Unprecedented times. Uncharted waters. Exceptional circumstances. There’s no question—Creativity is being challenged across all areas of our lives. The marketing industry, experiential marketing in particular, is demanding creativity in order to navigate forward into our new “normal”. Large scale events and carefully designed experiences to allow consumers to interact with brands on a personal level have been impacted by our current environment. Here are three things to consider as we push ahead:
A is for Agility: Now more than ever, this has to be more than a catchphrase in experiential marketing. What the next few weeks will bring is unpredictable. Pay attention to what restrictions are being revised and relaxed. Listen to your target audience through social media channels. Strive to have an offense mindset to stay on top of or ahead of the ever-changing environment.
Be Resilient & Resourceful: Experiential marketing isn’t going to look the same—and that’s okay. This may drive some of the most creative brand experiences in recent memory. We may have to think smaller but the value in the interactions is the same. We may have to meet consumers closer to their homes, but that may increase the personal connection that customers have with our brands. Digital, virtual and social are all avenues to drive the overall brand experience.
Keep the Goal in Mind: The goal isn’t changing—the way we get there is. We all are interested in reaching new customers and increasing our existing consumer connection to our brands. For now, large experiential events may be on hold, but our business is not. Building momentum requires thinking about experiential differently. Now more than ever, marketing strategies have to drive connectedness with our target audiences in a personal, relevant integrated way.