Marketers are transforming their approach to event marketing by adopting experiential marketing tactics to improve engagement and consumer interest.
For those yet to do so, we’ve outlined the technologies which have proven popular in the first half of 2018 – to offer some insight into how marketers can elevate their presence at experiential events.
Turn Onto Gamification
Gaming has never been more popular, with an estimated 1.8 billion gamers globally – which means providing entertainment that appeals to this huge demographic can be beneficial for marketers. Gamification is the process of applying concepts usually reserved for games, such as competitions and point systems, and applying these elements to marketing.
The use of virtual reality technologies – both for gaming and event marketing – has grown significantly in recent years, and 2018 is already looking to witness even more growth in use. As VR headsets become more affordable and, therefore, accessible, tech-savvy event marketers are identifying the tech’s potential as an engaging event attraction – taking guests through games, product demos or a brand-focused story.
Utilising a VR headset at an event is a futuristic way of getting your brand’s message across. Attendees are taken to a different world, free from distractions and fully immersed in the material you’d like to present to them. It’s a highly effective way of promoting your brand message – placing your audience right in the middle of it.
Set Up a Custom Event Page
Stir up a digital buzz, provide an easily accessible place to sell tickets and monitor your event’s popularity with a platform like Get Invited. With a tool like this by your side, you can create a bespoke, branded event page and analyse specific data, such as the number of tickets sold and attendance. What’s more, you can issue incentives for attendees to invite their friends and sell tickets as ambassadors, too!
If you’d prefer to sell tickets via your own website, but still use the features available to Get Invited users, this is possible via their intelligent widget – which can easily be embedded into an existing site.
Augment Your Audience’s Reality
If you want to entertain audience members with state-of-the-art technology while retaining an element of human interaction, opt for augmented reality solutions. Those of you reading this who are already familiar with augmented reality games, such as PokemonGo, will undoubtedly realise the tech’s potential as a marketing tool.
For newbies, augmented reality can be defined as simply superimposing computer-generated images over a user’s view of reality through a screen, creating a multi-layered view. Another example of augmented reality in action are the various filters you can use on apps like Snapchat – giving your screen-self cat ears or catwalk-ready makeup with the push of a button.
Print For Success
While experiences are overshadowing giveaways and goodie bags nowadays, consumers do still love to take something home. Branded pens, stress-toys and USB-fans have been all the rage for years now so, to be innovative, exciting and still offer a memorable experience, look to 3D printers.
As they’re still not commonplace, 3D printers have the potential to add a wow! factor to your event – triggering audience members to reach into their pocket for their smartphones and begin recording. Use a 3D printer to print out branded merchandise or tasty edibles at the event itself and you’ll have a platoon of impressed audience members uploading enough user-generated content to keep your event’s hashtag relevant long after the day.
Ace Your Base
Incorporating all of the impressive hardware and software listed above into your event will no doubt impress your audience members. So, the biggest mistake to avoid is housing all of these suggestions in an underwhelming portacabin or gazebo – which has the potential to make your attraction look undesirable.
Event planners wishing to maximise their exposure and engagement with audience members should look to use large, attractive and branded bases to house their event. A promotional vehicle like an exhibition trailer is a captivating option – providing a brand-centric and memorable presence no matter where it’s installed.
Remember, for all of the above, live stream when possible. Giving people who are interested and care for your brand (stakeholders) the opportunity to join in and leave comments online is a great way to show how your brand is both inclusive and interactive. Together with the tips above, you’ll have the recipe for experiential event success this year.
About The Author
Justin Isles is the Director of The Events Structure, the UK’s only single source provider of state-of-the-art exhibition trailers, promotional vehicles and other event marketing solutions.
