Effective types of experiential marketing activations with real-life examples

When you’re looking for a new way to develop a relationship and build trust with your customer base, an experiential marketing campaign is a great way to do this. It opens the door to opportunity as you explore uniques ways to excite the public about your brand offering. Here are some engagement strategies for experiential marketing activations and how we have nailed our clients brand objectives in the past:

Product sampling and demonstrations

Product sampling is a proven way to increase sales when executed correctly. This method is effective because not only do customers love to try before they buy, but almost any brand can take advantage of this technique. Food, beverage, cosmetic, or skincare brands can all offer in-store or off-site product sampling to get noticed and begin to build a relationship with their consumer demographic. Brands that sell non-consumable products or provide services can provide live product demonstrations that prove the effectiveness and quality of the product. One of our favourite product sampling activations was at Boots and Hearts, where we offered samples of PMA’s Flor de Caña premium rum made into three different cocktails. Not only did this give customers a taste of the product, but it also showed its diversity with recipes that are simple enough to make at home. Consumers were not only able to taste the product, but they were also allowed to see how it is can be easily tailored to their personal preferences.

Guerilla marketing activation

Guerilla marketing can be anything from PR stunts to viral moments to record-breaking events. However, one thing guerilla marketing activations have in common is that they’re one-of-a-kind, over-the-top creations that are memorable experiences. We love guerilla marketing because of its element of excitement for the brand, and it’s customers, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a costly endeavor. We checked all the boxes for our client, Taco Bell, when we executed the Taco Bell Airbnb Steakation. We transformed Canada’s busiest Taco Bell into an Airbnb, a “Steakation” atmosphere for guests to enjoy. A nationwide contest was launched, where thousands of applicants entered to win a stay in Taco Bell’s, Airbnb. We took care of everything from sourcing the furniture, logistics, to staffing and video production, including an awesome host to host the winners’ experience. The campaign went viral gaining media attention from news outlets across the country, and it even made its way to Europe, resulting in an overwhelming amount of brand awareness for the client.

Photo Experiences

We live in a day and age where everyone has a camera in their pocket. Not only has it never been easier to snap a picture, but high-quality photo opportunities are also increasingly popular with the rise of social media and influencer trends. Branded photo opportunities are an affordable way to connect with current and potential customers while receiving free publicity on social media. ]We saw hundreds of photos online supporting our client following an activation for our client PMA and their brand Reyka Vodka. As part of a booth for Reyka Vodka and Amarula at the Toronto Christmas Market, we furnished and decorated the space with the World’s Biggest Missltle toe, aka Keyka Vodla’s ‘Kisstletoe.’ Friends, couples, and families stopped to grab an awesome holiday-themed photo and as a result, connected with our brand activation staff offering Reyka samples and spreading holiday cheer to everyone who participated in the experience.

Street team deployment

When clients are looking to connect with a broad audience quickly and effectively, we always recommend street team execution to meet their goals. Street teams offer a fast way to reach a high-volume of people while making meaningful connections on the ground level. This style of marketing is an excellent direction for clients looking to create hype around an event, a product launch, or upcoming promotion. Our street teams exuded hype as we promoted the annual Cabana Pool Party in Toronto. Decked out in branded swimming gear, we sent our larger-than-life personalities to the streets with branded bikes and vehicles to promote the club. With a street team, potential event attendees were able to ask questions about the Cabana Pool Party, feel the positive energy of the brand’s ambassadors and get excited about exclusive summer activity. Find the right activation for your brand when you connected with our talented team at Reef Agency. Marrying your brand objectives with your marketing activations is the first step to seeing a return on your marketing investment. Brief us on your objectives and let’s chat, to see how REEF Agency can take your brand to the next level.