Keep digesting the knowledge;)

http://goo.gl/uONxr

1. What do you regard as the value of social media as a tool in leveraging events and experiential marketing today? There would appear to be a natural symbiosis between the two disciplines. Would you agree?

To be clear - Social media is a discipline, and experiential marketing is actually a methodology.  Effective social media always deploys the use of Experiential Methodology - thereby effectively engaging consumers’ entire social framework.  If an integrated program is constructed correctly then a client can yield a high return from their social media efforts by leveraging the totality of the fabric of the consumers’ entire networks - this obviously goes far beyond simply reaching a single individual.  This can only be done if the people conducting the effort understand the social media value exchange equation - the consumers expect significant value as a barrier to entry to becoming engaged in social media efforts.  This is integral in getting and holding consumers’ attention in today’s hyper-saturated advertising landscape.

2. Do you see social media's role as replacing or supplementing/enhancing traditional advertising when it comes to promoting events? What considerations should marketers think about when deciding what proportion of their marketing budgets (specifically for events) should go to social media?

Executed properly, social media is a tremendous element of a successful, integrated, experiential marketing campaign.  The issue that often arises is that companies fail to recognize the social media value exchange equation.  Thus, it’s often received by consumers as an extension of a typical monologue marketing campaign and the social media efforts therefore fail to properly engage their intended audience. 

One of my friends recently brought this piece that I wrote back in early 2008. I thought that I'd repost it as it takes on a slightly different context after the world melted. Especially where it states that all forms of media can be experiential and that experiential methodology doesn't have to be tactile in nature. Today, in 2011 - post meltdown, there are a myriad of properly executed coupon programs etc. that are 100 percent delivering on experiential methodology etc. Here ya' go.......

Experiential Marketing Brandweek 2008
By: Erik Hauser

People in today's society are just too busy. They are always running late, and have weekly calendars loaded with more things than they can do in a month.

Edward M. Hallowell's book “Crazy Busy” states that we are suffering from culturally induced A.D.D. Could it be because marketers aren’t helping by bombarding the average person with thousands of messages a day?

Now mix in a little technology like TiVo. What you then have is biology and technology working against your brand's brief moment in time to effectively get your message out. What you need is a way to reach potential customers that grabs them emotionally and personally, connecting them to your brand for life – the very definition of a successful experiential marketing campaign.

I think it's only fitting to open this piece with the opening from the International Experiential Marketing Association (IXMA) manifesto. IXMA, a global consortium of professionals and students of the art, will be re-launching in January with a highly respected association partner. This affiliation will showcase how experiential marketing has come to be accepted as a “must integrate” marketing methodology:

“Markets have undergone a profound transformation after decades of top-down corporate messaging. As you read this, the marketing world is changing, and with it the way business will be conducted for decades to come. This change is being demanded by the enlightened and empowered consumer - the new prosumer - who no longer responds to being assaulted by one-thing-fits-all branded media messages. Most current advertising still relies on obsessive proliferation of the brand through mass media that seek economies of scale - the more eyeballs, the better. But customers want more than mass messages sent to undifferentiated eyeballs. They want respect, recognition and relevant communication, and they've indicated the best way to give it to them is through experiences that are personally relevant, memorable, sensory, emotional and meaningful. Customers have changed dramatically, and the brand world must change to meet their needs and desires, or lose them to those who recognize the unique influences shaping the evolving marketplace.”

Advertisers have become used to creating mass marketing messages in a onesize-fits-all mentality. But it's time to take a new look at how we are reaching those customers and how best to win their loyalty.

I had dinner in Portugal recently with David Wolfe, an expert in the field. He said it best: “The days of monologue marketing are over. Today's customer wants to be involved in the marketing process by being engaged in a dialogue with you and your brand.” That forms the basis of the best in experiential marketing.

The definition of experiential marketing is fluid - as is the methodology itself. It was once little talked about, and is now being embraced as a silver bullet. I once posed the simple question of experiential marketing's definition to the Experiential Marketing Forum (experientialforum.com), and received more than 200 definitions from more than 150 countries.

Experiential marketing is really quite amazing. It's equal parts philosophy, artistry and psychology. Simply put, experiential marketing is a more holistic approach to the customer/brand relationship.

