I turned cardboard & sticky notes into a crowd at Navy Pier

Last weekend, I hosted a brand activation at Navy Pier.

If you’re not familiar, Navy Pier is one of Chicago’s most iconic destinations. Sitting right on Lake Michigan, it welcomes millions of visitors each year who come for the views, restaurants, attractions, events, and local shopping.

Late last year, I was honored to be accepted into Local Soul, a small business kiosk at Navy Pier that features products from local makers and artists. I was recommended for the opportunity, went through an interview process, and was thrilled to be selected.

Then came the question: how do I get complete strangers, families, groups of friends, couples on dates, and tourists from all over the world to stop and listen to me talk about my little candle brand?

About 12 hours before the event, I felt like I was back in high school staring at a project due tomorrow. I had no idea what I was going to do.

For those unfamiliar, a brand activation is basically an interactive pop-up experience. Instead of setting up a table and hoping people buy something, you create an experience that allows people to engage with your brand. I kept thinking about what I wanted people to understand about Astra & Arrow. Not that I make hand-poured candles or that they smell good. I wanted people to experience the foundationof my brand: that fragrance is connected to feelings.

And then it hit me: Don’t make people listen to me talk. Let the people do the talking!

So I taped together a bunch of cardboard, covered the back with wrapping paper, covered the front with glittery reflective paper, grabbed neon sticky notes and markers, and just like that, the Scent Wall was born.

The idea was simple: smell a candle, write how it makes you feel, and add it to the wall.

I packed up my portable diffuser, led candles, free gifts, cold eucalyptus towels, and headed to Navy Pier.

Of course, a beautiful summer day meant way more people on the road than I anticipated. My activation was scheduled from 12:30-3:30 PM. At 12:10 PM I finally found parking, loaded everything into my wagon, and headed for the elevator.

The doors closed. The elevator dropped slightly, then it stopped. Nothing else happened. No buttons worked, and doors wouldn’t open.

I was stuck in a parking garage elevator on the fifth floor with a wagon full of what looked like a fourth-grade art fair project.

Thankfully, after what felt like forever, the doors finally opened. I hurried into the next elevator with a random family and my trusty wagon.

Success!!

Until I realized I had exited at the complete opposite end of Navy Pier.

So, at 12:25 PM I was weaving through crowds of families, vendors, and tourists trying to get to Local Soul. Honestly though, a busy day meant a better day for the activation.

I was fully set up by 12:35 PM.

At first, things were a little awkward. I had a QR code for my newsletter, cold eucalyptus towels, free gifts, candles, sticky notes, and a wall that only made complete sense in my head.

Then a few people stopped, which gave me time to clarify my messaging and what the heck I was doing there.  Eventually I found my rhythm: 

“Hi! I’m Anna. I hand-pour these candles in my studio in Bucktown, and I sell them right over there.”

I’d point toward my display inside Local Soul.

“My brand is built on the idea that feelings are connected to fragrance. If you’ll smell these candles, write down how they make you feel, and add your note to the wall, I’ll give you a free gift.”

As people smelled the candles, I shared one of my favorite facts: your sense of smell is the only sense directly connected to the parts of the brain responsible for memory, emotion, and mood.

The exercise wasn’t really about candles. It was about noticing what a scent brought up. A memory, feeling, mood, or moment that had been tucked away for years.

And the responses were fascinating! People weren’t just smelling candles. They were remembering things!! 

A couple scents reminded people of their parents or grandparents. Another brought someone back to studying in a library, a young child said they thought of camping with their family. One person said it felt like sitting in their sunroom listening to rain on a summer afternoon. Others shared memories of their teenage years, old friendships, favorite vacations, and moments they hadn’t thought about in years.

Adults and children alike described feeling happy, relaxed, calm, nostalgic, comforted, and joyful. A couple of my favorite responses were “Juicy” and “Free.” Another sticky note simply said, “Attached to Love”, the older gentleman who wrote that was absolutely giddy about the whole experience. 

There was so much laughter, so many smiles, and over and over I got to hear “Oh my gosh, this takes me back…”

What followed was rarely a conversation about candles. It was stories about people, places, memories, and how those moments made them feel. Which is exactly why I started Astra & Arrow in the first place.

One thing that surprised me was how many people asked if there was a catch. When I explained that all I wanted them to do was smell a candle and share how it made them feel, they immediately relaxed and said yes.

Another thing I noticed was that in groups of friends and couples, one person would usually step forward first while everyone else hung back. But as soon as the first person smelled a candle and shared a feeling, the others started chiming in too.

The interesting part wasn’t getting people to feel something. That happened almost instantly. The challenge was getting them to write it down. There’s something surprisingly vulnerable about naming how we feel.

I also noticed something I see over and over again. Many people hesitated to take a free gift because they thought someone else deserved it more.

That made me a little sad.

You are deserving of gifts! Of joy, good things, and moments that make you feel cared for, even from a stranger!

Part of why I teach candle-making workshops is because I want people to intentionally create more positive emotional experiences in their lives. When we connect a scent with an intention, affirmation, or meaningful moment, we’re creating an anchor. Every time we smell it again, we have an opportunity to reconnect with that feeling.

Perhaps my favorite moment of the day came from a little boy who couldn’t have been more than five years old. He walked up to the wall and confidently read a sticky note that said, “Calm & Happy.”

His mom nearly burst into tears. She told me they have an emotions board at home, and she was so proud seeing him recognize and read those words so confidently.

For a few hours, candles weren’t really candles. They became conversations between friends, families, parents, and children. And yes, I even made a few sales. A couple of people purchased candles after spending time with them more intentionally and discovering a scent they connected with.

By the end of the activation, the wall was covered in colorful notes. I was so proud of it that I brought the entire Scent Wall back to my studio and put it in the front window.

Looking at it now, I keep coming back to the same thought: people aren’t really looking for more stuff. They’re looking for connection. Connection to themselves, to other people, to memories, and to feelings they may have forgotten they had. Sometimes all it takes is a scent to unlock that.

Speaking of feelings and fragrance, my Summer Tarot Collection was inspired by the archetypes and energy of tarot. Each candle includes a mini tarot-inspired card with affirmation words designed to help set the tone for your summer.

There are only a few left, and you can explore the collection at AstraAndArrow.com.

I already can’t wait for the next brand activation.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you!

How does your favorite Astra & Arrow candle make you feel?

Use the Contacts Us form and send a word, phrase, or story, and I’ll add it to the Scent Wall.

Xoxo Big Hugs!

Anna