07.20.18
By Lisa Major
In experiential marketing, the competition is fierce, and trends are everchanging. To keep up with the competition, not to mention consumers, agencies must stay ahead of the game. In this week’s Happy Hour, we feature an article that discusses three agency trends that are sweeping the industry. We also look at the latest experiential marketing statistics, defining the brand experience, and the role digital reality plays in B2C relationships.
“In a fickle marketplace where affinities can shift with a stiff breeze, experiential marketing agencies must create a voice that stands out from the background chorus of the competition — all while retaining absolute agility to change the narrative whenever needed.” ~Julia Manoukian
As experiential marketing continues to evolve, so do audiences and consumer expectations. When designing and planning an event, marketing agencies must stay at the forefront of the competition to get their brand noticed and they must evolve with the consumer to craft better experiences. In this noisy world, how can brands separate themselves from the competition and better convey their message? This article outlines 3 experiential marketing trends that are sweeping the industry that will keep agencies ahead of the game.
“It’s one thing to toot the live brand experience horn and its effectiveness to impact and evolve our industry. To see the proof in black and white, however, is significant and gratifying.” ~Freeman XP
Experiential marketing does what no other form of marketing can do. It creates face-to-face conversations between brands and consumers, bringing them together in memorable and authentic ways. And once again the most recent statistics surrounding experiential marketing are staggering. Here, Freeman XP brings us stats from around the globe that prove just how powerful experiential is.
“Mastercard, the payments company, is leveraging experiential marketing to engage consumers around their passion points, a shift that partly reflects an internal view that classical advertising is “dead”. ~WARC
It’s a pretty strong statement, but one that experiential marketers have been throwing around for a few years and one that Raja Rajamannar, the chief marketing and communications officer at Mastercard, discussed at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival. Rajamannar supported his statement by pointing out that “consumers hate interruption,” so much so that they use ad-blockers and “they are also paying money to keep these pesky marketers out, whether it is on Netflix, or Hulu, or YouTube Red, whichever.” See what else Rajamannar, who is perhaps one of the most influential CMOs in the world, has to say about this monumental shift towards experiential strategies.
“When we talk about “brand experience” we need to make sure we’re not talking about just AN experience or experiences (an event, experiential campaigns, etc.), but rather THE experience. The whole of it.” ~Ann-Christin Lindstedt
As more companies are seeing the value in the brand experience, it’s important to understand what that term equates to. As this article points out, it’s not about one experience that defines your brand, it’s the whole shebang, every interaction, every touchpoint, everything about a brand that plays into the brand experience. And as the author states, “you can create AN experience that impacts THE brand experience. What you cannot do is create THE brand experience with AN event or campaign.”
“Digital reality is starting to transform the world of marketing, shifting channel preferences and how brands build relationships with their customers.” ~Alan Cooke
Mixed reality – VR, AR, and immersive experiences – are changing the relationship between brands and consumers by delivering unforgettable experiences. In fact, some are referring to digital reality as the “fourth transformation,” putting it among the ranks of the web and mobile technology. Here, we take a look at 3 ways that digital reality is transforming B2C relationships.
Each week, ATN’s Happy Hour delivers the latest in experiential marketing news from around the world. If you like what you see, subscribe to our blog and we will deliver the latest news to your inbox once a month.
At ATN, we help businesses achieve their experiential marketing goals by providing the right people for every event. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, click below to contact one of our experiential marketing staffing experts.
