Let’s say one of your favorite brands is Ikea and you’re in the market to redesign your kitchen. You shop at Ikea almost exclusively and would consider yourself a loyal customer.
Now, let’s say Ikea invited you to a dinner party hosted by your favorite influencer. Score! You arrive at a beautifully designed home that looks and feels like a Pinterest board. It has character and feels rich in family history, with the minimalist aesthetic you’ve been pinning since before you owned a home.
You enter into a decked-out kitchen where the party is taking place. You notice the countertops, the appliances, the paint color, the lighting, the cabinets, and, most of all, you notice the ease of it all. The host is happy, kids aren’t hitting their heads on sharp edges, and the design is everything you would ever want.
You don’t just want to buy the entire kitchen, you want to buy that feeling. Did I tell you the kitchen is designed exclusively with Ikea products? Sold.
To be able to touch and feel a product in a real-world situation is exactly what experiential marketing is all about. This marketing strategy invites people to engage with a brand’s product or service as if they had already purchased it.
If you’re not convinced that experiential marketing is the right strategy for your company, consider these stats.
- 91% of consumers say they have more positive feelings about brands after attending events and experiences. (Event Track)
- 65% of brands say that their event and experiential programs are directly related to sales. (EMI & Mosaic)
- 98% of users feel more inclined to purchase after attending an activation. (Medium)
- Experiential marketing can help forge lasting relationships with your customers, increasing the sales cycle over the long haul. (AdWeek)
Companies investing in brand marketing events are betting that attendees will love the experience so much that they’ll want to share with their family and friends. If the Ikea dinner party were a real event, you bet #IkeaDinnerParty would be trending with tons of Ikea kitchen content.
Experiential marketing is about creating community and building trust. It’s an extension of the brand experience you already offer in-store or online. The key is to make your event memorable.
Not sure how to do that? We can help!
