Marketing that involves peppering the consumer's environment with persuasive messages aimed at tempting them to buy a product or use a service seems to be a somewhat outdated and even outdated vision.
A new trend is entering the realm of marketing communications – experiential marketing. From the customer's perspective, purchasing a product is no longer just a purchase; it has become a ritual that ultimately demonstrates their affiliation with a given social group and serves as a marker of their style, taste, and beliefs. Learn what experiential marketing is all about. Examples of this strategy's use will demonstrate its power.
What is experiential marketing?
Consumer purchasing decisions are the result of many factors. Much, of course, depends on what you're buying. You'll choose bread differently during a quick trip to the supermarket than a new car from a dealership.
However, experts are noticing a very important trend: what's increasingly being "purchased" isn't so much the product itself, but rather the impressions and experiences associated with it . It's the story the brand tells and the positive feelings that consumers experience while interacting with it.
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How can we better understand what exactly experiential marketing is? Examples can be found even beyond typical product campaigns. Imagine a company event looming. The mere thought makes you roll your eyes, knowing it will end with exchanging fake smiles and pleasantries with your boss, a dull artistic performance, and a feeling of time dragging on forever?
What if this time, the event took a completely different form, one that completely transcended these familiar frameworks? Perhaps instead of a rigid banquet, a presentation using VR technology or a live version of your favorite game could be organized?
You'll remember the second version of this event differently and... perhaps even change your approach to the company. It's all thanks to the experiences you'll have and the emotions associated with them . A similar mechanism operates in marketing communications.
Experiential marketing itself can be understood in two ways . Both of these strategies are worth implementing into your promotional strategy.
Experiential marketing as direct contact with the product
This can be defined as a marketing strategy that strives to translate a brand's promise into reality. It's based on creating a strong bond with the consumer , where the product and brand must be tangible, tangible, and tangible.
Experiential marketing involves integrating a product into the consumer's life in such a way that they can make an informed decision to purchase a product or service based on their own experiences, not just the message coming from a radio or laptop.
Experiential marketing as building customer relationships
Why is experience so important? Because consumers are bored and fed up with mediocre brands . The average Joe no longer wants just a product. He wants something he can identify with, something that tells a story, something he can touch.
They want a product or service that they associate with positive experiences and personal development. One that provides unconventional entertainment and allows them to step outside the box.
What assumptions is experiential marketing based on?
Experiential marketing is based on several assumptions:
- consumers are individuals capable of self-determination who create social groups around common values, beliefs and lifestyles,
- the consumer purchases not the product, but the experience that accompanies it,
- In order to compete effectively on the market, an entrepreneur should appeal to the consumer's feelings, not just statistics, logic and rationalism.
This leads to the conclusion that in experiential marketing, the most important thing is what surrounds the product and the benefits resulting from its purchase and use.
These include the fulfillment of basic needs, such as a sense of belonging or security, as well as the fulfillment of needs related to self-fulfilment (pride, aesthetic experiences, satisfaction, or increased social status).
A key concept here is the so-called touchpoint. It's a moment of interaction with the consumer , whether intentional or accidental. This moment is the perfect opportunity to create engaging and unforgettable experiences.
The number and type of touchpoints are closely linked to the product and the nature of the brand. However, they should occur frequently—ideally throughout the product or service's entire lifecycle.
Experiential Marketing – Examples of Communication Channels
In experiential marketing, traditional advertising forms are becoming marginalized . Posters and billboards are merely a way to bridge communication gaps. The essence of producer-consumer dialogue is the mutual flow of messages and mutual respect.
It's about developing partnerships where the key factor isn't just the sale itself, but the connection established between the brand and the customer. It's about making the consumer feel emotionally connected to the company and simply liking it, even if they're not currently ready to buy its products.
The goal of experiential marketing is long-term: the idea is for a brand promoted in this way to be chosen more willingly than others because it is simply more liked.
To achieve this goal, one cannot resort to standard advertising techniques – those invasive ones that focus on direct persuasive communication.
Advertising that "penetrates" the customer's world can be effective in many situations, but if you're looking for long-term image (and therefore sales) results, you should reach for completely different solutions. Those that will draw the customer's attention—not necessarily to the products, but rather to the brand itself and the story behind it.
