Picture a shopping mall in its 1980s heyday and what comes to mind could be the Sherman Oaks Galleria, a San Fernando Valley landmark namedropped in Frank Zappa’s “Valley Girl” that also served as a filming location for “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” The mall was even a stomping ground for author Bret Easton Elllis in his teen days, a time and place recreated in his autofictional novel “The Shards,” which has been adapted into a series for FX by prolific producer Ryan Murphy.
To bring the world of “The Shards” to life, FX on Aug. 1-2 will host an experiential activation at the Galleria that offers guests a chance to revisit the highlights of an ‘80s-era mall. The activation, done in collaboration with brands Maybelline and Licorice Pizza, is at the confluence of several consumer and marketing trends including Gen Z nostalgia and the return of both the mall and experiential marketing.
“[‘The Shards’] is rooted in so many elements of the '80s that are of interest to audiences today: the element of analog, third spaces, mall culture,” said Kenya Hardaway, senior vice president of integrated promotions and multi-platform marketing at FX. “There was a great opportunity to lean into that, and as the Sherman Oaks Galleria is such an iconic space in Southern California that’s part of the story that's being told, we felt it was a perfect location.”
Guests at the Galleria pop-up can swipe a collectible credit card and participate in a series of interactive experiences. Licorice Pizza, the record store chain founded in 1969 that closed in the late ‘80s and reopened several years ago, will host a period-specific vinyl listening station powered by RadioShack. At Maybelline’s Fit Me Matching Kiosk, makeup artists will help guests find the right shade of foundation and provide other glam-ready products.
The activation also includes an arcade, photo booth and t-shirt customization station. Guests can get a sneak peek of the series as part of a retro movie theater photo op and enjoy free soft serve by Creamy Boys Ice Cream, a Los Angeles chain founded in 2020.
“We really wanted the primary stores and retail and engagements that guests would typically find in an early '80s mall setting,” Hardaway said. “We have a great mix of partners: not only ones that were available in the 80s, but ones who are currently trending with our audience and were able to help us create a retro moment, like Creamy Boys.”
Gen Z consumers have helped revive malls across America, with the cohort’s share of foot traffic at malls increasing 57% year over year, according to PwC. The return of mall culture has animated recent back-to-school efforts by youth-focused brands including American Eagle and Aéropostale and arrives alongside a resurgence in experiential marketing that was sidelined during the pandemic.
“Modern-day mall culture started in the '80s. That's really when you startd to see the birth of these really large mall complexes being a destination for young adults. It had a time where it faded a bit, and we're starting to see that come back,” Hardaway said. “It was an opportunity for us to highlight that culture, those environments and some of the activities that would have been rooted in mall culture in the early 80s.”
The galleria experience looks to engage two groups: a younger, Gen Z audience hungry for the pre-digital world and an older cohort that remembers the Sherman Oaks Galleria of yore. That cross-generational approach puts FX in line with other marketers that have looked to use nostalgia in marketing efforts in the last few years.
“The Shards,” premiering Aug. 5 on FX and Hulu, is a series in the Murphy mold: a soapy drama heavy on sex and violence that follows a group of privileged high school seniors at the dawn of the Reagan ‘80s. The galleria experience builds on the show’s other marketing efforts, including print, out-of-home and digital content, and will be extended through partnerships with influencers and other content creators.
“Our hope is that we'll be able to engage audiences across multiple platforms, continue to put storytelling at the forefront, and give some access points for fans and our potential audience to join us along the way as we head into the premiere,” Hardaway said.
