The Pros and Cons of Experiential Marketing

Posted on August 9, 2021May 9, 2024 by Claire Kelly

An understanding of the pros and cons of experiential marketing can shape your company’s success when execution time comes around.

Let’s start with the good news: experiential marketing has gained popularity for its success when properly executed. Positioned correctly, the benefits of using an experiential marketing strategy can produce monumental returns on investment (ROI). There are several pros and cons of experiential marketing and in understanding these, your business can prepare to gain the maximum ROI.

Digital & Experiential Marketing – What’s the Difference?

Ever-changing and evolving, the marketing industry has delivered its fair share of buzzwords. The latest – experiential marketing. We’ve heard it, but what is it?

A close relative to digital marketing, experiential marketing is a niche approach to enhance a company’s success. While nearly all companies can benefit from a scaled digital marketing plan, not all companies are in a position to take on an experiential approach. Like any marketing tactic, experiential marketing comes with both valuable pros and undeniable cons that can shape your understanding in implementation.

Pros of Experiential Marketing

#1 You get to keep it real. Your audience loves real.

Experiential marketing allows your target audience the unique ability to dive in and directly interact. The audience gets an actual experience, hence the name. In using an experience-focused tactic, your audience interacts with the advertisement directly as opposed to traditional marketing where your audience only views it. This creates a connection in the minds of your audience, one often referred to as “brand recognition.”

Utilizing more senses than just sight creates a lasting impact on your target audience. Adding an audio aspect pulls in another sense and in the process, positive emotions are created in the viewer’s mind. In time those positive emotions will directly connect to the brand and vwa-lah, a new mental connection to your brand is created.

#2 Genuine Connection

In practicing experiential marketing, brands get the unique opportunity to directly interact with their audience. A look behind the curtain can establish a connection that many traditional marketing tactics cannot.

A tangible and successful example of this tactic in action was seen at SXSW by Anheuser Busch. They created a new experience that used virtual reality to grant viewers a tour through their brewery. The 4-D immersive experience gave their audience a chance to connect to the brand behind the scenes and offered an unforgettable look into a rarely seen corner of the beer conglomerate.

#3 Smarter Spend

By investing in experiential marketing, when done right, you can gain the maximum return on investment that greatly outweighs the money spent. Using tactics like press-covered events that require physical participation, the return on investment raises and these emotionally-backed experiences lead to increases in conversion and an overall lifetime customer value.

#4 Good Experiences Travel Fast

Word of mouth referrals are not a new concept, we have been portraying ourselves and our businesses in the most positive light possible for exactly that. However, in the world of technology and social media that we live in today, that good news travels even faster.

Giving your customers a notably great experience that is memorable and notable can grow your social media following and an audience that raves about the products you provide.

#5 Go Deep

Experiential marketing gives your company a chance to know your audience on a deeper level. Much like traditional digital marketing, data-driven approaches and deep knowledge of your target audience is the recipe for high returns on investments. Taking the time to get to know your audience on an emotional level only adds to this opportunity.

A poignant example of this was seen in Google’s “Impact Challenge” in San Francisco. Google was awarded over $5 million dollars to donate to 10 non-profits committed to bettering the San Francisco community. What Google did, broke the mold and pulled their audience in on an emotional level. Google created interactive digital posters throughout the city that served as a voting booth of sorts where locals could choose which non-profits they wanted to see impacted by Google’s funds. The concept of shared ownership and mutual engagement, even if not directly selling the product, creates a permanent and powerful relationship between your audience and your brand.

Potential Cons of Your Experiential Marketing Approach

As with any marketing strategy, cons are inevitable. However, knowing those cons can put you and your company ahead of the game.

#1 Not living up to the hype

If there is a disconnect between your experiential marketing tactics and your audience, typically expectations were not met because they were not properly managed. To run a successful experiential marketing campaign, expectation management has to be at the forefront of strategy or you run the risk of a new negative association between your audience and the brand itself. It is crucial to have a clear understanding of your capabilities in regards to budget, timeframe and available support.

#2 ROWhy?

As with any unique strategy, the risk is inevitably involved. Return on investment is critical when your company invests in marketing and the reality is, measuring the ROI for an experiential campaign is much more difficult to measure than traditional methods. Key performance indicators of experiential marketing look a little bit different.

