Experiential marketing isn’t new. In fact, over the past few years, we’ve seen brands big and small work hard to create events and experiences that will live on in their customers’ hearts and minds. Whether these are pop-up shops like Luke’s Diner of Gilmore Girls fame or the Kwik-E-Marts that appeared before The Simpsons Movie; installations like the #WeighThis campaign for Lean Cuisine, or outrageous events like Red Bull’s annual Flugtag (or that insane skydive stunt in 2012), the common goal is to make a splash and tug buyers’ emotions.
Aside from getting big publicity, there are several reasons you should consider adding experiential marketing for your CPG campaigns.
Marketers Believe Experiences Are More Effective
While maybe not a majority of marketers, 41% do believe that experiential marketing gets better results than advertising, email, and content marketing. In fact, they say it’s the single most effective channel available. That number is expected to grow in 2019, as only 9% thought it was the top producer in 2017.
Experiential Marketing Results in Sales
Your main goal is to boost your bottom line, right? Well, studies show that 85% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product after taking part in experiential marketing events.
Customers Like Brands More
After marketing events, 91% of consumers say they have more positive feelings about the brand that was showcased.
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Experiences Are Shareable
Your experiential marketing campaigns will reach well beyond the customers that are present for the events, and not just because of your own publicity efforts. 98% of consumers that attend marketing events create videos, photos, and social content, and 100% of those who create content will share it.
Second-Hand Experiences Are Powerful, Too
Customers don’t even have to be present to be swayed by an experience. 72% of consumers say that their friends’ social media posts, images, and videos made them more likely to purchase from the brand on display.
(Almost) Everyone’s Doing It
Of businesses that are overperforming or performing as expected, 91% and 80% respectively, believe experiential marketing is a big reason for their success. One might be tempted to believe experiential marketing is why these businesses are performing so well.
Long-Term Relationships
Experiential marketing relies on tapping into buyer emotions. When you do that correctly, you’re taking big steps toward building rapport and trust with your target audience. And we all know that loyal buyers lead to more sales, in the long run.
While outrageous and social-media friendly events may get you noticed on a large scale, they’re not the only types of experiential marketing you have at your disposal. Sure, these are fun and memorable, but they’re also expensive. You can create connections with your buyers on a smaller scale, as long as you touch on the following requirements: education, relevance, and transparency. Demonstrations and free samples can go a long way with your buyers, all without the need to set a world record.
