How Experiential Marketing Makes Us Look Up, Not Down

In many ways, technology has really helped advertising professionals. Most of us have access to a smartphone or a tablet and, while we’re pickier about which ads we engage with, we’re always actively looking for content. So, if PR, marketing and advertising creatives are clever enough to blur the distinction between ads and interesting content, consumers have never been so accessible.

But the problem with technology is our addiction to these devices. Research has shown that we’re looking at our gadgets morning, noon and night - most people don’t leave home without their smartphone and they’re just as comfortable taking it in the toilet as they are using it in bed.

We’re seemingly obsessed with checking our Facebook feeds, tweeting our opinions on the latest news and sharing business articles on LinkedIn. And we haven’t even touched upon Pinterest, YouTube and the rest.

Smartphones in particular, are making us antisocial and forcing us to look down, instead of looking up and seeing the world. Which brings about a unique opportunity for experiential marketing; because it takes the best bits of social advertising and social media, and brings real people together. Advertising through PR stunts and live experiences has more relevance and impact than ever before.

The popular opinion seems to be that, although we’d hate to go back to the days when a picture of your cat yawning doesn't have the potential to be seen by the world and go viral in a matter of minutes, we’re all getting a little fed up of staring at our feet, or our laps.

Why not embrace experiential marketing? Plan a campaign that takes the aspects of modern life that people adore, while creating a live, physical experience that truly engages an audience that’s secretly gagging to be switched on.

When it comes to advertising, you just can’t compare a real experience to a virtual connection. Exposure through traditional marketing routes leaves so much value on the table. Why have one-way conversations when you can allow people to ‘feel’ your brand and develop a relationship with it?

The beauty of experiential marketing is that it’s the idea that counts, not the budget. Time and time again we often see that it’s the clever campaigns that deliver the best results, not the ones with the biggest production values. And if you think about it, it’s common sense. Technology is great, but it still represents a barrier between a business and a customer. Experiential marketing removes the distance between a person and a brand. That’s the real value.