Client: Popcorn PR
Brands: Babybel x Comic Relief
Industry: Brand Activation / Experiential Marketing / Charity Fundraising
Location: Manchester City Centre, UK
Event: Babybel 2025 Comic Relief Fundraising Campaign
Event type: Public Brand Activation / Charity Fundraiser
Campaign: ‘Kind of Good’
Audience: General public
Big Foot services: Modular Ball Pit, branded activation, bespoke branded balls, installation, site surveys, RAMS, temporary power, security, crowd management and de-rig
The Brief
We helped bring Babybel’s ‘Kind of Good’ campaign to life in Manchester city centre with a giant Ball Pit designed to put the fun into fundraising.
Research revealed that nearly half of Brits have forgotten how to have fun. Babybel set out to change that while raising funds for Comic Relief.
For Babybel’s 2025 fundraising campaign, our client wanted a standout activation that would remind the public to embrace fun, all while supporting a great cause.
The result needed to be bold, playful, instantly recognisable and capable of attracting attention in the heart of Manchester.
The Challenge
No event comes without its unique challenges, and this installation was no exception.
There was no power provision on site, and the council did not permit generators, creating complications for powering the photobooth and ball hoovers.
The location itself posed issues, being on a slope with a camber, which required careful planning for safe and level installation.
The site was also one of Manchester’s busiest pedestrian streets, demanding precise logistics and effective crowd management.
Finally, the tight production schedule meant everything had to be installed and ready ahead of the morning rush, requiring a 2:30am start and additional crew.
The Solution
To overcome the power limitations, we sourced temporary battery power for the photobooth kit to keep the guest experience seamless.
With ball hoovers off the table due to their energy demands, our dedicated crew packed away all 65,000 balls by hand, ensuring a smooth and timely de-rig.
Our team conducted detailed site surveys to plan equipment positioning and ballast requirements, guaranteeing a safe and level installation on the sloped surface.
We implemented full site-specific RAMS and brought in additional SIA security to manage pedestrian flow and maintain safety throughout.
The tight production schedule was met with an expanded crew, starting on site at 2:30am, ensuring everything was ready well before the city woke up and the public arrived to dive in.
What Big Foot Events Delivered
For the Babybel x Comic Relief activation in Manchester city centre, Big Foot Events provided:
The Result
A little bit of fun can do a lot of good.
Our team installed a fully-branded Modular Ball Pit measuring 10m x 5m, filled with 65,000 balls – including a mix of red balls and special Babybel-branded balls – to create an unmissable immersive experience in Manchester city centre.
For every branded ball found, an extra £1 was donated to Comic Relief, proving that fun can do good too.
To kickstart the activation, Love Island star Chloe Burrows joined in the fun, encouraging the public to dive in and rediscover the joy of having fun.
This playful fundraising activation provided play with purpose, with Babybel donating an overall £150,000 to Comic Relief.
The campaign reached an impressive 99 million people (and counting!) through national media coverage, including standout features in The Sun, Mirror, Express, Star and Metro.
The activation brought smiles, nostalgia and a clear message that fun has no age limit – all while making a real difference for Comic Relief.
Our client shared some wonderful feedback:
‘We just wanted to pop you a note to say a HUGE thank you for all your hard work! The Ball Pit went down so well and it all looked amazing.’
– Popcorn PR
Key Facts
Client: Popcorn PR
Brands: Babybel x Comic Relief
Campaign: ‘Kind of Good’
Location: Manchester City Centre, UK
Event type: Public brand activation / Charity fundraiser
Ball Pit size: 10m x 5m
Number of balls: 65,000
Bespoke elements: Babybel-branded balls
Fundraising mechanic: Additional £1 donated for every branded ball found
Celebrity guest: Chloe Burrows
Overall Babybel donation: £150,000 to Comic Relief
Reported campaign reach: 99 million people and counting
Production: Site survey, RAMS, temporary power, security, installation and de-rig
Event delivery: Big Foot Events
What This Project Demonstrates
The Babybel x Comic Relief activation demonstrates Big Foot Events’ ability to deliver large-scale branded activations and experiential installations in Manchester and across the North West.
For this project in Manchester city centre, we didn’t simply supply a Ball Pit. Our team carried out detailed site surveys, planned for a challenging sloped location, provided site-specific RAMS, sourced a temporary power solution, coordinated additional SIA security, installed a 10m x 5m Modular Ball Pit containing 65,000 balls and managed the complete de-rig.
The project also demonstrates our ability to work with PR agencies, experiential agencies and major brands to turn creative concepts into safe, practical and eye-catching public experiences – even when the location, power supply and production schedule present a few extra challenges!
Our Modular Ball Pit system is fully customisable, from branded side panels and balls to immersive backdrops, creating eye-catching marketing moments destined for social media. For the ultimate shareable experience, our Photobooth Ball Pit captures top-down shots that guests can instantly download.
For brands and agencies looking for branded activations, Modular Ball Pits and experiential entertainment in Manchester, the North West or elsewhere throughout the UK, Big Foot Events can deliver everything from the physical equipment and bespoke branding through to installation, on-site operation and de-rig.
Thank you to our wonderful client and to everyone who jumped in for a great cause.
