Crafting Experiential Events For Luxury Brands

To garner the attention of the masses, brands now look beyond advertisements and celebrity endorsements. They tie it together with marketing opportunities to meet their objectives. The concept of experiential marketing, however, has evolved. It is the reason why some are able to stay visible in a sea of consumer brands vying for the attention of the masses. From brands to end-users, there are varying opinions about the use and effectiveness of such events.  Our take is that you can craft such events and create impactful experiences if you keep in mind several factors.

As professionals who craft these experiences for our clients, we have witnessed the changes in consumer behaviour.

Through our observations, we have found several key points that we support and encourage staff to keep in mind when conceptualising an idea and bringing it to life.

Set one clear goal

To find the right activity and activation, you must first look at what you would like to achieve. Some endeavour to change the ways in which consumers view their brand. Others would like to increase brand awareness or even simply establish a physical presence with fun photo opportunities.

To build a successful experiential event, one has to “Understand what are your client goals, and be laser-focused on KPIs to build your concepts,” says Alexis Lhoyer, co-founder of Chab Events. As an experienced event professional, he brings with him the knowledge having seen the industry morph over the years. 

Our role as event planners and strategists is to understand the objective of the event and what we hope to achieve in the end. Without this understanding, we run the risk of crafting an event that fails to achieve the desired outcome.

Don’t get distracted

With all the enthusiasm and ideas, creatives can get carried away from the message. Great ideas are executable and the more elaborate the idea, the more excited people can become.

But does this serve the end goal of what you’d like to achieve at the end of the day?

What is the key takeaway you would like guests to have from this event?

Sometimes you can achieve outstanding results with a simple idea. It could be exactly what the end-user is looking for.

Create the right activations

It would be an oversimplification to stick a logo on the wall of a venue or item and call it an opportunity for experiential marketing. Instead, we should find out what the guests would like to experience and offer them an immersive experience where they can truly enjoy the universe of the brand. 

A vital factor that helps in creating these activations is remaining authentic in a world that sees copy-cat marketing. Imitation may be a form of flattery but there is always a quest to strive for originality. The most important factor to remember is that there is money to be found for good ideas. 

However, those good ideas must reflect the ethos of the brand in order to create an impact.  Research about various brands and other markets can help you greatly. When in doubt always turn to the history of the brand and look at its journey. You will find the answers you are looking for when you look at the brand story. 

In doing so, you can recreate and rebuild the emotional connection between the brand and the consumer. It is something that many brands are losing in this modern age where technology reigns supreme. In fact, Lhoyer and his peers agree that it does not pay to get excited by technology. While the gadgets and apps may be cool in the beginning, a question that brands always ask is “How does this reflect my brand or product?”.

In summary

There is no magic bullet in creating an experiential marketing event. Louder does not always mean better if that were the case, then everyone would be doing it too! 

To be a good event marketer, you have to ensure that you understand your client and speak the same language that they do. Putting yourself in the shoes of their consumers will allow you to find the right concept that will help them in their goal. Always strive to craft and nurture an emotional connection and let that guide you to the goal of producing impactful experiential experiences.