Experiential campaigns are designed to appeal to both our rational and emotional side. They go way beyond traditional feature-benefit methodology, and open up new points of connection with customers - their senses, hearts, and if you do it just right, their souls.

Experiential marketing can be used on any canvas, but the live marketing scenario affords one of the better avenues to create a fully immersive brand experience.

Having said that, we know that strategically created print, TV and radio ads can also be highly experiential. To say that experiential marketing can't be used in static mediums such as print is to say that a picture has never made you cry. A customer will connect emotionally with a great experiential campaign regardless of the medium when it's created with them in mind.

Experiential methodology allows brands to foster one-to-one connections with their intended audience. I often draw the analogy between experiential marketing and going to a concert.

It never matters at all that there are 49,000 other people in the auditorium listening and mouthing the same words to the songs- each fan clearly feels that the lead singer is singing directly to them. It's a very rich internal and external experience. The band has formed individual bonds with each of their fans. Each one takes ownership while interpreting the songs in their own way.

All brands should try to be the rock star, and provide exceptional and unique experiences to form lasting relationships with new fans.

Of late, brands of every kind have taken notice of the effectiveness of delivering a great and relevant personal experience for their customers and potential customers.

Brands like Fila, Volkswagen and Wells Fargo have recently opened experiential marketing divisions within their companies. As far back as 2004, McDonald's CMO Larry Light declared that mass marketing was no longer viable. I don't fully agree with that statement, but I do think marketing in mass media needs to be accompanied by an overall personal and brand relevant experience.

Each customer touch point should be seen as part of one seamless brand experience. Any disconnect in that great experience will ultimately cause confusion, and your audience will simply move along to a better one.

Often, in certain industry categories, experiential campaigns actually serve as the single biggest point of differentiation between brands.

Take the financial services industry for example. Each company offers similar products and services. How can these brands connect with customers, and ensure they understand what makes one company better than another?

“We're a company that prides ourselves on putting customers first,” said Tim Collins svp of Wells Fargo experiential marketing. “We could have chosen to simply say that we care, but a better choice was to show that we care by allowing customers to experience it for themselves.”

Swivel Media and Wells Fargo created a number of engaging and interactive experiential campaigns, including the virtual world live brand experience Stagecoach Island, to both entertain and inform young adults.

That is a truly winning position in a marketplace that is becoming increasingly transparent. When a brand provides an excellent experience it begins to win the hearts and minds of customers and gain the ultimate competitive advantage. To further explore this notion I would recommend picking up a copy of Pine and Gillmore's book “The Experience Economy.”

And since we started this introduction by speaking of time, or the lack thereof, these are very interesting times indeed., For those of us who are determined to remain fluid, aware, and personally connected to our customers by *not *wasting *their *precious time, it's getting more interesting every day.

--
Erik Hauser
http://www.experientialforum.com

Audi : The New Dream In Town ( EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING)

I guess it’s really no surprise.  In any of the top action movies over the last 3-4 years Audi has been positioning itself as the new standard for desirable luxury.  Audi  wasn’t yet doing any straight up comparisons, but they certainly had been earning a bunch of “cool” on our emotional rolodexes.  It seems like Audi has decided to cash in some of that earned equity and ratchet things up a bit

In the US, Audi is running a series of commercials that has the DNA of the movies in which Audi has prominently appeared.  You can slightly feel the Jason Bourne series, the movie Taken with Liam Nielson and there’s a touch of the Transporter with “the man”.  If we take all of those movies and put them in the blender for about 15 seconds you’ve got the underlying DNA for the new AUDI USA TV spots.

The spots put the Audi “tire to tire” against the Mercedes.  It’s experiential methodology deployed via a mass distribution channel because it’s as if they’ve plugged right into my emotional car port that resides directly behind my right ear as it turns out. 

