The best way to understand the power of an experiential marketing campaign is to take a look at some companies that have executed it effectively. As part of our experiential marketing series, we will look at three different brands whos integrated experiential strategies produced astounding results. But first, let’s explore what goes into an effective experiential marketing campaign.
Imagine…
Imagine you are at New York’s JFK Airport. You’ve got the ticket, passport, and carry-on bags all ready to get on board. But right on your way to the gate, you see a huge board like this…
Heineken has given you a challenge. If you push the button, you get free round-trip tickets to a new and adventurous destination. Sounds great right? But here’s the catch: You don’t know where the destination is, and you have to leave right now.
To date, the event video named “Departure Roulette” has gained over three million views. Further, the story was featured by the New York Times, Time Magazine, AdAge, and countless others.
So, why does Heineken do this? Why doesn’t it just stick to the entertaining beer commercials and social media?
Experiential Marketing Campaign: Where Digital Meets Physical
The answer is simple: Friendly brand engagement on social media no longer sets you apart. Today’s audience craves suspense, wild creativity, and digital experiences that translate into real ones. They want a full-on experience with a brand.
This is where an experiential marketing campaign comes in.
According to Jeff Benjamin, the Chief Creative Officer at JWT North America, experiential marketing “is what brands do in the world that gets people ‘participating.’”
The participation started with passengers at the JFK airport when the event first took place. But thanks to the mighty power of social media, everyone on the internet is now a potential participant.
The beauty of experiential marketing, as David Moth explains, is that it “creates a closer bond between the consumer and the brand by immersing them in a fun and memorable experience.”
A great experiential marketing campaign allows consumers to be a part of a story. If I had pushed the button and went to a random place paid fully by Heineken, you bet I would tell that story! There lies the true power of experiential marketing: contagious, voluntary, and word-of-mouth.
A Closer Look…
The bottom line: The core event of your experiential marketing campaign is to engage your consumers. There have to be people physically participating in the events and people online passing the message along to others.
And the power and presence on social media does not go unnoticed. So back to the Departure Roulette: A few lucky Twitter users that tweeted their excitement about the campaign got an unexpected visit by the Heineken crew. The campaign enthusiasts were visited by the roulette board and given an opportunity to push the button that held their travel destination.
When consumers are actively engaging a brand or campaign and then get rewarded, you create advocates — and other consumers notice. Leverage these opportunities to create experiences consumers want to be involved in.
As marketing tactics continue to evolve, how do you think marketers will begin to incorporate an experiential marketing campaign into their own efforts?
