Evolve to Involve + Social engagement = Interactive Brand Experience
Experiential marketing, also known as engagement marketing, is a unique marketing strategy that aims to directly engage consumers and create meaningful brand experiences. Unlike traditional marketing that relies on passive receivers of a company’s message, experiential marketing involves consumers directly and creates a deeper connection between the brand and the consumer.
Marketer Esther Sauri from Linkilaw Solicitors defines experiential marketing as a marketing technique that seeks to build emotional connections between customers and brands through memorable and innovative experiences.
So, what makes experiential marketing so effective? According to Sauri, it's all about emotions. When a brand connects with customers on an emotional level, it not only results in a sale but also creates loyal customers.
Experiential marketing also offers a window into the creative process of an advertising campaign. This helps brands forge relationships with consumers as they are able to see and be a part of the entire journey.
An example of a successful experiential marketing campaign is Lean Cuisine's #WeighThis campaign. The brand invited women to share something important about themselves, other than their weight, and their responses were painted on individual scales. The gallery wall featuring these scales was displayed in Grand Central Terminal in New York City and attracted a large crowd.
While the gallery wall was clearly branded with Lean Cuisine's Twitter handle and hashtag, the brand did not offer any products during the campaign. Instead, they relied on the experience itself to connect with women and convey the message that women are more than just a number on the scale. The campaign was a massive success, collecting over 204 million impressions.
In conclusion, experiential marketing provides a new approach for brands to connect with consumers in a meaningful and emotional way. By offering interactive experiences, brands can create deep connections with consumers and establish themselves as more than just a product.