Experiential marketing agency for New York City
New York is our second home market. Our New York team produces pop-ups, premieres, launches and live shows across Manhattan and beyond, with venues, permits and crews handled locally.
Photo: Adobe Stock #133285242
Experiential marketing in New York City
AGENC's story starts in New York. Before founding the agency, Cara Kleinhaut worked as an in-house event producer at Sony Music in the city (I Want Her Job), and New York has been one of our two home markets ever since. As an experiential marketing agency in New York, we work at street level: a corner storefront in SoHo, a plaza in the Meatpacking District, a rooftop on the East River.
The city rewards foot traffic more than any other market we produce in. A well-placed pop-up is seen by thousands of people who never planned to visit it. Our Miss Dior Millefiori pop-up at Gansevoort Plaza logged more than 32,000 pedestrian impressions in five days and sold out daily. That only works if the build can be read from across the street, the queue moves, and the people inside have something to make, taste or take home.
New York also runs on a media calendar. Fashion Week, upfronts and NewFronts, and premiere season all bring press and buyers into the same few neighborhoods. We time launches to those weeks when it helps (J.Crew's 40th anniversary party kicked off fashion week) and avoid them when a client needs the city's attention to itself. See more on our work page or read about our brand activation services.
Recent work in New York City
Miss Dior Millefiori NYFW pop-up
A structure modeled on the Miss Dior bottle with a video wall, mirror room, Dior café and bouquet bar. It sold out daily and won BizBash Gold for Best Beauty Brand.
J.Crew 40th anniversary
Five days and 5,000+ guests at the pier where J.Crew opened its first store, ending with The Strokes on the Pier 17 rooftop.
Hourglass x Barneys New York
A 38-consumer-day retail pop-up for Hourglass's 20th anniversary with 45+ rotating designers and a revival of Fred's Cafe.
Hourglass Unreal Blush with Andrés Reisinger
Three days inside pink-hued drapes designed with the artist, with product launches and a limited mystery box.
Supergoop! SoHo News Stand
A takeover of the SoHo newsstand that kicked off a Sunshine Shack tour of 10 festival stops and 40,000 samples.
The New York Times NewFronts
The Times' first live NewFronts show since 2019, with stage design and touchpoints for News, Games, Cooking, Wirecutter and The Athletic.
LoveShackFancy x Stanley Pinkmas
A one-day holiday pop-up with ballet and hot chocolate that drew thousands of fans.
Photo: @weareagenc on Instagram
Perelel mint truck
A two-day launch from a custom mint truck serving slushies and popsicles across Manhattan neighborhoods.
Photo: @weareagenc on Instagram
New York permits, calendar and districts
Street events need a SAPO permit
Commercial and promotional events on city streets need a permit from the Street Activity Permit Office. Fees are per location, per day, and lead times grow with size (NYC CECM):
- Small: $3,100, apply at least 14 days ahead
- Medium: $11,000, at least 30 days ahead
- Large: $25,000, at least 45 days ahead
- Extra large: $66,000, up to 60 days ahead
Every tier requires at least $1 million in liability insurance. Private plazas, storefronts and rooftops avoid the street process but bring their own landlord and building approvals.
Fashion week
The September 2026 NYFW calendar ran September 9 to 15 with about 70 runway shows and presentations, opening with Ralph Lauren and Coach and closing with Thom Browne (V Magazine). Brand pop-ups around fashion week compete for the same editors, so placement and timing matter as much as the build.
After the World Cup
The 2026 World Cup final was played at MetLife Stadium on July 19. The planned Liberty State Park fan festival was canceled in favor of smaller community events (NBC New York), and Rockefeller Center turned its rink into a pitch for a Telemundo fan village (NBC New York). Brands went to the water and the transit hubs: a Don Julio 1942 megayacht at Chelsea Piers and Stella Artois at Brookfield Place (Event Marketer).
Formats that work in New York City
SoHo corner and storefront pop-ups
Short-run retail builds on Prince, Spring and the surrounding blocks, designed to be read from the sidewalk and to move a line through quickly.
Pictured: Hourglass Blush Popup x Andrés Reisinger
Fashion week retail
Multi-week concept stores like Hourglass x Barneys that open into NYFW traffic, then hold the space with rotating designers, VIP nights and panels.
Pictured: Miss Dior Millefiori NYFW Popup
Premieres and after-parties
Screenings, pink carpets and after-parties for streamers, such as our Prime Video work on ELLE, Butterfly and Young Sherlock.
Pictured: Rings of Power Global Premieres
Neighborhood sampling runs
Trucks and street teams that cover several neighborhoods in a day, planned around curb rules, parking and where the target customer actually walks.
Pictured: Supergoop! Sunshine Shack
Stage shows for advertisers
NewFronts and upfront-style presentations where a media brand has one shot to show buyers its whole portfolio.
Pictured: InStyle ImageMakers Awards
Case studies from New York City
Drunk ElephantMulti-City Product Launch Tour | Drunk Elephant
Hourglass x Barneys New YorkHourglass x Barneys at NYFW
J.CrewJ.Crew 40th Anniversary Block Party- Hourglass CosmeticsHourglass Blush Popup x Andrés Reisinger
Supergoop!Supergoop! Sunshine Shack
DiorMiss Dior Millefiori NYFW Popup
ONYX CollectiveONYX Deli Boys Integrated Campaign
Questions we hear
Other cities we produce in
- Los AngelesExperiential marketing in Los Angeles→
- New York CityExperiential marketing in New York City→
- MiamiExperiential marketing in Miami→
- AtlantaExperiential marketing in Atlanta→
- ChicagoExperiential marketing in Chicago→
- HoustonExperiential marketing in Houston→
- DallasExperiential marketing in Dallas→
- MilwaukeeExperiential marketing in Milwaukee→
- NashvilleExperiential marketing in Nashville→
Let's work together
We're excited to connect! Drop us a line and we'll reach out to set up an intro call.