When I turned 25, I decided to do something different. Something I’d never done before. Something fun to mark my quarter century celebration. So, I called up a friend and made plans to go Hot Air Ballooning. What an exhilarating adventure that was.. and... I was hooked! I made a promise, that at least once a year, I would treat myself to a new experience. It was one of those moments in life, that shaped the years to come.
So here i was, an experience junkie. Im talking anything from watching a live show recording, parasailing, kayaking, concerts, tour of Casa Loma, high tea, a macrame class, snorkelling ... the list keeps going... and I was always on the lookout for new things to do.
Apparently I’m not the only one though. Theres a whole range of people out there wanting anything from simple experiences to adrenaline junkies.
A few weeks ago, my 12 year old son was telling me about the guy who jumped from space. I was like… nah… he probably got it wrong. But lil’ dude was right. On Oct 14, 2012, Felix Baumgartner set the world record for skydiving from the stratosphere. Talk about some serious adrenaline rush. But what got my attention is the partnership with Red Bull.
Photo Courtesy: Getty Images
Have you noticed more and more brands are getting their name out by engaging the customer in an experience. Curious about this marketing tactic, i searched and came across an article by Braden Becker: 13 Examples of Experiential Marketing Campaigns That'll Give you Serious Event Envy.
This article talks about Experiential Marketing - aka 'engagement marketing' and how it is a vital part of a brand's advertising strategy. It is a marketing strategy that invites an audience to interact with the business in a real-world situation, to increase brand awareness, interact with public and create positive brand perception.
As mentioned in the title, there are 13 examples of experiential marketing in the article, including Red Bull’s. Red Bull is know for coverage of extreme sports. Their marketing campaign “stratos” featured the Austrian sky diver, Felix Baumgartner. Housed in a communication capsule, Felix was sent up to the stratosphere using a helium balloon. He would jump, setting the world record of skydiving from 128,000 ft. and also become the first human to break the sound barrier in freefall.
This event was streamed live and received the highest viewing traffic on YouTube of 8 million views. Wowzer!!! I didn’t watch the livestream, but I can only imagine the nail-biting suspense & excitement of being part of a live, never been done before stunt. An experience like that will be remembered and what a great way for Red Bull to get their brand into the record books. Not to mention, they just celebrated the 10th year anniversary of that jump.
That was just one of the marketing campaigns. Check out the article for more details on the experiences from:
The article also tells us what experiential marketers do and why experiential marketing matters today - bolstering a lasting connection between customers and brand.
What I loved about this article, was that not only did the companies want to connect the experience to its brand, but that they were also thinking of the customer and what would be fun for them. For an experience junkie like me…it’s music to my ears and I can’t wait to get out and be a part of these experiences.
So, did you find this article interesting? Which campaigns got your attention? Let me know in your comments below.
This was so interesting! Outside what's listed in the article, I see a lot of experiential marketing when it comes to sports, particularly extreme sports. My mind immediately when to North Face, Columbia, Patagonia, etc. as they have extreme sport enthusiasts (mountain climbing, mountain biking, polar expeditions, cross country) wear their gear to generate interest and give real world examples and feedback on the gear they use.
ReplyDeleteI like the marketing idea they used. The Red Bull campaign is a brilliant example of how a brand can create a memorable and record-breaking event that captures the world's attention. It's a testament to the power of shared experiences.
ReplyDeleteThe list of experiential marketing campaigns you've shared is a goldmine of creativity and customer thinking. Brands are not just promoting their products; they are striving to provide meaningful, fun, and engaging experiences for their customers. This not only deepens the connection between the brand and the audience but also creates lasting memories.
The importance of customer-centric experiential marketing cannot be overstated. It's about putting the customer at the center and delivering moments of excitement and joy. This approach not only fosters brand loyalty but also resonates with experience.
I really love the concept of experiential marketing and I think its really cool when you see a company/brand thinking outside the box and not being afraid to try something new – clearly for the examples in this article, taking that leap of faith has proven successful. Personally, big fan of M&M’s (who isn’t right?) and if someone offered me the experience of indulging them in a flavor room, I can honestly say, I’d be 100% in for the experience. Now, all I want are some peanut M&M’s!
ReplyDeleteAlso, having not heard of it before reading your article (I guess I’m living under a rock), I was not one of the 8 million viewers who turned into the Stratos event. I can completely relate here in that I would have been quite skeptical to hear of such thing before seeing it/reading it with my own eyes. I was legit on pins and needles watching the YouTube clip in the article!! How’s that for thinking outside the box though? Red Bull took their “gives you wings,” slogan and legitimately brought that slogan to life.
Thanks for the read…and now the craving for M&M’s ha!
-Mel
As an event planner my office is always looking creative for ways to facilitate engaging experiences, and I absolutely love to see this extended to the marketing of the events as well! The examples you listed all sound so interesting and immersive. Creating these experiences and connections with organizations through experiential marketing allows for an unforgettable experience and really cements the experience and organization in a consumers mind. Coming out of the pandemic I am always looking for innovative and engaging things to do and I feel like even seeing these titles has me intrigued. Very inspiring article and it's definitely left me with ideas on how to push boundaries moving forward with event marketing.
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