Nines’ “Quit While You’re Ahead”: Creating Impact with Outrageous Authenticity

When it comes to capturing attention in an ever-crowded market, audacious tactics often cut through the noise the cleanest. This was the driving force behind FABYL’s creative campaign for Nines’ “Quit While You’re Ahead” album launch, where we took bold experiential marketing to new heights — or lengths, rather — by designing and fabricating a 6m-long spliff that toured the streets of London towed behind a bright neon-green Cadillac.

Conceptualising the Outrageous

Nines’ music is known for its gritty realism and unfiltered honesty, often touching on themes from his own life. To match this unapologetic narrative, we aimed for an activation that would encapsulate his essence while making an unforgettable visual impact. The idea of a giant spliff — a nod to the artist’s candid style — was both symbolic and attention-grabbing, ensuring immediate conversation and resonance with his core audience.

The concept was simple yet impactful: pair an oversized, hyper-realistic spliff with an equally bold vehicle — a Crop Circle green Cadillac — to create a roving spectacle that couldn’t be ignored. The juxtaposition of these elements mirrored Nines’ unique ability to blend streetwise grit with larger-than-life storytelling.

Design and Fabrication

Building a 6m-long spliff that could be safely towed around London required careful planning and and a bit of engineering. Our team worked to design a structure that was not only visually striking but also durable enough to withstand a full day of city travel. Materials were chosen to give the spliff a hyper-realistic look, complete with a glowing red ember and a smoke machine set to a timer to produce a thick grey cloud at regular intervals.

The Cadillac, painted in a bold neon green, acted as both a vehicle and a visual anchor, drawing attention and adding a sense of luxury and rebellion to the display. This colour choice wasn’t just for show — luckily for us, the rapper’s mascot Crop Cat is the same hue as our signature colour so it tied into FABYL’s own brand identity and conveyed an audacious, playful energy that perfectly matched the campaign’s tone.

Hitting the Streets: The Day of the Activation

On the day of the activation, the sight of a massive spliff being towed behind a vivid green Cadillac through the streets of London turned heads and started conversations. Social media “lit up” as passersby shared photos and videos, tagging Nines and using event-specific hashtags. The spectacle embodied a mix of humour, irreverence, and the raw authenticity that fans have come to associate with Nines.

This moving installation wasn’t just a visual stunt; it was a mobile statement piece that played into London’s urban landscape, blending seamlessly with the street culture and art that influence Nines’ music. Fans recognised it for what it was: a playful yet genuine representation of the artist’s persona and storytelling.

Public Reaction and Organic Buzz

The response was immediate. Social media platforms were flooded with images and videos of the 6m-long spliff and neon Cadillac rolling through central locations, creating a viral moment that extended far beyond its physical presence. People who might not have known about Nines’ new album found themselves intrigued by the unusual display, proving the effectiveness of audacious marketing in reaching new audiences.

The campaign garnered coverage from influential media outlets and music publications, further amplifying its reach. Fans engaged with the content not just by sharing, but by adding their own takes, memes, and commentary — showing that the activation had struck the right chord of cultural relevance.

Lessons Learned: Embracing the Bold

The success of this campaign reaffirmed the idea that taking risks with bold, boundary-pushing concepts can pay off significantly. In a marketing landscape often focused on safe, predictable strategies, breaking norms can create a memorable experience that generates organic buzz and deepens audience engagement. By leaning into the humour and audacity that matched Nines’ brand, we were able to craft a campaign that felt both authentic and disruptive.

Key Takeaway

For experiential marketing to resonate, it must embody the artist’s voice and take calculated risks that align with their identity. The 6m-long spliff was more than just a stunt — it was an embodiment of Nines’ fearless storytelling and FABYL’s commitment to creative authenticity. When a campaign can inspire laughter, curiosity, and conversation, it’s more than just a promotion; it’s an experience that lingers.