Anyone who opens their eyes and looks around their world experiences marketing on a daily basis. Ads, commercials, social media – it never ends. The peril of this constant assault is unfortunately desensitization. That’s where experiential marketing comes in – helping consumers form a memorable bond with a brand by immersing them in a fun, interesting experience which creates a long lasting impact and connection.
Not How But Who?
Who will be able to gain such a grand result? The right experiential marketing agency will be able to assess a brand‘s needs, their target market, and the sort of experience needed to take their marketing efforts beyond same old, stale and fruitless campaigns that have little lasting impact.
Ok, So Show Me…
For example, in 2014 TNT promoted the premier of the third season of Dallas by opening a Ewing Energies gas station in Manhattan. Not only did the novelty generate interest, but the fact that gas was sold at a mere $1.98 per gallon guaranteed traffic, literally. A price, and awareness that no one will forget for a long time or at least until gas drops below $2.00 a gallon again…
In addition, there was a viral sensation created by WestJet in 2013, when a video featuring employees granted passenger wishes (which has been viewed nearly 41 million times to date) created brand recognition while playing into the emotion of the holiday season? Coupled with a viral following, the awareness will last for years to come.
Experiential as the Root of all Marketing
These two examples demonstrate the flexibility of experiential marketing to become entangled with other forms of marketing. From a basic experiential campaign, promoted through digital media marketing and eventually transformed into a traditional outbound campaign like TV commercials, experiential marketing gains the ability to double if not triple your awareness with half the work.
Going on the road and connecting with customers, holding events which help attendees identify with a brand and feel they’re a part of something, finding ways to surprise and delight – this is what experiential marketing is all about. With a culture that’s growing ever more savvy to marketing tricks and a never-ending deluge of ads, connecting on a deeper level is what’s called for.
Give Outbound a Break Already!
This doesn’t mean that outbound marketing has to go the way of the dodo, either – it just needs to be revamped a bit. You can effectively kill two birds with one stone by holding an event, for example, then using footage from that event to create TV commercials and online videos. Photos can be used in print ads. Quotes or impressions from event participants can be used in email blasts. Not only is your campaign affecting the lives of those immediately involved, it’s also being used to spread your message to the masses.
Marketing has turned a corner, and an experiential marketing agency will know how to cut through the chatter and get to the heart of what consumers identify with – and eventually give their loyalty to.