Let’s be very clear here - I’m a car person.  I’m on record as such.  I don’t own an Audi, but their cars’ elicit a definable emotional response when i look at the bold stance and unwavering beauty of their new line up.  They are going as far to get little boys to put Audi posters up on their walls instead of the Italian, Pavlovian conditioned posters that all the young boys had been dreaming of to date - mission accomplished. There’s a new dream in town

I’m a tough one to please in the world of cars.  For the last 5 years I can honestly say that Audi dropped out of my consideration set because they started over styling their cars, and it was tough to decipher if there was a 1.8 liter turbo in front of me or an S4. So as of 2007, Audi was firmly in last place in my consideration set - then it’s as if they woke up.  Of course, this isn’t to say that they didn’t have some beautiful vehicles.  The A8 was gorgeous, unfortunately it was only putting out 420 bhp when the same engine in the Bentley was putting out in the neighborhood of 640 bhp.   I’m no hater.  I’m a very proud owner of a VW race car and a Porsche 911 Techart conversion. So, nobody can say that I don’t like the company.

I can say this.  In my opinion there is no other car company that has an entire line-up of cars that simply leaves me breathless.  While I’d be more apt to drive the A8, S5 or R8 - I’d be thrilled to drive an S4 or one of the cars at the lesser expensive end of the Audi car roster.

All of this car talk has been fun, but the main reason that I’m writing this piece is that Audi has masterfully equated their brand with contemporary luxury and while placing Mercedes in the Old luxury position.  I purposefully didn’t use the word modern as modern isn’t what we’re talking about here - we’re talking about contemporary.  Audi  has successfully started to spend the equity that they’ve been earning over the last few years and have brilliantly placed themselves into this position.  And, in my opinion again, they’re not going to be unseated from this position.  For a myriad of reasons, but mostly because they have an entire product line-up of beautifully styled cars that are nicely appointed with the things that drivers expect in luxury vehicles.  Is Mercedes luxury? I guess, but Audi has made them old luxury - as in go grab the shuffle board.

It’s been fun to watch the process unfold over the last few years.  Cars are emotional purchases by default, but the feelings that the new Audi’s evoke make one’s heart beat faster, and they seem to be making people want to see if they can fit one into their budget.

As for Mercedes.  You need to hire me or someone that understands cars and the intricacies involved with what’s going on here. Truth be told - the C63 is one of the baddest cars on the planet - why doesn’t the now about it ? What about all the awesome Mercedes?  If I allow myself to be very real for one second - SHAME ON YOU MERCEDES !!!!!  You have some of the finest automobiles on the road - they’re styling, handling their everything is brilliant - yet you haven’t been telling me about it.  Let’s sit down soon.  I’ll shine the spotlight on the right places and get peoples’ hearts racing again.  But, for now, you're old - sorry.  BRAVO AUDI !!!!

Hello Community Members,

WOW!  It's been 5 months of hard work, and the I reviewed all of the final research paperwork.  It's a great report

Ruth, the webmaven, will be home later tonight US time.  So, the research will be pleaced up tonight, and there will be a link sent to everyone.

For all of you agencies and brands out there - if you're looking for a research partner - IMI should be that partner.  We were thrilled to be able to work with them this time.  With so many partner inquries - we want to make sure that we give everyone a chance to shine.  I'm sure we'll do things in the future with IMI - so should you.

As always, i just wanted to make sure that I gave everyone the up-to-the-minute research update. 

I love this community. 

PLEASE DO ME ONE FAVOR - There are a lot of you that blog etc.  Please make sure that you blog about the research and pass aong the link.  That way we will add a lot of people to the community - the greatest comunity in the world:)

As always, i thank you for the continued partner inquiries - I must ahve had 20 plus last night.

I hope that each of you feel like you're part of somethign special - because you are.

As a community, you just took part in the world's largest global experiential marketing study  BRAVO!

Thanks for all that you do
Erik Hauser

Get a peek inside the EMF Conversations - Here is a recent exchange : Experiential Marketing 

Looking forward to hearing others' thoughts on this trend.

"Municipalities are increasingly treating street marketing efforts such as pasting logos on sidewalks or using chalk stencils as if they were graffiti -- and in some cases fining and arresting contractors who are doing the actual work."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704377004575650793095802282.html?mod=WSJ_business_MediaMktNewsBucket

ADman
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 19

Posted: 06 Dec 2010 07:04 pm    Post subject: Street Stencil  

Oh, the days when I used to personally apply this stuff with my friends all over San Francisco, New York and LA, is now luckily beyond the statue of limitations. ;) Traded it for creating experiences and wowing people, not cluttering their lives.

