3 Real-Life Examples of Successful Experiential Marketing
Successful experiential marketing – do you know it when you see it? The truth is, success comes in many forms. Below are three real-life examples of experiential marketing campaigns that truly succeeded in amplifying the event experience.
While each program used different strategies and tools to expand the reach of its event, all had two things in common: a clear set of objectives, and a willingness to depart from the norm and re-envision how to engage with its audience!
Business Marketing Association’s National BMA Conference
Objective: BMA’s objective was to set the standard for social media integration into an event. They needed to not only enhance the attendee experience, but also build buzz and future attendance, and create opportunities for remote engagement.
Strategy: To achieve its objective, BMA created a microsite where attendees and non-attendees could come together and participate in a variety of social media experiences. They were able to view a live stream of general sessions and conference photos and videos, as well as participate in a dynamic real-time Twitter feed, and connect with LinkedIn conference groups, among other things.
Outcome: BMA not only achieved its goal; it transformed the conference experience. Nearly 75% of in-person attendees participated in the microsite, and one-and-a-half times as many people logged on remotely, from 31 different countries!
Medical Insight’s PURL & In-Booth Activity
Objective: Medical Insight, a Danish company growing in the U.S. market, was looking to increase awareness and introduce their product at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Conference.
Strategy: To achieve its objective, Medical Insight utilized two totally new forms of engagement: a PURL direct mail campaign in advance of RSNA and then a Briefing Zone activity on-site.
Outcome: Medical Insight’s willingness to depart from past practices paid off! The PURL campaign alone generated more leads than their entire program the year before, and on top of that, the Briefing Zone generated ten times as many leads as the previous year.
Surescripts’ Safe-Rx Webcast Event
Objective: Surescripts operates the nation’s largest e-prescription network, and hosts an annual Safe-Rx Awards event, celebrating improvements in e-prescribing. For their 6th Annual Awards, they wanted to ensure that the event would have far reach, a long afterlife, and still remain cost-effective.
Strategy: To achieve its objective, Surescripts changed the form of the awards entirely – from in-person event to a 40-minute webcast event. The webcast adopted a similar form as an in-person award show, with a scripted opening and closing, and segue intros to each of the winners' acceptance videos, which were recorded via Skype and incorporated into the overall webcast.
Outcome: Without compromising the nature of the event, Surescripts was able to achieve its objectives by re-envisioning the way it could engage with its audience. Over 280 people registered, with almost 150 live viewers. Once the event was over, it was archived for on-demand viewing, giving the event the afterlife they hoped to achieve.
Inspired to amplify your next event experience? Check out our Tradeshow Planning Checklist for practical ideas that can help get you started.