More consumer segments are turning to the internet for shopping, news, and social interaction than ever. Understandably, this has led many marketers to shift much of their attention to figuring out how their brands can survive and grow online. In the process, they run the risk of losing a vital link to their consumers.
In this article, we’ll take a quick look at why experiential marketing has become an even more vital part of the communication mix, especially as big brands have turned more of their attention to online interactions. And it starts (and ends) with what more consumers are looking for and what messages they are ignoring from brands.
We all talk about how adept Millennials and Gen Z are at ad blocking and ignoring efforts to engage with them online. However, the overwhelming state of marketing throughout every media channel has led to a number of changes in how audiences perceive and filter marketing communication. All audiences are becoming better at tuning out the noise of pop ups, banner ads and click bait.
At the same time, audiences are better able to see through marketing strategies and tactics that either don’t accurately reflect the brand experience, try too hard to latch onto pop culture or a specific cause, or overtly “nudge” the customer with urgent “only 2 spots left” language. Today’s audiences (and tomorrow’s, for that matter) see through it all. Even social influencers aren’t immune. Skepticism abounds due to the spread of a new type of “social influencer” whose followers are nothing more than bots created to artificially inflate the influencer’s value.
Experiential marketing programs that are done well give your audience the opportunity to engage with your brand firsthand and in the moment, in environments where they are more open to receiving your message. The one-to-one interaction with your brand creates a connection that increases the likelihood that your other communication will find a receptive audience long after the event has passed.
When your customer feels good about the experience, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, they tend to let others know about it. Back in 2016, one experiential marketing software firm pinned the percentage of millennials who had shared a photo on social media from a branded event at 81%. 71% used the event’s hashtag on social. 67% followed the brand on social. 56% signed up for an email list.1 While the numbers may have shifted since then, what would you do to get even half that level of interaction?
While Millennials and Gen Z spend increasing amounts of time online, in the real world they are seeking authentic experiences that align with their interests. In addition, these audiences are seeking connections with brands that match their values. Experiential marketing events and roadshows create the opportunity these audiences desire.
The key is making sure the experience is consistent with your brand as a whole and consistent across the program. To cite an example from an ongoing fast food crisis, talking about how great your chicken sandwich is can fall flat if you run out of chicken sandwiches. Experiential programs provide the platform by which to deliver what your brand has promised and create opportunities to continue the engagement via other channels after the fact.
We touched on it before, but to throw some data into the picture, here are two key numbers to keep in mind (from industry research2) when considering experiential marketing events.
These numbers are only part of the picture, but they do raise a compelling point. One-on-one experience with your brand can be an effective means for developing customer relationships: going from trial to conversion, conversion to loyalty, loyalty to advocacy.
Note that nowhere in this post do we suggest that digital or traditional marketing channels are obsolete. In reality, experiential marketing should be a meaningful component of a 360-degree approach to marketing your brand. We’ve touched on three reasons why in this article, but there are many, many more.
If you'd like to explore how experiential marketing applies to your brand, click here to email me and have a conversation to learn more.