I, first would argue that this type of thing is not Experiential. Its a static add on the ground. What’s the experience? Definitely, a Guerilla Tactic but not Experiential by itself. Right Erik?

Adam Hollander | Brand Marketers
701 7th Ave 9th FL New York, New York 10036
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

moderator
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 387

Posted: 12 Dec 2010 10:54 pm    Post subject:   Very interesting dialogue, and a very interesting question posed by Adam. Is it experiential?

The truth is that everything has the capacity to be experiential. As any advertisement or marketing message can act as an emotional trigger and be the impetus for an emotional response. A response that perhaps wouldn't even be seen by those surrounding the particular individual that was being effected on an emotional level.

For conversation's sake. Let's say that the sidewalks were inside of a lab environment. Let's say that there were researchers right there to query the consumers after they interacted with the stencil in their own way. We know that there are so many modalities of experience, but we like to think that experiential marketing appeals to consumers on an emotional level by stimulating some part of their emotional rolodex in a positive way.

It's fair to say that some would look at the stencil as art, some would look at it as graffiti and my guess would be that if a consumer had a previous experience with that brand that it would trigger the emotions that were connected to the initial interaction with the brand.

So, is it experiential? Everything can be. As experiential marketers it's our jobs to create positive brand experiences where and when our intended audiences will be most receptive to it. As the great French philosopher Camus stated, " We can't create experience we must undergo it." Our intention when we create experiential programs is that we create environments, static and dynamic interactions etc in which the majority of the population would have a response that would allow one to say it was an experiential element.

Back to the sidewalk. It's a dated technique, and in most cities people look down upon corporate messaging adorning the sidewalk. I would say in just knowing that one fact - I would stay clear of that tactic. Simplistic stenciling often comes off as intrusive, invasive and utterly bothersome. I wouldn't be able to get past that first box. I couldn't, in good faith, check the box.

What we have is a real world scenario. We have a ladder of companies that are each trying to earn money so that they can employ people and keep their doors open. I know the guys at all the companies involved, and I also know that they wouldn't do something intentionally that they thought was ridiculously malicious. Again, back to the real world. The company that actually did the work was the company paid the least. And, I would take a logical guess that if business was extremely robust that they would have politely declined the promotion. I could be wrong.

In short, I do and will always believe that the world is our canvas. We simply need to construct programs that we believe will have an extremely positive effect on our clients' businesses. Perhaps, in hindsight, the companies involved now see that and wouldn't do it again?

Was it experiential? Perhaps for a few people with a history with the brand. But based on the WSJ story, the one thing we know for certain is that this wasn't the case for the majority of the audience and it actually had the antithesis effect. Leaving a bad taste in people's mouths and it actually turned people off to the brand.

What can we learn from this? Maybe that ideas should be thought through and then thought through once again pressed up against the stated objectives of the client's campaign. I bet that nowhere on any of the briefs it stated, " Please piss off the local population." It's always good to learn from these types of things. In the grand scheme of things it isn't anything major. However, when i see things like this it reminds me of a lot of ideas presented to me by other agencies that were much MUCH riskier. I killed them before they ever saw the light of day. It takes someone to stand up and properly advise. Often times I found when I spoke to the agency that had an idea - the simple cons never even crossed their minds. So, I would simply implore the event teams to advise properly and then we'll win and all walk away with big smiles on our faces as everyone builds successful brand together.

Erik

Hello EMF Universe,

As you know by now I really, really, like to build things that help people succeed. One of those projects is IXMA. I am now ready to take IXMA to the next level. I need for people to pass along this email to people that know the association space inside and out.

Namely, how to bring in the the VERY LUCKY first round of sponsors to get IXMA going. This is going to be exciting as it will lead to a more focused, global effort and will help build the chapters by country that I always get emails about.

I THANK YOU in advance. Of course, we will all prosper from IXMA so lets all help it grow. If you are with a "large experiential player" or a feisty upstart or smaller company and you have been emailing me fot the best opportunity.

THIS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'LL EVER HAVE. You will be able to build tremendous new business opportunities.

Also, to all the event staffing companies etc. - this is for you too !!!!!

THE GREAT NEWS JUST KEEPS ON COMING !!!!!!!!!!!!!
ERIK