What is Experiential Marketing?

Experiential marketing ( a.k.a. engagement marketing) is a form of advertising that focuses primarily on creating memorable experiences related to your brand. 

Experiential marketing strategies are designed to create buzz around a brand or product through face-to-face interactions with consumers. This enthusiasm then spreads via social networks, word of mouth, and traditional media coverage, creating a snowball effect that exponentially increases the visibility of your brand.

What is Experiential Marketing?

In our digital world, it can be easy to focus on the latest apps and websites that allow you to connect with your customers. While these marketing tools are becoming increasingly effective at helping brands achieve their marketing goals, they cannot compare to the impact of in- person experiences.

Traditional marketing, such as TV commercials and print ads, has been around for decades. But in recent years the efficacy of these advertising messages has decreased due to people’s increased ability to ignore or avoid them. To increase their customer base and influence purchasing decisions, marketing teams are turning toward interactive experiences.

This form of marketing uses in-person events, online experiences, and other creative strategies to reach current customers, potential customers, and influencers in powerful new ways. Examples include:

• PoAugmented reality and metaverse branded experiences
• Auto shows
• Classes and workshops
• Co-branding
• Conferences
• Contesting
• Event marketing
• Face-to-face marketing
• In person surveys
• In store experiences
• Pop-up stores
• Product demos
• Product sampling
• Solo experiences
• Sponsorships
• Test drives
• Tours
• Trade shows

The Benefits of Experiential Marketing

You can use experiential marketing as a way to:

Attract your target audience with strategic choices about the type of experience that promotes your goals. For example, if your target audience is young professionals who love coffee and live music, then hosting a live music concert would be ideal. On the other hand, if you’re targeting senior citizens in smaller towns where there are no other similar events taking place nearby this fall, then an outdoor movie night may be more appropriate.

Increase brand awareness. Depending on your marketing budget, you could do something as simple as hosting a meetup group at your place of business or throwing an elaborate party (or both).

Drive sales at points of purchase (POS). There are two reasons why experiential marketing works better than traditional: firstly because it allows you to get closer to customers’ hearts; secondly because today’s consumers want real relationships with brands rather than just ads.

Get people excited about your brand by showing them how they can collaborate to be a part of it. Leverage collaborative tactics to get people engaged with the conversation and involved in the experience.

Build customer loyalty by creating an emotional connection with your audience based on shared interests or values, not just the products they buy from you.

Build trust and affinity with consumers over time by giving them more than they expect from their experience with you – whether it’s entertainment value or solving a problem.

What Experiential Marketing is Confused With

Not to be confused with experimental marketing, experiential marketing campaigns

• event marketing
• influencer marketing
• product showcase

Are you ready to expose consumers to your products and services through events, activities, and experiences? Then get in touch with the team of design and marketing professionals at Strand360. We are ready to help grow your business and reach your objectives with experiential marketing.