Quest Hotels (Ascott Limited)

Quest Hotels Custom Activation at Melbourne International Student Week 2024.

‘Upside Down’ room activations are known for their social buzz—but they usually come with high costs, complex logistics, and long lead times. With a tight turnaround and a limited budget, Quest Hotels needed a more agile solution to bring the energy of a flipped room to life—without literally flipping any beds.

Our Approach

Polite Playground offered a smart, cost-effective alternative that combined creative thinking with technical finesse. Instead of physically constructing rooms, we used our digital greenscreen technology to simulate the experience—saving time, money, and a few ceiling brackets.

  • 5 custom-designed greenscreen backgrounds were created by our in-house team, each replicating real Quest property rooms with precision.
  • A DSLR photo booth was set up inside a 4m x 6m activation space at Federation Square.
  • A real Sealy queen-size bed became the centrepiece of the experience—grounded but made to appear airborne through clever compositing.

Experience Highlights

  • Guests lay back on the bed while our system worked its magic—transforming their photos into “upside down” scenes in luxury Quest rooms.
  • Instant digital delivery via QR code made sharing a breeze.
  • A custom competition integration gave guests the chance to win one of three exclusive local experience packages, driving engagement and data collection.
  • Even pets got involved—adding charm and shareability to the campaign.

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The Results

Over just two event days:

  • 200+ unique photos were captured
  • Participants included a mix of students, influencers, and even a few furry friends
  • High social engagement, with #QuestBedHead gaining strong organic traction
  • Seamless data capture and opt-in system enabled Quest to connect directly with new leads

The activation delivered on all fronts—creative, interactive, cost-effective, and on-brand. It turned a familiar concept into something new, approachable, and perfectly tailored to the client’s needs.

The Outcome

This activation highlighted Polite Playground’s ability to rethink experiential norms, using digital tools to deliver big impact without the big spend. Our collaboration with Ascott Limited during Melbourne International Student Week left a lasting impression—and a camera roll full of upside-down smiles.

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‘Upside Down’ room activations are known for their social buzz—but they usually come with high costs, complex logistics, and long lead times. With a tight turnaround and a limited budget, Quest Hotels needed a more agile solution to bring the energy of a flipped room to life—without literally flipping any beds.