For example, long term loyalty or positive brand association cant properly be measured. What you are really gaining in the investment of an experiential campaign is insight. Any marketer knows the more audience insight you have the better return on investment can truly be just as valuable as return on insight. Appropriate investment into experiential marketing, that doesnt send your relied upon ROI plummeting, is the balance your company must find as you dip your toes into the experiential marketing pond.

Using Experiential Marketing Effectively Allows You to Gram the Maximum ROI

It’s clear that if you get it right, experiential marketing’s pros far outweigh the cons. Experiential marketing gives your brand the coveted opportunity to get in front of fresh new audiences, establish a deeper brand connection, long-term loyalty, audience loyalty, and positive correlations that carry your brand successfully through social media channels. A clear knowledge of the pros and cons of experiential marketing will set your brand up for long-term success. Understanding the new generation of key performance indicators allows you to understand how to gain the maximum ROI.

Experiential Marketing Experts

So what are you waiting for? Contact us today to learn more and get your experiential marketing campaign started.

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Offline Marketing Ideas That Are Innovative and Original

Posted on July 12, 2021June 11, 2024 by Claire Kelly

Brands that succeed do so because they implement a multi-channel marketing strategy. What does that mean? They use a combination of online and offline marketing ideas. But amid the height of the pandemic, digital marketing supplanted in-person events to sustain reach with consumers staying indoors. For a time, it almost appeared offline marketing would become obsolete.

Yet as the world turns, so does the reversal of fortune for live events. Luckily, 2021 marked the rebirth and return of in-person activations. Let’s look at offline marketing ideas that are imaginative and guaranteed to WOW audiences.

What Is Offline Marketing?

Offline marketing is any form of marketing that occurs outside of the Internet. While that’s a broad definition, it distinguishes a vast landscape between marketing on the web and marketing in the real world (like billboards and trade shows). But just because it’s the 21st century doesn’t mean the world is wholly connected online. According to the FCC, 19 million Americans still lack access to broadband services. That’s 6% of the U.S. population, and your brand shouldn’t ignore them. This statistic proves how and why offline marketing is still a crucial component of the modern world— even in the Digital Age. But not all offline marketing ideas are created equal. They come in many forms. Some offer higher rates of engagement, while others help you segment your target audience. Regardless, it’s worth exploring the options at your disposal to decide which ones are right for you.

1. Community Engagement

Consumers want companies to show their support for causes they believe in. Modern brands face far more pressure to be a force for good in their local communities and the wider world. Community engagement— or cause marketing— allows businesses to create experiential marketing campaigns aligned with consumers’ consciousness around pressing issues impacting society. Younger generations especially prefer supporting brands that are ethical and socially responsible. There are many ways you can take offline marketing ideas like community engagement and make them a reflection of your values. Whether it’s launching a social media campaign raising awareness or hosting an in-person fundraiser, your brand can project compassion while increasing its reach.

In 2019, Quaker Chewy partnered with AdoptAClassroom.org to get kids in NYC ready for the new school year. With a branded food truck— and star power provided by Neil Patrick Harris— Quaker Chewy gave away over 500 assorted boxes of Quaker Chewy Bars. Plus, Quaker Chewy donated $1 to AdoptAClassroom.org for every box purchased nationwide as an additional element to its community engagement.

2. Turning Influencers Into Brand Ambassadors

Influencer marketing centers around partnerships with social media personalities who have loyal followers. It’s become an increasingly important strategy, with 93% of brands currently using some form of influencer marketing. However, these relationships should be more than just product placements and endorsements. Influencers who team up with you should be brand ambassadors. Essentially, they should be advocates for your business, promoting its value, why they choose you, and— in turn— why their fans should also.

The best example of a successful brand/influencer partnership is one of the oldest. When the country’s most famous NCAA basketball player turned pro in 1984, he teamed up with a scrappy athletic brand to launch his own sneaker. Nearly 40 years later, that company— Nike— is now one of the world’s most valuable brands. As for the athlete? Michael Jordan became a global cultural icon (and the partnership earned him an estimated $1.3 billion— and counting).

