EML Activations

Experiential marketing is a marketing technique that creates experiences between brands and consumers. These campaigns use an activation (for example, product sampling, immersive experiences, events, etc.) to bring brands to life and also allow direct interaction between brands and their target audience.

Every day,the average person is exposed to over 1000 ads from different brands; hence, the traditional methods are no longer sufficient in themselves. People accrue loyalty to a brand they feel connected to as opposed to a brand that they “just see everywhere”.

Brand Managers and Marketing Professionals are therefore having a re-think on best strategies to run their campaigns, instead of simply using traditional marketing communications and perhaps some digital.

They strongly believe that the best way to turn consumers to loyalists is via a strategy that helps the end-users come together to have a “feel” of the brand and perhaps something more to reassure them that aside from the purchase, the brand is thinking about them.

Brands are always seeking new and innovative ways to create a significant, long-lasting impression, especially in this digital age. Real-world experiential marketing provides an opportunity to leave an impression, intrigue and compel consumers to positively associate with a brand.

Therefore, experiential marketing campaigns now range from creative sampling to product sampling, roadshows, market storms, PR stunts, influencer marketing, festivals and beach activations, among others.

The best experiential marketing campaigns aim to delight, provoke, challenge, inspire, motivate and ultimately produce tangible results. Due to recent trends, marketers are allocating a huge chunk of their budget to experiential marketing as opposed to previous times. Although, it is not all smooth-sailing for some brands still have reservations, as measuring ROI for experiential marketing is significantly low and repetitive.

Businesses need to find out the right marketing channel that would be the best fit for the marketing campaign, especially after considering the target audience. Summarily, experiential marketing still remains relevant in marketing campaigns as it offers the consumers the opportunity to connect with the brand first-hand. However, it is still imperative for businesses to consider the target audience before deciding on the best channels to reach them.