The beauty of experiential marketing is that the options really are endless. For those willing to think outside the square, there are countless weird and wonderful ways that brands can get themselves front and centre with their target market.
When done correctly, experiential offers remarkable opportunities for audience cut through. However, not every activation opportunity is right for every brand. Miss the mark with experiential and you risk damaging your brand reputation and annoying consumers, not to mention wasting your precious time and money.
At Brandcrush, we focus on context, relevance and targetting to ensure our activations are always the right fit. And, with multiple space positions available at each location, Brands can go beyond just choosing the preferred business to collaborate with — they can pick the exact time, place and activity that'll give them the best cut-through with their target market.
Not sure where to start? Take a look at our guide to Brandcrush Space Positions below. Whether you're a brand looking for a new way to reach your consumers, or a business looking to monetise your real-world reach, we are sure to have the right space for you.
Gift Sampling
The bread and butter of experiential marketing, gift sampling involves Activation Hosts distributing product samples or messages as a gift to their customers or members. Hosts can only accept one Brand for Gift Sampling at a time, so Brands are assured exclusivity and 100% share of voice.
These samples are not only a sweet freebie, but they come with the valuable endorsement of the Host business, so it's a great value-add for customers, and a real-life connection for Brands.
Through Brandcrush, Brands have the ability to specify how and when they want their samples distributed. Or, they can leave it to the Host businesses or event to add their own creative flair.
For example, Covergirl sampled their new sweat-proof mascara in 26 boutique fitness studios across the country, getting trainers to hand out the product pre workout. This meant that clients could apply the mascara and see its durability for themselves by wearing it throughout a sweaty workout.
This active form of sampling will cost on average between $0.40-$1.50 per sample, depending on the Host and specific requirements of the activation.
Counter top
While waiting to settle your bill, a bowl of freebies on the counter catches your eye. There's no pressure or conversation needed, you simply help yourself if you're interested. Voila, the power of a counter top activation!
This passive display will catch the eye of customers while they're ordering coffee, checking in, paying the bill, or picking up their lunch. It's great for Brands looking to sample a product, as well as those wanting to promote a service-based offering who can use this channel to share discount codes, vouchers or other marketing messages.
Like Gift Sampling, Hosts can only accept one Counter Top activation at a time, so Brands will never be competing for that all-important consumer attention.
The self-serve nature of this activation lets the product do the talking, and encourages consumers to interact with brands on their own accord. It's also a great option for Activation Hosts who don't have the staff availability to actively hand out samples, or where there's natural location within the business space that help-yourself samples make sense. 
For example, Bondi Sands offered consumers free sachets of sunscreen to take as they please. They used counter top activations across several beach-and-poolside cafes and bars, catching the attention of guests when they went to order or pay.
Bathroom
Context is everything. Catch people at the right place at the right time by sampling personal care, cosmetics or wellness products through bathrooms at relevant bars, gyms or co-work spaces.
This passive sampling space works on a self serve basis. Members and guests can help themselves to testers, interacting with the brand in an organic way when they will appreciate it most. With each Host only accepting one Bathroom placement at a time, Brands are guaranteed exclusivity and prime positioning.
For many product types, this is a super effective way of sampling — placing the product directly in consumers path of use, demonstrating the product features and benefits in an organic, less obviously "marketing" way.
In a perfect demonstration of the beauty of a bathroom placement, Pears placed their new hand wash in the bathroom spaces of 39 gyms and cafes across Australia, getting their soap naturally into the hands of more than 21,000 hand-washing humans.
Goody Bags
Think outside the box and inside the bag! Here, the power of association reigns supreme. Take advantage of a captive, engaged audience by aligning your product through goody bags at events, conferences and festivals. Or, have your product included in an established subscription box. This is also a fantastic option for Brands that do not have a physical sample product to distribute, allowing for flyers, vouchers and discount coupons to be included instead.
Roaming
Get your brand onto streets, shop floors and festival grounds via roaming brand ambassadors.
Take your products to the people where they work and play, and let real world ambassadors do the walking and talking — like this "Helping Hand" opportunity at Juniperlooza.
Sponsorship
From big-name festivals to niche industry events, clever sponsorships will elevate your brand while getting the attention of your target market. Align brands with events and organisations and foster fabulous brand associations through sponsorships. Whether it's a branded banner or a shoutout on stage, sponsorships can be a great way to get your name out there.
On the Menu
Have your food or beverage product featured in a special "on the menu" item at selected cafes and restaurants. Let cafes and restaurants activate by integrating ingredients into bespoke dishes that customers will love. Certainly a 'special' of an activation, brands can suggest recipe recommendations or let chefs run wild to create a truly memorable menu item.
Goldyna showed just how it's done, supplying cafes and restaurants with their Signature Swiss Mayonnaise and Tartare Sauce and letting chefs concoct a scrumptious special starring their sauces. Their brand was highlighted as a key ingredient on the menu and specials board and came highly recommended by wait staff.
Events & Pop-ups
Branded event booths, immersive installations, sensory experiences... the options are endless. These types of activations are usually run by the Brand themselves, with Host businesses providing the physical space (and access to consumers, of course). Brands can book the designated space within the business, and bring their own team in to create their magic. The most successful pop-ups are those that go beyond just a classic branded display booth, so get your creative thinking cap on and focus on engaging the senses of your audience to resonate beyond the experience. You're only limited by your own imagination.
In the Fridge
We like to call Fridges our 'coolest' activation space (yes, it's a terrible pun... sorry!!) Offer your product samples in high-traffic fridge spaces at cafes, gyms, grocers, or co-working spaces. Keep perishable food or beverage samples cool, while placing them in a logical, appealing location for customers to help themselves. Alternatively, let Activation Host staff distribute your chilled samples. The fridge is a great option for samples of condiments or add-ins, too — offer your sauce or dressing samples alongside food items where they would naturally be used, like sandwiches or salads, or maybe share a protein powder sample next to the bottled smoothies.
Decals and posters
Got some free wall space you'd like to see prettied up? Or maybe you're a Brand with some eye-catching posters promoting your latest product or discount offer? This one's for you. Passive yet near impossible to ignore, decals and posters relay messages and marketing in the ambient environments that target consumers are moving through each day. Cafes, bars, bathrooms, windows, corporate foyer, doctors receptions... if there's wall or window space to spare, there's the perfect poster or decal just waiting to be stuck up.
Takeover
Go big and bold with a Brand takeover! With this type of activation space, Brands get to take the reigns, bringing in their own team and branding to take over the Host space (and socials) for a day. This type of activation offers powerful collaboration opportunities between Hosts and Brands, and is a fantastic option for special Brand occasions like PR events, parties and product launches. Take a look at this Takeover opportunity with Bodhi&Ride.
On the Trainer
Turn popular fitness trainers and instructors into your very own brand ambassadors. Book this space type to have these influential people wear (and recommend) your sports apparel, footwear and work-out accessories.
They'll also share the love by posting images of your items in action on the gym or fitness studios' social accounts. By showing off your stylish sportswear and activewear accessories on the trainer you'll not only show how functional and fashionable your pieces are, you'll also be leveraging the trusting relationship that exists between the trainer and their clients.
