Why Experiential Activations at Local Events Win
December 2024
When brands think about their experiential activations at events, they often envisage fully immersive “bells and whistles” spaces at events such as Coachella or Isle of Wight Festivals.
We’ll often design a grandstand that lets consumers dive into your brand world, supported by a million-dollar budget together to produce this.
That’s when we sometimes have to pick up our clients from the floor! Coachella and her sisters are funky, but they don’t come cheap. Live Nation/AEG rights fees have ballooned over the years, and deep pockets are needed to entertain Gen Z at these premium events.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re not saying the investment isn’t worth it, big festivals are the best opportunity to play with your consumer. They come to festivals with open hearts, minds and are willing to have a conversation with your brand (so long as it’s entertaining).
But, given the inflation crisis, you may have a reduced budget for your experiential activity and attending Stagecoach or All Points East could be punching above your weight budget-wise.
Best not to blow the entire thing on one event – there are quicker wins that allow you to spread costs geographically without breaking the bank, whilst still entertaining your audiences with an immersive experience.
Who knew?
In the UK and US, local events form the backbone of community engagement, brands have a unique opportunity to connect with audiences through experiential marketing.
With over 10 million small events taking place nationwide each year, ranging from neighbourhood festivals and charity runs to regional craft fairs and food markets, these gatherings provide a cost-effective and high-impact alternative to the more high-profile but expensive festivals like Glastonbury or SXSW.
Here’s a few reasons why…
Cost-Effective Investment
As we just said, large-scale festivals, such as Wireless, Burning Man, or GALA, come with significant price tags. Sponsorship fees alone can exceed $700,000 to $4 million, plus additional expenses such as staffing, activation setups, and production.
The good news is that small local events, by comparison, are far budget-friendly, with sponsorship costs typically ranging from $500 up to $10,000. One event that worked for this brand was Alpro, attending London’s Coffee Festival – a smaller event specialising in coffee that didn’t cost the earth.
A lower rights fee not only reduces the entry cost but also frees up resources, allowing for a more immersive experience. This enables greater investment in creating interactive, personalised touchpoints, such as:
- A mobile vehicle, that’s branded – consumers can visit the vehicle and experience your brand
- More swag and giveaways
- Competitions with prizes
- A bigger team of Brand Ambassadors
This experience at smaller classical concerts really worked for Philadelphia, their demographic was a slightly older audience so the fit was perfect!
You’ll find that reallocating your budget from expensive sponsorship fees into an immersive experience gives you a better ROI because it focuses on quality engagement vs simply a badging exercise.
This campaign at several UK-based marathons ran away with itself – we exceeded our sampling expectations!
Targeted Audience Engagement
Small events tend to naturally segment attendees based on their interests or geography and often the events are heavily themed – eg., yoga festivals, family days, farmers markets or Ironman races provide a built-in advantage for audience targeting.
What it also means is that a brand can meet its audience when they’re engaged and open, it makes it easier to create a connection. Research shows that 74% of U.S. consumers are more likely to purchase from brands they interact with personally, emphasizing the value of direct engagement over passive advertising.
Small events are more intimate.
Big events have brands fighting for attention, diluting their impact. There is a competition for consumers’ hearts and minds over a weekend and often competitor brands are locked out of the big events due to non-compete corporate agreements.
Smaller events, however, often take a consumer by surprise, giving you the opportunity for better interactions that resonate more deeply with attendees. An example could be our event with Castelo Cheese where we toured small-town wine and cheese festivals in the US, partnering with a beer brand and hosted personalized tasting sessions to huge success.
Smaller interactions also build trust and loyalty. According to EventTrack’s 2023 report, 85% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product after participating in an experiential marketing activation.
You can take your pick because, across the U.S., there are over 10 million small local events annually, ranging from craft markets and block parties to outdoor concerts and regional food festivals.
These events collectively attract hundreds of millions of attendees
Experiential marketing is proven to drive results, with over 90% of brands reporting improved engagement and positive word-of-mouth after hosting activations at small or mid-sized events.
National festivals generate significant media buzz but come with exorbitant costs that leave little room for engaging attendee experiences across the rest of the year.
Crowded sponsorship spaces make it harder for individual brands to stand out in the sea of activations.
Broad and untargeted audiences can dilute the impact of your brand’s efforts, resulting in lower conversion rates and a decreased ROI.
Small local events allow brands to connect with audiences on a more human level whilst ring-fencing your ROI as they bypass these barriers. And because you can offer more at an event, they encourage word-of-mouth referrals, which are often far more trusted and influential than traditional channels.
Tips to maximise your event strategy
Curate a strategic program by selecting the right events
Focus on regional events aligned with your brand values and audience demographics, such as sports enthusiasts in Bath, or food lovers in Austin.
Harness local influencers/leaders who come with clout
Collaborate with micro-influencers or community leaders who have strong local followings to amplify your message.
Always leverage data
Incorporate QR codes, giveaways, and digital engagement tools to collect attendee information for post-event follow-ups and long-term relationship building.
Ready to unlock the power of small event activations?
In our experience, smaller events really deliver because they’re a goldmine for brands seeking to stretch their budgets and maximize engagement. It’s the perfect combo of lower costs, targeted audiences, and the opportunity for authentic interaction, that makes these events winners when it comes to ROI.
Focusing on these grassroots opportunities allows brands to foster meaningful connections and build loyalty in ways that big festivals simply cannot touch.
If your brand is ready to embrace the power of small local events, let’s craft a strategy tailored to your goals and audience!
