full set of branded equipment, vinyl wraps allow brands to create immersive experiences with minimal disruption.
Custom Wraps Design That Brings Experiential Campaigns to Life
The Diageo Boxpark project is a perfect example of how creative thinking and technical expertise can transform everyday objects into high-impact marketing tools. What began as a request to wrap hot liquid urns became a standout activation piece that enriched the festive atmosphere, delighted visitors, and delivered powerful brand visibility.
At Project Print Management, we pride ourselves on being specialists in unusual vinyl wrapping projects—whether it’s vehicles, equipment, appliances, or bespoke installations for experiential marketing.
If your brand is looking to elevate an event, product launch, or activation with custom wraps, we’re ready to turn your ideas into reality.
About BOXPARK:
For more information on our print project please visit our blog page. For more Custom wraps design please visit here.
