How can brands do experiential marketing when events and mass activations are out?
With major events being cancelled, schools and universities closed, and the global economy in flux, there is no denying the significant impact that Covid-19 is having on our communities, businesses and supply chains.
Many Brands will be contemplating the flow-on effect this global crisis is going to have on their bottom line. Consumer engagement through events, conferences and public spaces is off the table, which means that many of the anticipated opportunities for mass product sampling are now no longer an option.
Couple this with the incredible volume of media noise on television and through online channels bombarding consumers with information (both accurate and not so much!), and it’s easy to see why many are panicking.
How are brands going to connect with consumers? How can they stay relevant?
When the going gets tough, the tough get creative.
Situations like this are a reminder of the critical need for adaptability and responsiveness in any brand strategy. Rather than focusing on what won’t work, now is the time to look for new opportunities.
Large events and public gatherings are an obvious no-go. But for many people, day to day life will continue relatively unchanged. They’ll still be going to their co-work spaces, hitting the gym, and getting their morning coffee. They might avoid some places — like supermarkets and public transport — but this will see a boost in other areas, like localised food stores, home-delivered meals services, and ride shares.
The focus for brands now needs to be at a community level. How can brands work alongside local businesses as a way to connect?
For brands that may have otherwise looked to large events for sampling opportunities, the opportunity now exists to reach hyper-targeted consumers by going where they go — popping up in the spaces where they live work and play and sharing that excess sample stock through service-based businesses like sample boxes, meal boxes and ride shares.
Brands and businesses can also take advantage of a number of intimate yet scalable messaging opportunities that avoid cluttered media channels, engaging with targeted audiences in the real world.
Brands and service-based businesses — Reach thousands of consumers in key demographics via these hyper-targeted and controlled locations:
Health & Wellness Studios:
Share your product samples or coupons/flyers with thousands of healthy fit types through gyms, fitness studios, yoga, pilates or barre studios.
Reach more than 1,440,000 people over a three day campaign, with an average cost per reach of just $0.40.
Corporate & Co-Working:
Share your product samples or coupons/flyers with corporates, start-ups and young creatives through corporate office locations and co-working locations.
Reach up to 107,042 people per day, with an average cost per reach of just $0.40.
Rideshares:
Create awareness for your brand in Ride Shares across Australia.
This activation is suitable for coupons, flyers, decals or posters. You can activate in 250 cars (per state) and reach a total of 75,000 people per month, for an average cost per reach of just $0.26.
Accommodation:
Scale your product sampling or brand messaging activation through Hotels and Airbnbs.
Reach holidaymakers and business travellers in a range of popular accomodation sites and reach a total of 40,500 people per month, for an average cost per reach of just $0.71.
Cafes & Restaurants:
Share your product samples or brand messages with guests at cafes and restaurants across Australia.
Book a gift sampling or counter top activation in busy hospitality venues and reach a total of 288,407 people per week, for an average cost per reach of just $0.71.
Food Delivery:
Scale your brand activation by getting your product samples or brand messages included with Food Delivery services.
Bring your brand into the mix with a range of food delivery options, and reach up to 255,000 people per month, for an average cost per reach of just $0.66.
Hero Photo by Online Marketing on Unsplash
