What it had to solve
Rowntree's, LADbible and creative production company The Department set out to melt away the daily grind with colour, chaos and cold treats — a campaign cheekily themed 'Free the Fun' to promote the brand's new ice lollies in a temple of hustle, horns and harried coffee runs.
The idea
A five-lane, 12-metre candy-coloured racetrack in one of London's busiest stations, inviting commuters to sprint for the sheer thrill of it — adult recess.
How it works
For one day, King's Cross station hosted a five-lane, 12-metre racetrack splashed in Rowntree's signature colours, where grown-ups dropped their guard and sprinted. Hidden cameras captured moments of surprise, delight and unfiltered fun; content creators joined to add reach and social engagement, while LADbible produced high-energy user-generated content in real time. The Department crafted every visual element — track design, signage and props — to Rowntree's identity.
What it did
The event generated real-time user-generated content from LADbible and creators; no reach or sales figures were disclosed.
Background
In July 2025, Rowntree's, LADbible and creative production company The Department staged what the write-up called one of London's most joyful commuter curveballs: for one dazzling day, King's Cross station — typically a temple of hustle and harried coffee runs — became a five-lane, 12-metre-long candy-coloured racetrack inviting grown-ups to ditch their deadlines and sprint for the sheer thrill of it.
The campaign, themed 'Free the Fun', promoted Rowntree's new line of ice lollies not with a standard ad but with a full-blown adult recess. LADbible cooked up the playful concept; The Department brought it to life with production design, brand visuals and what it called the right amount of childhood chaos, crafting every visual element from track design to signage and props in Rowntree's identity.
Hidden cameras captured commuters' surprise, delight and unfiltered fun as they encountered the track, while content creators joined in and LADbible produced high-energy user-generated content in real time. The Department's lead producer Kotryna Useviciute described an open, honest, truly collaborative process, and highlighted watching people pause, play and reconnect with their inner child in the heart of one of London's busiest areas.
Why it lands
The venue is the message: placing a children's game inside the most adult space in London makes the 'free the fun' idea literal.
The racetrack's scale — five lanes, 12 metres, brand colours — turned a station concourse into a media property people photograph themselves in.
Real-time UGC from LADbible extended a one-day event into the campaign's actual advertising.
What you can take
Launch a treat at the point of maximum stress: a commuter hub makes the contrast between grind and play do the product's advertising.
Since then
The source records the one-day activation; no later results are mentioned.
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