3. Surprise Consumers With Guerrilla Marketing

While challenging to execute, guerrilla marketing can reap huge returns. The challenge comes not from cost (it’s one of the most cost-effective offline marketing ideas) but because it’s difficult to predict its results. What does it take to ensure success? It takes brainstorming original ideas, having a strategy that matches your customers’ values, and the energy to execute with little room for failure. Why? Because the best guerrilla marketing activations are the ones that go off without a hitch.

With its roots tracing back to the 1980s, guerilla-based tactics created a shift from traditional print, television, and radio marketing. Today, there are four sub-categories, and each is markedly different depending on your needs:

Indoor guerrilla marketing takes place inside public areas like retail stores, hotel lobbies, and museums.

Ambush guerrilla marketing happens without prior permission at large-scale events (like festivals, concerts, and sporting events).

Experiential guerrilla marketing includes pop-up stores and mobile showrooms to create an immersive experience.
Street guerrilla marketing takes advantage of outdoor public spaces and inserts a brand into an existing atmosphere.

4. Work With the Media

One of the most effective offline marketing ideas to promote your brand is to leverage media relationships. Whether it’s a company announcement or product release, you can receive free exposure through earned media. But effective doesn’t also mean easy. Once you open the door to reporters to cover your business, you’re under a microscope. It’s all about the optics. So, attention to detail is crucial to put your brand in the best possible light.

While press releases are the general method for reaching journalists, a media event or press conference attracts more coverage for many reasons— from the in-person action to the vibrancy of speakers and attendees. Live events are also an efficient way of getting out your brand’s news or message at once. Organizing and executive a successful media event requires proper planning, but there are bulletproof tips you can follow that’ll help you capture the right attention for your brand.

5. The Value of Cross-Promotions

You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase, “you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.” In a nutshell, that’s cross-promotion, and they’re often what offline marketing ideas are built on because they build rapport. Moreover, cross-promotion means you can lean on the reach and visibility of another brand to strengthen yours.

When Adidas released their Original P.O.D. sneakers, they engaged in cross-promotion with award-winning chef and author Eddie Huang, who created one of the line’s designs. Ahead of its official launch, Adidas stationed a branded food truck in the heart of Times Square that fed hungry customers bao buns from Huang’s legendary Baohaus. Using Adidas’ name recognition and Huang’s celebrity, over 500 pairs of sneakers were sold in a matter of hours.

Engage Your Customers With Creative Offline Marketing Ideas

Great offline marketing ideas take energy and commitment. They also take time to plan and execute. But, when your brand is consistent, sticks to its goals, and stays ahead of the consumer guessing game, it can drive success. Offline marketing offers a personal way for your brand to engage, delight, and differentiate itself. So, get out your thinking caps, get started, and see how offline marketing can take your business to new— and exciting— heights.

Food Truck Promotions

FTP specializes in offline marketing. Read more about what we do and contact us today to learn more & get started!

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Remember the Time: Why Nostalgia Marketing Works So Well

Posted on July 2, 2021May 16, 2024 by Claire Kelly

In a world that’s constantly evolving, nostalgia marketing immerses you in remembrance of the past. Back when you were younger, and life was simpler. Plus, research shows that nostalgia gives our lives a sense of continuity and meaning as we grow older. In turn, brands recognize the value of nostalgia marketing to convince consumers to spend through the power of sentimentality. Inspired to open their wallets for the immediate return of cherished memories gives brands the chance to connect with their customers on a deeper level.

The good news is, any company can reach consumers by taking them to the past. Let’s explore some of the most convincing reasons why nostalgia marketing works so well for brands.

What Is Nostalgia Marketing?

What makes nostalgia marketing so impactful is its inclusivity. We all daydream about the past. Whether you’re a Millennial remembering your favorite Saturday morning cartoons or a Baby Boomer dusting off old vinyl records you listened to in high school, nostalgia marketing offers something for everyone. After all, the experiences of our past help mold our present personalities and identities. Because its meaning is so broad (depending on the consumer), the simplest way to define nostalgia marketing is to see it as a satellite in the orbit of emotional marketing. We know that emotional marketing has consumer cache, convincing customers to act and advocate on behalf of brands. Likewise, nostalgia marketing taps into emotions through memories.