Modern methods of communication with customers include:
- word of mouth marketing – which relies on leveraging recommendations from people close to the consumer. These people typically share the same values, so it's important to leverage the opportunity to spread information about positive experiences with the brand. It's worth emphasizing that in this version, "word of mouth" shouldn't focus on recommending the brand's products, but rather be an activity that tells a different story. For example, a brand could engage in an engaging social campaign and encourage users to share hashtags related to this campaign – only indirectly and very subtly communicating its presence;
- ambient advertising – that is, all non-standard forms of advertising, such as interaction with the environment, the use of interiors and objects in connection with their function, new technologies, or the use of contextual space. It's precisely ambient advertising that offers the widest scope for creativity and allows one's imagination to run wild. Campaigns that defy the rigid framework of persuasive messages work so well... precisely because they are different and unconventional. Consumers don't perceive them as "artificial" or as having a hidden agenda of selling a specific product. They simply have fun interacting with the brand;
- gamification – the use of mechanics known from various types of games in non-gaming situations to engage consumers. Brand experiences can take the form of games, competitions, or fun. Here, too, brands have a wide range of options – both when organizing campaigns involving interaction with users in public spaces or at events, as well as online. Examples of experiential marketing in this form it is also possible to multiply.
Experiential Marketing – Examples Worth Knowing
There are many examples of using the above communication channels and how to influence the consumer.
Samsung, for example, used the idea of gamification when it opened a booth at Zurich's train station. At the booth, you could win a new phone model.
As long as you look at it for one hour. Without a break. As you might expect, the competition attracted a large audience: both viewers and participants. The brand achieved the expected results because the event:
- aroused audience engagement,
- encouraged to compete,
- inspired users to creating your own content – information about the event was widely reported on social media and was commented on for a long time.
Coca-Cola, seeking to engage consumers, installed a special vending machine at a London train station. Immediately after purchasing a drink, a challenge was displayed on the screen. After completing a challenge, participants won tickets to a James Bond film.
The promotional campaign was, of course, tied to the premiere of a new cult film. The brand once again utilized the idea of gamification to provide its customers with excellent, unconventional entertainment. While this form of promotion may not have directly translated into sales, it did boost positive brand associations.
On a side note, Coca-Cola is generally known for basing its marketing strategy on building connections with audiences and storytelling, rather than directly promoting products. Did you know that it was the brand's experts who created the image of Santa Claus we know today – the one in the red suit and with the long, gray beard?
Coca-Cola's direct competitor, Pepsi , is also focusing on experiential marketing. A few years ago, the brand ran an interesting ambient campaign that encouraged passersby to participate in "blind tests" of its products.
Pepsi and its main competitor were, of course, compared. Participants were asked to indicate which beverage they liked better, without knowing what they were drinking. This specific "consumer research" also generated interest among recipients and encouraged them to "generate content." Pepsi positively surprised its audience and reinforced its image as a friendly brand.
Red Bull , in turn , wanting to make the brand associated with adventure, adrenaline, and something exciting, decided to support Felix Baumgartner and his stratospheric jump. In the blink of an eye, Red Bull solidified the brand's image as one associated with competitive sports, thrills, and adrenaline. There were many similar events sponsored by Red Bull, including a typically Polish touch.
I'm talking, of course, about Andrzej Bargiel's famous descent from K2 . Just climbing one of the world's most difficult mountains to conquer is no small feat. But the Pole, moreover, decided to descend it on skis. Red Bull sponsored this trip and—as with Felix Baumgarten's jump—made it a major media event.
One that even major news outlets reported on. And while it didn't involve direct product promotion, it boosted Red Bull's visibility and became even more strongly associated with pushing one's limits and active entertainment.
Another interesting example is Volkswagen's campaign from a few years ago . It's a typical ambient event. The brand created a series of events called "The Fun Theory," with the goal of proving that people are more likely to do certain things if they think they're fun. As part of the campaign, a staircase in an underpass in Stockholm, Sweden, was transformed into... an interactive piano.
As a result, everyone who used them began to "play." And although Stockholmers are much more likely to choose the (less healthy) escalators located next to the standard ones, the added attraction encouraged them to walk up those several dozen steps. The Volkswagen brand was not explicitly promoted during this event. Instead, the campaign, which generated interest, was "played" on social media and YouTube.
Looking for examples of experiential marketing in the Polish market? You can also find them here. The Żywiec group's "Męskie Granie" concert series seems to be a key example. This event has grown into one of the most important pop culture events in our country and evokes specific associations.
Not only with good, but also with "intelligent" entertainment at a high level, and a move beyond the norm. And although the brand is promoted in a rather subtle way, it's impossible not to know who is behind this extraordinary musical event and the hits that are reaching number one on the charts.
