Are house parties the next frontier of brand experience?
At house parties, we’re all fam
Arguably there are so many things you could do while waiting for your laundry to finish: prep dinner, doomscroll Pedro Pascal TikTok edits, run errands, or lie in bed doing absolutely nothing but still somehow feel exhausted. Persil, however, had a different idea: throw a rave.
The rave was hosted by Craig David, no less. In September last year, the laundry brand launched a party to promote its quick-wash cycle. Essentially, with its new product, you can do a full wash in the time it takes to have a dance break. Thinking to myself: “What”?, I did what anyone with senses would do: I went.
Persil’s spin cycle soirée is just one in a new wave of brand-led rave and house party experiences bubbling up across culture. To win relevance these days, brands need to be entrenched in culture and understanding its current waves and how they crash to the shore. Some lead it, some ride it, some just try to stay afloat. Off the back of Brat and the mainstreaming of rave aesthetics, party culture is having a moment. Even the most unlikely brands want in. Not just your usual suspects like drink brands, but IKEA, Popeyes, Magnum, and yes, Persil, are hosting these parties.
Much critical ink has been spilt over Gen Z’s habits, but one thing is clear: they drink less than any generation before them. Dubbed “the most sober generation,” Gen Z is decoupling fun from alcohol. But the twist is they still crave the chaos, intimacy and joy of house parties, a space long tied to drinking culture. Is it a contradiction? Maybe. But only if you think fun is synonymous with booze.
As The New York Times put it, “the world wanted to dance.” After years of lockdown and isolation, people are trying to make up for lost time. Gen Z in particular (many of whom aged into adulthood during the pandemic) are discovering parties now. But let’s be honest: throwing a house party isn’t easy. In this economy? It’s a luxury. You need space. Mental capacity. Money. In cities like London or New York, where rent spikes every five minutes and house shares are the norm, hosting is a rare privilege. It’s like a needle in a haystack. Even Stormzy, in fact, created an immersive experience called House Party, held across a five-storey townhouse in London’s Soho. “People don’t have house parties any more,” he says. I know for a fact that he probably didn’t have to ask his landlord’s permission.
In the age of late-stage capitalism (in case you haven’t heard!), people are desperate for ways to just be. We’re looking for third spaces — not home, not work — where no one’s asking for a deck, an invoice, or your five-year plan. House parties provide that. Even better when they’re brand-funded. They’re usually free, meaning people can experience something premium without the price tag. For Gen Z, who are increasingly navigating financial precarity, these branded experiences hit different.
Kim Allain, Associate Creative Director at Golin, recently worked on a house party activation for Magnum during Cannes Lions. She says Gen Z is redefining space on their own terms. “There’s this rising unemployment and shrinking disposable income, so they’re turning to brands to create the experiences they can’t afford — or live vicariously through,” she explains.
For this generation, the house party is more than just a night out — it’s a statement. “Gen Z’ers are ripping up the rule books. Where once upon a time the country’s social contract meant that you worked hard and were able to reap the rewards by buying houses and having ownership. Now it’s becoming less likely for that generation, so they’re rebelling,” she says.
Still, in an age where inauthenticity can be spotted from miles away, not just any brand can pull this off. “It has to feel like that rave energy is truly part of your brand DNA — or the complete antithesis,” Allain stresses. That contrast, too, can work. “We’re seeing raves in cafés and libraries — because it’s a rebellion against what those spaces represent. And that’s what makes it exciting.”
Perhaps house parties are the next big thing in brand experience. One thing’s for sure: in a world that feels increasingly heavy, the brands making space for lightness, connection and a bit of chaos are the ones people will remember. Especially if the DJ’s good and the drinks are free.