The 5 Most Recent Insights in the Experiential World!
The 5 Most Recent Insights in the Experiential World!
CB Barthlow, Director of Development – Shop Marketing & Creative Group
Every Monday, our team gathers together for our weekly status meeting, to discuss current project and potential new business opportunities we’re pursuing. It’s important for any young company that’s growing to establish regular opportunities to meet with one another so everyone is up to date on what’s new in the company.
Part of our weekly status meetings, include something we call “Insights”. Every week, a new member of our team gives us a quick look at some new experiential activation or live marketing effort worth noting. These “insights” are not based on our own work but work we’re seeing in the industry right now.
We do this because it’s also important for any agency to be aware of what others are doing, what’s new. What works and even what doesn’t. Sometimes, these insights are so good, our creative team turns green with envy, but usually, they challenge us to think bigger than we already are.
Since these insights are such a vital part of our learning, we thought it might be worth sharing so other can see some of the experiential activations we’ve been looking at the last few months. Here are the most recent 5 Insights in the Experiential World!
The #DeltaDatingWall
Research suggests that well-traveled people get more dates so Delta (our Founder’s preferred airline) teamed up with local Brooklyn artists and the Tinder dating app to create a mural with realistic backdrops from cities across the world so passersby could snap a new profile pic and pretend they’d been to Paris or London. While this is really more of an Out-Of-Home installation, the immersive nature of the activation shows that sometimes even simple paint can provide a solid brand experience.
AR Shoes
Japanese footwear giant Onitsuka Tiger recently worked with fashion label Anrealage to produce a pair of augmented reality sneakers and while the execution needs some real refinement, and perhaps a better answer to the question “Why?”, this got us thinking about the continuing intersection of technology and experiential. Specifically, how can experiential marketers use incorporate technology to provide consumers with an actual experience with the product to be marketed. We love this idea, and we think it can be done better.
Beacon Treasure Hunts
Beacons are not a new technology, retailers have been using them for several years now to engage customers and app users alike but the technology has not really moved into non-retail spaces with great success. One beacon company has seen the opportunity and now hosts corporate and group treasure hunts using their beacons and hand held devices to allow people to hunt down a series of treasure items. We like this idea because it opens the door for more immersive experiences for consumers out in the open and presents an opportunity for people to experience new brands in new ways.
Syrian Living Room
Amnesty International has been engaging with people in powerful ways for years, but their latest installation in an Argentinian airport accomplishes far more than cause awareness. The charity recently built a replica of a Syrian living room complete with sensors built in to trigger explosions on the window/TV so people walking by could experience what life is like in a war-torn country. It’s easy for people to become numb to what we see in the digital world, but Amnesty once again proves that a tangible experience has far more effect.
National Rosé Day
Sometimes, you have to throw your own-party and celebrate yourself. The Fat Jewish is one of those people, who doesn’t mind tooting his own horn and last month he hosted the National Rosé Day parade to further his wine brand’s exposure. White Girl Rose is a private label wine, with a niche but loyal following, and when brands like that can harness the power of experiential with a solidly integrated social footprint we all win.