PR through my eyes: Rivian X The Wild Honey Pie VENICE, CA

On March 21, I attended a Rivian x The Wild Honey Pie event in Venice, California, where the band Passion Pit performed live. As a marketing student, I experienced the event through a PR lens, paying attention to the branding, partnerships, and planning that made it successful.

One of the biggest things I noticed was the use of brand partnerships. Rivian collaborated with The Wild Honey Pie to host the event, and Prince Street Pizza provided free food for guests. These partnerships helped create a fun and welcoming atmosphere while also promoting each brand in a natural way. Instead of traditional advertising, the event focused on creating an experience that people would remember.

The location in Venice also matched Rivian’s adventurous and lifestyle-focused brand image. Having a live performance made the event feel exclusive and engaging, which is a strong example of experiential marketing. Every detail, from the music to the food, felt intentional and showed how public relations works behind the scenes to shape how people see a brand.

This event helped me realize that PR is not just about promotion — it is about creating experiences that connect people to a brand in a genuine way. Seeing this event in person allowed me to understand how marketing, partnerships, and event planning all come together in real life.

Clips from the Rivian x The Wild Honey Pie event featuring Passion Pit in Venice, CA. This event showcased strong use of branding, sponsorships, and experiential marketing, which I viewed through a PR and marketing perspective.