For a brand as storied as Coca-Cola, they frequently lean on nostalgia marketing because they have the company history to do so. Every holiday season, we get a dose of fond memories with its classic, Norman Rockwell-style Christmas ads. Fast-forward about 70 years later and, to the chagrin of Millennials everywhere, Coca-Cola discontinued its citrus-flavored drink, SURGE, in 2014.

Thus, the SURGE Movement was born. From petitions to billboards (and a presentation to the President of Coca-Cola North America), fans saved SURGE from extinction, and it remains in the arsenal of Coca-Cola’s extensive product line today. What made the SURGE revival so successful wasn’t so much anything Coca-Cola did on its part. Instead, it simply responded to fans’ nostalgia and generated goodwill and loyalty by bringing back a beloved beverage.

Nostalgia Marketing Makes People Feel Good

The first reason why nostalgia marketing works so well is that nostalgia is good medicine. In a study conducted by the University of Southampton, researchers found that nostalgia can “counteract loneliness, boredom, and anxiety.” Similar studies have also found that nostalgia helps people cope with stress and dramatic life changes. In other words, nostalgia isn’t just a marketing strategy; it’s also a psychological phenomenon.

For decades, Apple has enjoyed its status as one of the world’s preeminent brands. Part of that success is a testament to its innovative marketing plans. In 2016, Apple tapped into feel-good, heart-warming memories upon its release of the iPhone 6. Turning to Sesame Street— arguably the most nostalgic of all children’s shows— Apple created an ad starring Cookie Monster using Siri to bake his treasured cookies. Apple’s nostalgia marketing campaign combined its innovative technology with a blast from the past to showcase its fun and playful side.

Nostalgia Marketing Triggers Memorable Pop Culture Moments

One of the easiest ways to capture an audience is to help them remember fond memories. Moreover, shared experiences are the ones that cast the widest net. So, classic films and music, historical events, and fads occupy the most space in the cultural zeitgeist. Whether it’s Spotify’s homage to “The Neverending Story” or Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s nod to “The Karate Kid,” tapping into memorable pop culture moments is a powerful strategy to elicit strong emotions.

In 2019, Amazon recreated a classic 1950s New York experience IRL, when “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” occurs to promote the show’s third season. With help from a branded food truck stationed in the heart of Manhattan, a complimentary selection of nostalgic eats was offered. With sandwiches like “The Maisel” (pastrami, salami, and coleslaw on rye) and “The Susie” (turkey and coleslaw on rye) to the most classic New York dessert, the Black and White cookie, Amazon used both sensory and nostalgia marketing to transport fans of the show to back to post-war NYC.

Nostalgia Marketing Creates More Authentic Campaigns

Last but not least on the list of why nostalgia marketing is so successful has to do with authenticity. Brands spend millions of dollars every year to be “relatable” to their target audiences. When consumers can see themselves in a brand, it creates an almost unbreakable bond. That sense of “kindred spirits” intrinsically ties the brand and consumer together.

If you grew up in the 90s, there’s little doubt how much of a role Microsoft played in your life. It opened up the user-friendly PC experience worldwide and spearheaded the technological revolution of the 2000s. In 2013, Microsoft launched its “Child of the 90s” campaign, promoting its latest edition of Internet Explorer. Microsoft took audiences on a trip down memory lane to win over a generation now loyal to browsers like Chrome and Safari. From slap bracelets to floppy disks, Trolls, and Tamagotchis, they created the ultimate tribute to the 90s. With its slogan, “You grew up. So did we.,” Microsoft used nostalgia marketing to reconnect with the millions who first logged online with them.

What’s Old Is New Again

Having a passion for the past can bring brands success. Looking back on good times and warm memories allows brands to invoke positive emotions from consumers, put their products in a positive light, and boost awareness and loyalty. Older audiences will reminisce, and younger generations will enjoy the novelty of old trends becoming new again.

Developing the right nostalgia marketing strategy takes identifying memorable moments for your audience and using them to enhance your brand’s identity. When brands understand their customers, they can keep their fingers on the pulse of what they crave and what excites them the most.

Food Truck Promotions

Looking to upgrade your brand’s marketing strategy? Food Truck Promotions can help. Reach out to us today to get started.