What an Experiential Marketing Agency Does Differently
August 2024
In this blog, we’ll unpack what a top experiential marketing agency does differently on a conceptual level. No two campaigns are the same, but there are a few golden threads that an experiential marketing agency should trace to ensure you get the best return on investment for your campaigns.
A different strategic starting point
In a nutshell, the approach to getting value is different for an experiential campaign vs a traditional or digital-only campaign. Top experiential strategies are formed from a more fundamental place, and plug straight into the source – human emotion.
Sure, even the best experiential strategists are a few steps away from being like the aliens from Avatar syncing their hair tentacles – but the point is that experiential campaigns start more so from a place of ‘becoming’ the humans we’re appealing to. “What will resonate most deeply?” is the key question answered.
Experiential marketing agencies prioritise emotional connections and memorable experiences, while traditional digital campaigns focus on visibility and reach. The funny thing is though, visibility and reach are in fact also key outcomes of an experiential campaign too, it’s just that an experiential marketing agency achieves this differently.
What separates the two is that an experiential marketing agency aims to utilise word-of-mouth marketing a lot more effectively by focussing on memorable experiences that people want to talk about.
We’d much rather talk to friends about how we unexpectedly met some cool people and tasted delicious food at a pop-up event than talk about how we saw an ad and filled in a form – that’s for sure.
Some statistics:
92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over any other form of advertising
74% of consumers identify word of mouth as a key influencer in their purchasing decisions
Brands that successfully engage in word of mouth marketing see an average increase of 5-10% in sales annually
People are around 4 times more likely to buy a product when referred by friends
Immersive experiences
A leading experiential marketing agency is one which specialises in creating interactive brand experiences that go beyond standard ads to engage consumers on a personal level, and deliver great ROI. Often this is done through events, pop-ups, product sampling and high-impact stunts.
We’d all appreciate more fun and spontaneity in our lives – and top experiential campaigns really tap into the fact that ‘variety is the spice of life’. We don’t want to talk about mundane parts of our existence – we want to share the extraordinary aspects of our life.
So if a trip on the subway was spiced up by a pop-up flash mob, or if, for once, the knock on your door wasn’t just mail, but instead some indulgent free snacks – life would just be better. We remember what makes life better.
Collaboration and authenticity
Leading experiential marketing agencies are extraordinarily well-connected to a wide range of influencers, creators and contracting brand ambassadors. Therefore, an experiential marketing agency is more adept in creating impact through an ‘on-the-ground’ understanding of trends and human nature. Not to mention – the massive and expansive reach advantages if your brand is able to latch on to TikTok/social trend for cost-effective impact.
Traditional and digital agencies on the other hand are often less tuned into the human nature fundamentals and more in tune with leveraging digital channels right off the bat. Admittedly you need both – but our advice would be to never start without understanding the fundamentals of your prospects’s emotive triggers. Always consider how best your brand can be positioned to communicate authentically amidst increasingly forgettable digital environments.
An open-minded approach to channels
Unlike traditional and digital marketing, which are limited to social channels, TV, billboards and the like – experiential marketing could happen anywhere! And sure – you wouldn’t want a skyboarder parachute-landing in your back garden to show you a new product while you’re trying to enjoy some sun with your family – but the point is that good experiential strategists think broadly!
Jokes aside: Perhaps data-driven research will tell a top experiential marketing agency’s team that your audience are very likely to be at a certain event, or are just generally concentrated in a certain part of London. With that – we’d consider a few different ‘canvases’ and a few different potential experiences that could be executed to add the colour needed to resonate deeply.
The experiences themselves can range from providing opportunities for prospects to see and feel what it’s like to enter a different world through a VR experience, or simply create an appreciation for the rich history of a distillery (while of course tasting how good the end product really is). You just can’t get that kind of impact with a digital ad.
One of the best things about experiential campaigns is that once all is said, done and experienced – you’re left with compelling, authentic content, which just so happens to work best on digital channels like LinkedIn and Instagram for awareness and lead generation campaigns too!
A leading experiential marketing agency will specialise in creating immersive, unforgettable experiences that forge emotional connections most likely to translate to word-of-mouth advantages and better, more shareable content as well.
The best way to see how data, and a deep understanding of human nature here at Purity drives compelling, impactful experiences is to have a look at all of our case studies. Discover if any of these ROI-delivering initiatives spark and ideas for your brand.
We’d love the opportunity to sit down and collaborate with you surrounding how your company could tap into human nature for better returns!
