The interactive marketing experiences that got it right.
Experiential marketing or advertising through interactive experiences is designed to build a bond between the company and the consumer by offering them a fun, memorable and, often, completely immersive activity. The psychology behind the idea suggests that if people feel genuine emotions linked with the brand-related event, they will be far more likely to buy it than if they were just exposed to an online advert.
Here are four examples of interactive experiences that got it right:
1. Red Bull advertising through interactive experiences
Red Bull is a brand that has almost completely been built on advertising through interactive experiences and its association with dynamic sporting events from annual flying machine competitions to its sponsorship of Formula One. Red Bull took things to the next level, however, with the Stratos Jump -the story of how Austrian Felix Baumgartner broke the record for the highest parachute jump ever from outer space. This was perhaps the highest profile marketing campaign ever and certainly broke new ground in the history of experiential content marketing. Red Bull succeeded in capturing the public’s imagination from the planning and preparation of the event to the detailed footage of the death-defying jump itself. The Stratos Jump offered the public exciting content which could all be easily shared via social media fulfilling the content marketing mnemonic of COPE – Create Once Publish Everywhere. The Stratos Jump campaign resulted in major and continuous international exposure for the brand.
2. Mastercard and Swarovski’s virtual reality alliance
Last year, Mastercard and Swarovski launched a virtual reality shopping experience. Shoppers were invited to explore the Atelier Swarovski interior decor line via a state-of-the-art virtual reality headset. Consumers could visualise how the sparkling Swarovski chandeliers would look in various places in their own homes and then purchase one through the VR headset which was, of course, directly linked to Mastercard. The consensus among marketing experts is that experiential advertising builds consumer loyalty. Mastercard and Swarovski offered customers a seamless experience that made it far easier for the merchant to close the sale after that ‘moment of excitement’.
3. Doc McStuffin’s check-up clinic – advertising through interactive experiences for children
To promote the new series of the hit children’s TV show Doc McStuffin and to increase sales of the related merchandise, innovative marketing agency HotCow created a Doc McStuffin clinic that travelled to numerous branches of toy shops across the UK, including Smyths, Tesco and Toys R Us. Fans of the show – typically children aged between 3 and 8 – were invited to participate in a completely immersive experience by taking the role of Doc McStuffin and getting a ten-minute opportunity to diagnose a giant teddy bear’s illness and then receiving a certificate and branded door hanger.
Children waiting for their turn could watch episodes of the show, do some Doc McStuffin colouring in or play with related toys and merchandise. Over 8,000 children participated in the events and most rated it as highly enjoyable. The campaign was certainly a success for Disney who reported a 5.3 percent increase in interest in Doc McStuffin toys.
4. Globetrotter weather rooms
Customers can find out just how weatherproof Globetrotter products actually are at the Globetrotter weather rooms, perhaps the ultimate example of advertising through interactive experiences. Globetrotter is a German company that sells winter clothing and equipment. Customers are invited to try on Globetrotter products and enter a chamber with temperatures as cold as -20 degrees Celsius. There are also wind and rain chambers at the flagship store in Munich. This type of experience boost consumer confidence in the brand, raises awareness of the brand via word of mouth and is highly likely to turn consumers into brand evangelists based on their experiences of the Globetrotter freezing room.
Experiential marketing is undoubtedly a tactic that can easily go viral and cause awareness of your brand rise into the stratosphere. You can create attractive opportunities for consumers to experience your brand in a direct and memorable way. For more information about how to plan a creative advertising campaign using interactive experiences and the latest technology, visit LamasaTech.
