06.12.20
By Lisa Major
In a recent blog post, we discussed why experiential marketing is so prevalent in today’s digitally driven world. People need human interaction, and experiential marketing delivers a tangible, engaging, and offline experience for consumers, and that’s what makes it so successful. Unfortunately, as the coronavirus swept through the U.S., brands had to push the pause button on in-person experiences. But looking ahead, marketers are busy planning and preparing for the return of live events. In this week’s Happy Hour, we’ll discuss how event marketers are rethinking experiential design and sanitation protocols to prepare for future events.
“If designing a memorable experience was difficult in the past, creating them during a time of self-isolation and social distancing requires even more innovative thinking.” ~ Luis Infante, Advantage Solutions
Physical experiences allow consumers to interact with brands on their terms, and that is one of the differentiators that make experiential so successful. As this article states, “a well-designed brand experience is a more effective spend than traditional media because today’s audiences don’t want to be talked at — they want to be engaged with. If traditional advertising is a megaphone, think of experiential marketing as an open forum.” Many elements go into designing a memorable brand experience, from creative aspects to interactivity and engagement components. Throw in the new norm of social-distancing, and marketers will have to adapt and adjust these elements to revive brand experiences in the post-COVID-19 world. Read on for ideas on how marketers can design a unique and safe experience for consumers.
“Event marketers already have the mindset that will bring consumers back to in-person events.” ~Eshots
Executing an experiential marketing event has never been an easy task. Event marketers are accustomed to having curveballs thrown at them, whether it’s inclement weather, a natural disaster, or other hiccups, they’re always prepared for the unexpected. The pandemic, though, has brought on a whole new set of challenges, challenges that no one was prepared for. But just as quickly as the show stopped, experiential marketers began working towards solutions to bring back in-person events. Here, we’ll take a look at three goals marketers should focus on that will help them prepare for the new era of brand activations.
“Lessons Event Pros Can Learn from Hotel Reopening Plans” ~Michele Laufik, BizBash
Industries across the board have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and as states begin to reopen, the top priority for businesses is keeping people safe. To ease the public’s fears surrounding hotel stays, many hotel brands have introduced new cleaning and sanitation standards. These same types of protocols can also be used in the event industry when conferences, corporate meetings, and trade shows ramp back up. In this article, BizBash discusses how event professionals can incorporate similar standards to safely host future events and protect attendees.
Thanks for joining us for this week’s Happy Hour! Join us again next week as we take a look at the latest news, tips, and trends in the experiential and event marketing industry.
