As brands and agencies have become more savvy at measuring the ROI of events, experiential marketing has been elevated from a ‘nice to have’ strategy, to one which can have a significant impact on the bottom line. Research has shown that after attending a brand activation 85% of consumers are likely to purchase, while 91% leave with positive feelings about the brand (EventTrack 2018).
Brand leaders are increasingly turning to events as the cost of capturing an audience through other channels continues to rise while returns diminish. Research from Adobe Digital Insights shows that from 2014-16 advertisers increased search spend by 42%, which only delivered an 11% increase in website traffic, with time on site decreasing by 6% YOY. It’s no wonder that audience attention has become a premium commodity, as it’s estimated that people are exposed to 600 brand messages per day. By reflecting on your own consumption habits you’ll probably determine that you’ve become exceptionally good at tuning out the noise. So, getting people to step out of the fast lane to consider your brand for a second (let alone minutes, or hours!) is increasingly challenging in a crowded market place, and this is where brand immersion through events becomes a powerful marketing strategy.
People are exposed to 600 brand messages per day.
Whether an experience is enhanced with technology, is an entirely ‘offline’ event, or somewhere in the middle, true immersion is achieved when the brand is woven into every single touch point. The level of thought and detail that is invested in these experiences can seem logistically challenging, but an immersive strategy enables brands to control every aspect of the narrative, as well as the environment in which it is consumed. Furthermore, a successful event will deliver organic reach as participants share their experience through social channels—over 50% of people share numerous pieces of content from events, and 72% of consumers state they are more likely to purchase a brand after seeing it feature in their friend’s social media (EventTrack 2017).
A successful immersive event transcends the tactical ‘what’, to impact how the audience feels, so consideration should be given to how each sense can be activated. Allowing audiences to touch, play, share, and interact, changes them from passive recipients to active participants who can co-create your brand story. For the greatest impact an experience should always centre around your audience, casting them as the protagonist, with a strong narrative that transports participants through a cohesive journey.
For your next immersive event, we recommend theatre as a great source of inspiration—the artists involved in each production are masters at weaving sensory elements and storytelling together to transport their audience to another place, time, or dimension.
Allowing audiences to touch, play, share, and interact, changes them from passive recipients to active participants who can co-create your brand story.
Aesthetic was founded by actors, theatre lovers, and artistic directors, and our experience has given us a deep understanding of the power of theatre—including what goes on behind the curtain to make the magic happen. We blend a little of this magic into every brand activation, alongside the strategic objectives of the brand, and our passion for experiential marketing. When you partner with Aesthetic, you benefit from our unique framework: part art, part science, all heart.
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