Experiential marketing has never been more relevant than it is today. We live in a world where consumers are bombarded with messages everywhere they go and at all times of the day. Because it’s harder than ever to stand out from the crowd, embracing experiential marketing and ‘live’ experiences is a must.
Some companies have been reaping rewards for quite a while now.
Yorkshire Tea is a tea business, but they’ve earned success because of a change in their tone of voice and an open-minded attitude to marketing. They thought about the different forms of transport that allow you to enjoy a nice hot cuppa and, really, there’s only one winner: trains. They were also helped by the fact that train buffets are frequently not up to scratch, so they joined forces with East Coast Trains and delivered quality tea to the passengers.
They enjoyed the added benefit of being able to ask the passengers to continue the campaign on social media, with lots of satisfied people tweeting pictures of themselves with a brew. As a ‘live’ experience goes, it was a success. Experiential marketing doesn’t always have to be ‘in your face’.
Check out the video here:
Of course, sometimes it does work to deliver experiential marketing campaigns that surprise and shock. Last year, Kellogg’s created a seasonal twist to their Rice Krispies Squares bars, bringing out Halloween-themed Rice Krispies Scares.
Kellogg’s were clearly aware of the success of the Carrie PR stunt that went viral, so they delivered a similarly show-stopping exploit in Ireland. They positioned special vending machines offering free Rice Krispies Scares, which actually gave passers-by a nasty surprise.
Take a look:
Both these ideas prove that your experiential marketing campaign doesn’t have to be 100% original to be effective. Nor does it have to be particularly creative. As long as you’ve got a plan and your campaign is aimed at enhancing your brand in a fun and interesting way, there’s plenty for you to gain.
Hotcow is a non-traditional creative agency that specialises in experiential marketing that goes viral. Our campaigns generate buzz through crowd participation, PR and content sharing. Contact us on 0207 5030442 or email us on info@hotcow.co.uk.
