In the age of social distancing and Zoom calls, consumers are crying out for authentic experiences. And this creates a big opportunity for brands, argues Edge Senior Strategist Milica Djurovic [feature image] in this opinion piece.
With social distancing and other regulations in place, I think it’s fair to say that the dreaded ‘c-word’ has dramatically moved the goal posts for experiential marketing and the way brands physically engage with customers.
Even as lockdown laws get lifted, this pandemic is likely to mark a step change in the way people interact with others and their environment;
- Consumers are likely to avoid close interaction with store staff and/or promoters and maintain a safe distance from them and others
- There will be lower footfall in stores as people opt to order online where they can
- People will be much more hygiene conscious
- People will avoid large public gatherings/events
But whilst the days of mass market sampling in public spaces and big branded events might be a thing of the past (at least for now), it’s definitely not all doom and gloom. As consumer attitudes and behaviours shift, brands and marketers have the opportunity to rethink how they can connect with this post-COVID society to drive relevance and make their brands even more meaningful.
So, what are some strategies that brands can employ in order to deliver something truly engaging while overcoming the obvious barriers that the pandemic has created?
I see four key ways that brands can start thinking differently about how they approach experiential marketing.
- Hyper-targeted and localised micro-activations
As people avoid busy public spaces and mass gatherings, they’ll be looking to stay closer to home, supporting local businesses that have also been impacted by the pandemic. Smaller, local events will be on the rise and with that an opportunity for brands to authentically connect to local communities and show their support for these grassroots initiatives. Instead of traditional street corner sampling tactics, brands will have the opportunity to embed themselves in the trusted environments of their consumers’ local communities, allowing customers to try and experience their products through local businesses. Imagine sampling a new coffee bean or pod variety from your barista that you can enjoy in the comfort of your local cafe. The more personal and authentic the connection, the more brands will be able to drive relevance and engagement with their customers.
- Blending IRL and URL
While offering purely online-based experiences cannot match the fully immersive sensory experiences of real life, blending the two worlds can lead to some exciting new possibilities for brands. We’ve already seen a number of businesses transition from offline to online, with live streaming being utilised across industries as diverse as fitness with virtual dance classes, education and training, and recreational activities such as cocktail mixing and virtual dinner parties. By blurring the lines between physical and digital, consumers are still able to interact with brands and become active and engaged participants without ever having to leave their homes, offering them all of the authenticity and fluidity that an in-person experience would.
- Individualised and bookable experiences
As pre-booking lunches and lining up to get into local bars becomes the new norm, offering curated, individualised experiences can help brands bolster engagement with customers whilst also keeping in line with the new capacity restrictions. For example, Event Cinemas is inviting gamers to rent out its entire cinema space to provide the ultimate gameplay set-up. By focusing on smaller, bookable experiences, brands will be able to manage the flow of people while also gathering valuable data so that they’re better able to understand and engage with their customers over time.
- Bringing it home
The shift from people spending time out of home to spending more time in the home will see traditionally out of home-focused marketers take a leaf out of the DTC marketing playbook. For example, hospitality group Merivale recently launched its ‘at-home’ dining initiative, offering meal kits prepared by chefs at their iconic Sydney restaurants. Now more than ever, it’s imperative brands take experiences directly to consumers and continue to engage with them in ways that are entertaining and informative. Take this hilarious video for Melbourne International Film Festival for example, which encourages people to get involved ‘direct from the couch’. We’re also seeing FMCG brands start to rethink how they target customers and deliver experiences that are thoughtful, memorable and relevant, straight to their homes.
As humans, we are social beings – always seeking that human-to-human contact and for ways to interact with others. Following this prolonged period of forced social distancing and isolation, many of us are craving those real-world experiences that extend beyond endless Zoom meetings and home schooling our kids, and if companies have a way of bringing those experiences to us, they stand to add real value to people’s lives and build long-lasting, powerful brands in the process.
