Cast your mind back and think about how you’ve consumed advertising over the years.
Far back enough, it was simply through print media. Gradually, it made its way to the airwaves, with TV and radio being a core staple of any business advertising campaign. We then found ourselves in the world of the internet and a host of digital adverts.
As social media emerged, the online ads we saw evolved further still. Think about how, even today, big brands use social media-style ads for their TV campaigns. Shots that look like they’ve been filmed on a mobile phone and with audio that makes you think it’s from TikTok rather than a media studio all tap into the rapid consumption we now seem to favor for all forms of media.
Yet, evolution is continuous, and in advertising, it is evolving into something much more immersive. We don’t just consume digital or print ads anymore; we live physical ones! We are now the star of the ad as well as the consumer of the product.
Live events and brand activations put us at the center of the campaign and allow us to connect to a product or brand far more than any other form of media.
Through product demos and interactive immersions, the pop-up shops and events create memories and brand awareness that other forms of advertising simply cannot match.
However, executing this isn’t straightforward, and for some brands, it simply wouldn’t work. In this blog, we’ll explore why live events and brand activations matter, and how, for your business, it could be the avenue to pursue if you want to stay ahead of the competition.
The Benefit of In-Person Engagement
If you think about many of the adverts you have consumed, the vast majority do not place you in the world of the product. This is understandable, as it just wouldn’t be possible. However, in this world of sharing and streaming, businesses are aware that emotion breeds memories, excitement, engagement, and ultimately, a shareable moment. This is far bigger than the reach and effect of any TV, radio, or print advert.
So, today, many businesses are jumping on this, and whilst they still dive into traditional forms of advertising, this more experiential element is perhaps more lucrative.
If we look at a music festival, a sporting event, or even a random retail pop-up, for example, companies bring consumers directly to the product and create something memorable that not only helps foster brand awareness but also a positive impression of the company.
A great example of this is Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign. We all jumped on the idea of wanting a bottle with our name on it, but it was much more than that. Live samples of the drink (a drink we already know!) were being offered but allowed consumers to engage with Coca-Cola in a fun, “Instagrammable” way.
Take Smyle, an experiential marketing agency in London. At Wimbledon in the summer of 2024, they teamed up with Vodafone to provide charging stations and a host of games and giveaways for tennis fans to engage in throughout the day. Whether a Vodafone customer or not, the Vodafone brand will be living long in the memory after the day at Wimbledon is over.
Amplification of Advertising
Live events and activations deliver a reach that lasts. Unlike the more traditional forms of advertising that can be broadcast for thirty seconds, flicked past in a magazine, or scrolled past on a website, a live event can live on forever through the sharing and interactions it garners.
When a consumer attends a live event hosted by a brand, they are instantly placed in a specially created world that encourages sharing and comment. With a strong experiential marketing agency on board, brands cultivate aspects of gamification and immersion to provide giveaways, demos, and, as we said earlier, “Instagrammable” or TikTok-worthy photo and video backdrops.
With such moments instantly shareable, the reach of the brand campaign extends way beyond the in-person audience and taps into like-minded people who aren’t there.
As much as it may receive criticism in some parts, this is where the world of the influencer can benefit brands tremendously for a fraction of the cost of any other form of promotion. Brands instead look at recruiting influencers to attend special events who share the exclusivity of the event with their followers. Nike, for example, has launched some iconic footwear over the years and is endorsing multiple sporting legends.
Special events they have recently been running have seen sportspeople attend, and with the influencer in tow, the new launch is amplified as they meet the legend and broadcast it. For the consumer, this is a double endorsement of the product, as it feels as though both the influencer and the sportsperson are engaging directly with you.
Why Is There This Shift?
Today, we all want things instantly and we all demand more. We won’t admit it, but we do! The very nature of how we consume media has changed. Look at Netflix and YouTube, for example. We get extremely frustrated with ads and even pay more to remove them, and we watch regular TV broadcasts with them almost reluctantly. We’ve started to feel that ads are intrusive, haven’t we?
TikTok videos are created to be fast, so you are constantly taking on board something new, and the never-ending scroll on X or Facebook locks us into doom-scrolling, where we never reach the end but always want more.
In advertising, this has been incorporated but with a twist. Advertisers know our attention spans aren’t what they were, so they bring experiences to us that lock us in, but in a voluntary manner, avoiding the intrusion that other ads create.
You can watch a TV ad, but you must watch it if you want to carry on with the show that returns after the break. You can read a magazine, but you’ve got to turn that page after the ad to finish your article. With experiential marketing and live events, you have no interruptions, as the full event is crafted around the brand. Even if there are breaks in a performance or element of the activation, they will be carefully themed around the brand.
For example, you want to buy a new car. You could see a TV ad and be impressed by a few things that flash before you, but it doesn’t give you a feel for the car. Now, brands see this and instead offer more exciting test drives or simulations. Drinks companies won’t just flood the shelves with a new product; they will create a tasting event with a theme, perhaps with some entertainment, and ensure that those taking part are fully immersed.
Going back to the agency we referenced earlier, Smyle worked on an event where the entire menu was created via AI, providing a complete sensory immersion that would leave all guests remembering the creativity of the food and ultimately, the brand.
How Are Brands Doing It?
Live experiences can be embraced by businesses of all sizes and in a host of ways. Where some larger companies may look for collaborations with other big brands, smaller businesses may consider something a little less grandiose.
Pop-up shops
Pop-up shops provide a temporary retail experience in an area where demand may be high and the chance to be seen is increased. A buzz and sense of exclusivity come from pop-up shops, especially when they are from exclusive brands that do not normally frequent the particular town or city.
Product sampling and demos
Allowing customers to try, feel, smell, and understand the brand or product puts them on the front line. Rather than believe the biased slant of TV or online ads, they can actually see the items for themselves, ask questions, try things out, and learn more to make a fully informed decision, rather than buy on impulse.
Immersive tech
Using AI, AR, or VR for an experience gives a brand a chance for consumers to soak up multiple elements of the company in a fun way. Many companies use these tech elements to offer gaming, insights, and sensory experiences that drop the consumer right into the heart, mindset, and attitude of the brand.
Brand partnerships
Some brands see the value in associating themselves with other big names. Think of it almost as an endorsement. If one company links up with another, they are in essence agreeing with what the other does.
Whichever route is taken, working with an experiential agency ensures that the activation is strategic and aligns with business objectives and budget. With their expertise being fused with the product knowledge of the brand, a unique event can be curated that maximizes engagement and ROI.
From planning to execution, a specialist agency takes a product and doesn’t just advertise it but helps bring it to life in a way that customers remember and feel part of.
Nicola Holder