You’ve seen the success that Red Bull, Google and Guinness had with experiential marketing and now you think that a little bit of copy and paste will do the same for your business. We get it.
12 million people watched Felix Baumgartner’s freefall, Google generated 400,000 votes and Guinness handed out free trips to Dublin, so their customers were obviously delighted. The results speak for themselves.
Despite its success, experiential marketing isn’t something that you can just sort of… do. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it. Without the right sort of preparation and thinking, you’ll produce a cringe-inducing nightmare mess that both your consumers and managers hate.
Here’s our guide to executing successful experiential marketing campaigns.
Who Is Your Audience?
It’s marketing 101, but you’d be surprised at just how many businesses don’t really have a clear idea of who they’re trying to target messaging towards. Without detailed demographic research, you’re basically just screaming at the wind.
And we don’t mean just, ‘18-45, professional with disposable income’. That’s half the nation and you’ll find it much harder to attract the right sort of consumer.
You’re not looking for someone with a passing interest. You don’t want to waste time interacting with someone who doesn’t engage in the right way. You’re after the perfect sort of person who’s ready to part with their hard-earned cash.
So, when carrying out demographic research, design your ideal customer and be specific. Say you’re creating a campaign to mark the launch of a brand-new video game. Here’s the type of thing you should end up with.
Meet Alex.
He’s 23 and he’s in his first job after graduating from university. He still lives at home with his parents and brothers but he’s putting a little bit of money away each month to save up for a deposit for a house.
Because he doesn’t have to worry about bills yet, he has the disposable income to buy the latest video games. He follows some of his favourite video game news outlets on social media and he usually spends some of the day watching influencers or video game streamers on platforms like Twitch.
He binge-watches shows on Netflix, listens to new albums on Spotify and has grown up with the internet. He’s used to getting things quickly and he responds best to unique things that surprise him. Like any twenty-something, he’s active on social media and likes to share his experiences online.
Alex is your target consumer. He has the money to afford the game, he’s looking for the next trending game, album or experience and he’s active within the gaming community online.
With all of this information in hand, you’ll find it much easier to create an experience that Alex will instinctively be drawn to. You’ll know the language he speaks and the sorts of things that will both entice and repel him. Next, you’ll need to consider the exact aim of the campaign.
What Are You Trying to Achieve?
Experiential marketing is exciting. It’s pop-up stores, interactive billboards, live events and creating an experience that resonates with consumers. Wait a second, though. Before you waste time, effort and money on a campaign that’s doomed to fail, determine exactly what your goals are.
Consider the key aims of the campaign and what you hope to achieve by the time it comes to an end. Is it a boost in sales? A viral social media campaign? Maybe it’s a product launch that transforms your brand’s identity. Whatever the goal, agree on it beforehand and then make sure it’s written in massive letters somewhere.
We’re not joking. It’s easy for campaigns to derail and forget what the actual point was at the start. Print it out and stick it to the office fridge, make commemorative t-shirts or tattoo it onto the apprentice’s forehead. Do whatever you need to make sure that every decision is made with the intention of making the aim a reality.
What Are You Going to Do?
This is the good bit. This is the part where you can really be creative and make an impression. Be bold, memorable and play around with different options and technologies to see what feels right.
It’s hard to find that spark of brilliance which is the difference between an experience that’s forgettable and one that’s iconic. Like we said at the start, you’ve seen how Red Bull captured the imagination and Google engaged with people on the street. Although imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, you need to find your own way and design an experience that’s unique to your brand.
Whatever you decide to do, determine your target audience and the key aim of the campaign and you’re more likely to find success. Then, when you’ve settled on an idea you’re happy with, speak to the experts who can make your vision a reality. It’s one thing to have an idea on a page but it’s something quite different to bring the whole thing together.
That’s just one of the ideas we cover in our handy eBook.
Fancy Some Further Reading?
You might have noticed that this blog on how to execute your own experiential marketing campaign didn’t really feature many actionable tips. After the persona research and goal creation, it’s time to actually get started.
Before you do, make sure to download our playbook. It’s a guide we’ve created that features some bits you might already know as well as the good stuff - how much does it cost, what trends are driving the industry and the most important KPIs you need to measure throughout the process.
Click this fancy CTA down here to download your free copy now.
