There are over 35,000 Google searches monthly asking ‘what is experiential marketing’. It’s hard to believe that such a fast-growing and popular marketing tool is still so widely misunderstood.  As a valuable component in the marketing mix, experiential marketing will continue to augment traditional campaigns and is therefore an important concept for all marketing enthusiasts to understand.

We define experiential marketing as ‘the act of connecting consumers with a brand through a live interaction’.  This experience provides consumers with the ability to understand a product or service by using their senses and engaging with it.  Whether tasting new low-fat ice cream, watching HD animation on a new flat-screen, or pressing the accelerator of a hybrid car during a test drive; providing an experience is one of the greatest ways for a brand to create new customers as well as retain existing customers.

In creating an environment where consumers become excited and engaged in a product, you consequently increase their interest in the brand.  Experiential marketing generates three different levels of customer interest:

1) Brand Awareness

• Use experiential as a tool to remind current users why they should continue using your brand
• Keep your brand top of mind

2) Intent to Purchase

• Build interest in a way that the customer will leave with intent to buy your product
• Drive them online or to retail where they can make their future purchase

3) Sales on the Spot

• Call the customer to action, overcome their objections and complete a transaction

Experiential Marketing is a way to break through the clutter of traditional advertising, meet your customers face to face and build their interest in your brand.  At the end of the day, when customers actually want to participate in your marketing, you will increase your sales and brand equity!