Social media and tryvertising
A specific dimension of experiential marketing is tryvertising. It's a combination of the English words try and advertising. Tryvertising involves entering the customer's environment, giving them the opportunity to form their own opinion and personally test the company's product.
A perfect example is Coca-Cola, which regularly appears on the student campus of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, distributing its drinks to thirsty students on hot days.
Play appeared at the Przystanek Woodstock festival, supplying potential customers with branded wipes and starters.
Wrangler went a step further and, during the 2007 Lowlands Festival, presented attendees with a washing machine called the "Wrangler Laundromat." Attendees had the opportunity to wash their dirty and sweaty clothes. Everyone who took advantage of this opportunity received a replacement outfit and a personalized text message when the wash was complete.
The previously described example of experiential marketing used by the Pepsi group also fits into this strategy.
It's also important to remember to utilize communication channels without which consumers can't imagine their day. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook – the possibilities are endless, and the only limit is creativity.
In summary, marketing is constantly changing, just as the market and the business strategies implemented within it are changing. The product itself is no longer the most important thing.
The most important thing is the experience associated with it, the story surrounding the first interaction with it, and the benefits derived from its purchase and use. Ultimately, it's not about a new phone, jacket, or set of glasses, but about the experience of purchasing them. And these experiences are priceless and allow the manufacturer to create a strong and emotional bond with the consumer.
Frequently asked questions about experiential marketing
Experiential marketing is a strategy that focuses on the consumer's emotions, experiences, and memories, rather than just dry technical features or product price. Its primary goal is to design brand interactions that will personally engage the customer and leave them with a lasting memory.
- Traditional marketing: Focuses on one-way messaging. It informs the customer about the product's benefits, operating primarily on a rational level (e.g., "our detergent removes stains the best").
- Experiential marketing: Engages customers in a two-way dialogue. It invites them into the "brand world," engaging their senses and emotions. Instead of talking about the product, it allows them to experience it.
Sensory marketing is one of the most important pillars of experiential marketing. It utilizes targeted interaction with all of the recipient's senses:
- Sight: Consistent and attractive visual identification, unique interior design.
- Hearing: Appropriately selected music in the showroom, creating the desired atmosphere.
- Smell: A characteristic aroma sprayed in stores (so-called aroma marketing), with which the customer subconsciously associates the brand.
- Touch and taste: The ability to test the product before purchasing, free samples or a unique packaging texture.
In practice, experiential marketing takes many different, creative forms. These include:
- Event marketing and brand zones: Interactive entertainment or relaxation zones organized by brands at music festivals or sporting events.
- Pop-up stores: Temporary, uniquely designed sales outlets that appear for a short period in unusual locations.
- Modern technologies: Use of augmented (AR) or virtual reality (VR), e.g. virtual fitting rooms for clothes or glasses.
- Unforgettable unboxing: Designing the unboxing process for an online shipment so that the courier delivers a small work of art to the customer (a wonderful smell from the box, a personalized note).
Investing in customer experience translates directly into financial results. Key benefits include:
- Increased loyalty (Customer Loyalty): A customer who is emotionally attached to a brand is less likely to leave for the competition.
- Free word-of-mouth marketing: People love to share extraordinary experiences. A successful event or beautiful packaging generates hundreds of organic stories and posts on social media.
- Higher margin: Consumers are willing to pay more for a product that they associate with a unique, prestigious or simply enjoyable experience.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Experiential marketing is about building relationships with customers by creating positive impressions and emotions associated with the brand, which become more important than the product itself.
- Experiential marketing involves building a direct connection with the customer by enabling them to personally test the product and experience the brand in real life.
- Experiential marketing also involves building a connection with the consumer by offering them unique experiences, stories and emotions that go beyond the functionality of the product.
- Experiential marketing involves engaging consumers' emotions at every point of contact with the brand, offering them a sense of belonging and self-fulfilment rather than mere product functionality.
- Experiential marketing builds long-term brand loyalty through collaborative dialogue and non-standard activities such as word-of-mouth marketing, ambient marketing, and gamification, which engage customers instead of overwhelming them with advertising.
- Experiential marketing uses engaging events and gamification to build lasting, positive brand associations by providing consumers with unique entertainment and emotions, rather than direct sales.
- Experiential marketing is about building a lasting bond with consumers through engaging campaigns, such as tryvertising or gamification, which prioritize authentic experiences and emotions over direct product sales.
