03.23.19
By Lisa Major
And just like that, South by Southwest (SXSW) 2019 is in the books. This year’s festival was filled with killer music acts, insane technology, and of course, unbelievable brand experiences. Each year, brand marketers flock to the interactive festival in Austin to showcase their brands through highly immersive experiences. And with all eyes on the festival, brands seek to make their mark by investing more and more money, not to mention creativity, into these experiences. In this week’s Happy Hour, we take a look at brands who stole the show at SXSW 2019. We also feature articles on trends impacting the experiential marketing industry, from retail to targeting Millennials.
Each year, SXSW gets bigger and bigger, from attendance numbers to A-list celebrity panels. With all the hype surrounding the 10-day Austin festival, brands pour in from around the globe to create show-stopping brand experiences. Brands invest more and more each year in an attempt to outdo each other, and the creativity behind the campaigns will leave you speechless. In 2018, SXSW recognized the need for brands to have their own SXSW awards, just as they host for technology, film, and music. As a result, the Arrow Awards made their debut last year. The Arrow Awards celebrate the creativity behind these immersive and buzz-worthy activations. Here, we take a look at the brands that stole the show in 2019.
Experiential marketing continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and budgets keep growing, too. In fact, according to this article, “budgets for experiential marketing rose 19 consecutive quarters to Q2 2018.” In an industry that is constantly evolving, from consumer engagement strategies to technology, it’s important for brands to remain relevant in the space. One surefire way to do that it to stay on top of all the latest trends. Check out these four experiential marketing trends that are already making a name for themselves in 2019.
Over the past couple of years, the term experiential retail has been a hot topic. Both marketing and retail experts agree that this strategy is the solution to getting customers back into stores, ultimately saving brick-and-mortar. With all the hype surrounding experiential retail, many businesses have impulsively jumped right in with flashy ideas and gimmicks. But with no real strategy behind those ideas, they simply come across as just another stunt in the eyes of consumers. In order for experiential retail to work, retailers must put customer engagement before anything else. A good engagement strategy and a solid team of experienced brand ambassadors – not sales associates – can help retailers achieve this. In this article, we examine three tips to help retail brands win with experiential marketing.
Millennials love experiences, and for that reason, they have become the target audience for brands of all shapes and sizes. But, as experiential marketing grows, brands may have a harder time connecting with this coveted generation. With the increase in brand experiences popping up everywhere, event marketers should always be seeking new ways to engage with Millennials. Here, Adweek explains how brands can reach Millennials in a popular space and on their terms.
Join us each week for Happy Hour as we dive into all the latest news in experiential marketing. From tips to trends to the hottest events, we’ll bring them to you in one recap! Subscribe to our monthly blog to receive even more content delivered directly to your inbox!
ATN is the leader in the experiential marketing event staffing industry. For over 16 years, we have worked with marketing agencies and brands to help them take their brand experiences to the next level! If you are in need of an experienced staffing partner, we’re here for you.
