Experiential marketing in a digital age
New technology isn’t just changing the way consumers behave, it’s also changing the way they interact with and learn about brands. From new online platforms to the resurgence of pop-ups, companies are continuously evolving their methods when it comes to establishing authentic and resonant relationships with their customers. Whether it’s through digital channels such as social media, email campaigns, personalised online experiences, or in-person interactions such as events and interactive displays, it’s all about finding ways to connect with their target audience.
There is a growing demand for authentic, real-life experiences, and thanks to the continued rise of social media and its influencers, in-person experiences are capable of reaching a far wider audience than just those who attend. As a result, companies are increasing their expenditure towards experiential marketing to engage with their wider target audience in a more immersive and interactive way. Plant-based milk brand Plenish held an activation that included free Pilates classes and coffee for press and influencers. This resulted in the brand serving over 1,200 coffees and 10 million consumers through a mix of press and influencer coverage. Increasing investment in experiential marketing has proven extremely effective.
From interactive product demonstrations to personalised brand activations, experiential marketing opens doors for businesses to connect with their customers on a deeper and more meaningful level, ultimately driving brand affinity and advocacy.
Picture Worthy Experiences – Enhancing Brand Visibility
The Starbox is perfect for events organisers and project managers looking to capitalise on experiential marketing techniques. Our demountable and modular structure can easily be deployed in strategic locations with high footfall like city centres. Starbox is also an exceptionally versatile platform for branding opportunities, both internally and externally. Its flexible design and branding options encourage visually captivating user-generated content, helping spread the brand message across online platforms and through word of mouth. By helping to provide a brandable backdrop for immersive experiences, Starbox creates a focal point for photo-worthy moments, amplifying brand visibility and engagement.
At Star Live, we have been able to consistently help create picture-worthy experiences. We collaborated with long-standing client Imagination and delivered the infrastructure for a three-day fan festival for Major League Baseball in London. Designing an innovative cage structure for a baseball game, Home Run Derby X, which allowed fans to hit baseballs and see their shots visualised digitally against the backdrop of the London skyline. The event was a perfect excuse for fans to take pictures or film the experience, allowing them to share the moment. Our collaboration with Iris Worldwide for Samsung at Samsung KX allowed us to create the "world’s first vertical gig”. The 9-metre tall “vertical stage's” 9:16 format was a genius design, perfect for filming with mobile phones in portrait mode. It was a way for Samsung to leverage user-generated content and let attendees spread the word about their pioneering event.
Direct Consumer Connections
Experiential marketing campaigns are a powerful strategy that allows brands to directly engage with consumers through carefully crafted and immersive brand experiences. These campaigns provide a unique opportunity for businesses to interact with their target audience in a personalised and memorable way, fostering deeper connections. From pop-up events and brand installations to interactive displays and live demonstrations, businesses can showcase their values, products, and messaging in a way that physically connects with their audience.
But there’s more to these experiential campaigns, they also enable brands to gather valuable insights and feedback directly from consumers, helping them better understand their target demographic and adapt their future marketing strategies accordingly.
Starbox activations for brands like Expedia and TikTok demonstrate its capability to create stunning environments for direct consumer connections. Star Live collaborated with FRUKT Octagon to create a striking brand activation for Expedia. The installation featured a unique blend of Starbox units and custom elements from partner agency Firecracker, creating a captivating brand experience that forged a strong connection between Expedia and its audience. When Star Live collaborated with Envy Create to execute a premier “TikTok live” activation at Kings Cross station, it transformed the bustling hub into a polished, immersive two-day live music event within a limited 5-hour build window. This event was a great example of experiential feeding online, with the live stream linking directly to the site. It showcased how a live activation at a busy location could captivate and engage passing crowds.
The Power of Engaging Experiences
Experiential marketing is back in a big way, from the Sphere in Las Vegas to Lightroom in London. As noted in the article "How to Achieve Physical Success in an Increasingly Digitally Obsessed World" “a single moment in live time brings exclusivity, drives FOMO, delivers a pre-selected, primed audience, creates content for social storytelling, and crucially delivers a much longer dwell time - 14 minutes per person compared to a three-second doom scroll”. This insight underscores the value of experiential marketing in capturing the audience's attention and leaving a meaningful imprint that extends far beyond the moment of interaction.
In conclusion, experiential marketing's power in the digital age lies in its ability to create authentic, memorable, and shareable experiences that resonate with consumers. By leveraging innovative structures like Starbox and focusing on engaging activations, brands can effectively connect with their audience, generate user-generated content, and ultimately leave a positive, long-lasting impact on their consumer base.
If you'd like to learn more about how experiential marketing can elevate your brand, feel free to reach out to us at any time.