Amidst the Covid-19 lockdowns, virtual events saw a huge spike in popularity, but the comeback of in-person activations and events is here! If you’re looking to drive brand awareness and sales while differentiating your product or service in the space, you should start thinking beyond online and OOH ads by engaging your audience with experiential influencer activations.
While it’s easy for consumers to mute or skip commercials, use ad blockers, or scroll past a post, experiential activations provide a fun experience for the public to eagerly attend at their own choosing. It’s the perfect way to bring your brand to life and unlock a one-of-a-kind interaction with your target audience, while tapping influencers to generate buzz and reach!
Why and how should you get started? See below!
The younger generations prioritize making memories. It’s been shown that millennials prefer to spend money on a desirable experience or event over buying something desirable. Better yet, post-event they are even more likely to purchase the brand’s offering! By changing their role from online observer to active participant, you’ll create a more memorable moment as they actively engage with your brand (and likely make future purchases as well)!
It’s important to keep in mind that these experiences are not just about showcasing your product or service. You need to show consumers a good time! Instead of making every aspect about brand education, create a related experience your target audience will enjoy and want to tell their friends about, while incorporating your brand. Immerse them into the activation by engaging all of their senses from sight to smell. The Barbie DreamHouse Airbnb is a great example of this!
With travel back in action, many brands are taking influencers away to beautiful locations for an experience of a lifetime as they highlight the trip on social media.
To get consumers involved as well, you can have influencers spread the word about trips and events that everyone is invited to join! Whether this means partnering with an influencer to host a retreat with the brand in a tropical locale, or attending your brand’s pop-up shop in a big city, influencers are the perfect resource for driving attendance by spreading the word to your everyday consumer. The personal touchpoint of their favorite influencer inviting them to an IRL experience makes users much more inclined to go themselves!
As a solution during Covid, brands made things more personal on social media since they couldn’t host in-person events. While we highly recommend IRL (in real life) events, there are still ways to interact through the screen. For example you can create fun TikTok filters that get users engaged with the brand so they can create and share free entertaining content. Brands can also generate buzz by gamifying interactive online experiences.
Influencer marketing is a powerful tool for brands looking to connect with their target audience and it’s essential to make every influencer dollar count. Remember, it’s not only about the quantity of influencers or the size of their following, but also the quality of the engagement and the alignment with your brand’s values that truly matter. With a thoughtful and strategic approach, brands can amplify their reach, impact, and ultimately, their return on investment.
No matter how lean or large your budget, there is a way for every brand to begin. With a great idea and time to plan, brands can make a great impact on their target customers through unique experiences. Reach out to info@socialflyny.com to get started!
Written By: Cara Duffy, Influencer Marketing Account Supervisor