Real, relevant and reassuring

There has never been a better time to invest in experiential marketing, as recession-hit consumers seek brands that offer escapism, talk to them as individuals and make them feel valued

In this supplement last year, I wrote an article about experiential being the key to long-term consumer engagement - a strategic mindset at the heart of long and happy marriages between brands and consumers.

A year on, there is little doubt that many brand marriages, new and old, are under intense pressure. The world is a different place. Turbulent times are forcing cuts in family budgets. Anxiety about money, jobs and health pandemics is rife. Consumer trust in banks and politicians is at an all-time low. Bad news seems to fill the media.

For marketers, all this consumer uncertainty means that brand value is inevitably being questioned like never before. People have become more cautious and more questioning of marketing messages. Every purchase is more considered. Now, more than ever, consumers expect to be talked to as individuals. They want to feel individually rewarded for their brand choices and loyalty.

In these difficult times, too many brands believe the answer is just to discount price. But crucially, it is not just price that people are looking at. Consumers are actively searching out the brands that offer them the best overall package of rational and emotional benefits. They want brands that 'talk their language'. Brands that offer positive escapism from gloom and doom. Brands that offer more value by making them feel more personally valued.

That is exactly why I believe there is no more relevant time for brands to invest in experiential marketing than in a recession.

For a start, experiential has the potential to brighten up people's lives at a time when they need it most. Give people something fun to do, entertaining to laugh at or delicious to savour, and you give them moments to cherish during difficult days. Back that with a valued promotion, and the feel-good factor becomes even greater.

Then there is the question of trust in marketing. A recent global survey conducted by Nielsen of 25,000 consumers in 50 countries found that recommendations from friends and consumer opinions posted online are the most trusted forms of advertising.

In other words, people rely on others' experiences - something that experiential has huge power to influence by giving consumers advice, guidance and trial opportunities in open and transparent ways.

Indeed, the honest, face-to-face aspect of experiential is one of its great strengths. It offers a welcome dose of reality in an increasingly digital marketing world. Experiential puts consumers in control, letting people choose to discover and enjoy brands first-hand, at times and places that fit with their lives.

It creates meaningful individual connections between brands and consumers, and thus provides a launchpad for long-term brand relationships. This is where digital becomes so integral to modern experiential thinking. People want to share experiences with friends and like-minded individuals, and real-life experiences are at the heart of all online social networks. Twitter used to ask: 'What are you doing now?' Now, it invites users to 'share and discover what's happening right now, anywhere in the world'. Never has it been so easy to quickly spread real-world experiences.

So experiential continues to evolve. Where once the emphasis was on big standalone brand events, it is now generally accepted that experiential marketing is very much an integrated approach, based on moments of engaging live consumer interaction.

Our recent campaign for Russian Standard Vodka, for example, challenges consumers to 'Meet the Russian Standard' and win trips to Moscow. It is an experiential prize promoted via an integrated mix of in-bar and off-trade sampling events, on-pack promotion, PR, social networking, radio sponsorship and live events at Selfridges.

The key to experiential is finding imaginative ways to enhance people's brand experience across multiple touchpoints, especially in stores, where research shows 70% of purchase decisions are made.

When times are tough and relationships are under pressure, that is exactly when you need to make an extra effort - delighting consumers with unexpected treats while staying true to your original brand and advertising promises.

Bruce Burnett is managing director of i2i Marketing

Send To A Friend Print This Page

Back to top

Bookmark with:

Spread the Word

delicious

digg

technorati

reddit

magnolia

stumbleupon

yahoo

google