Are you considering an experiential advertising campaign, but not sure where to start? Experiential campaigns have been launched in countless forms, and fresh ideas are appearing every day. However, the best place to start is by considering the purpose of your campaign and the results that you would like to achieve. Once you know the desired action that you want consumers to take, you can start to build on that foundation with creative ideas. Here are three examples of goals that you can start with, along with actual campaigns that were build on each objective.
Get People to DO Something
One of the most popular forms of experiential advertising is an immersive campaign that invites people to take part in an event, try or sample something, or interact in some way with a live advertisement. This type of experience does more than catch attention of consumers – they become part of the advertisement itself as they engage with the event.
The Downton Abbey Tea Truck Experience that we created in New York is an example of this type of campaign. Multiple locations were set up for fans to drop in for tea. Guests of the tea truck were involved a memorable experience as they were served by fully-costumed maidservants and butlers. This event gave fans a taste of what it is like to be part of cast of their favorite show.
Get People to SHARE Something
Not all experiential campaigns involve an interactive event. Some are designed to catch the attention of consumers with an ad that defies expectations and causes them to stop, capture, and share. Displays that mix print with real life and make use of stunts or unexpected surprises fit into this category.
When we built a rock wall in Times Square to announce the new Toyota RAV4, we made headlines with an experiential twist. Live rock climbers scaled the wall throughout the day, grabbing the attention of passers-by. The campaign received exposure in both Adweek and The Hartford Business Journal, and it was shared across social media by New Yorkers who stopped to capture images and video with their phones.
Get People to DISCUSS Something
Sometimes you want to start a deeper conversation that will last longer than a stunt and create an important statement about your brand. In this case, you need a tagline that will hit an issue that people are passionate about and a social media hashtag that will allow them to share their stories and opinions.
The #ImNoAngel campaign we executed for Lane Bryant was this type of experience. Lane Bryant successfully started a conversation about real women and body image with giant pictures of average-sized women in lingerie, proving that normal body sizes were attractive. The #ImNoAngel hashtag was prominently displayed beside every image, and the public responded with overwhelming participation.
What goal do you have for your next campaign? We can help you build on your ideas to execute a head-turning event or display.