Experiential Marketing
How The Consumer Has Become The Copywriter In Experiential Marketing
So here we are again, discussing that most modern of Experiential Marketing trends: user-initiated content. This undeniable shift in advertising and marketing tactics is ever-evolving, but relies heavily (and more or less purely) on the ENGAGEment, momentum and subsequent action of the consumer. Presumptuous and precarious, but when executed properly, it’s a sure fire winner. Social is the key – in every iteration of the word: media, friendships, community, ego. Our desire to share what we’ve done with other people and to showcase who we are (or want to believe we are) to the world is what keeps this well-oiled machine just that – super slick and slippery.
Experiential Marketing, by its definition, is all about The Consumer. So, what marketers need to do in their own social realms is ensure the online conversation is about The Consumer – their experiences, desires, goals, heartaches, love, humour, etc. Brands must find the place where their messaging aligns with consumers’ passions, and connect – authentically.
Brands must find the place where their messaging aligns with consumers’ passions, and connect – authentically.
As seen, the power of social media to create brand adoration is in full effect. Brands need to jump aboard or be left behind. Savvy brands are increasingly recruiting their fans and followers to spread word-of-mouth love for their brand. Social media users crave experiences – to amplify their public life, to create their ‘aura’. And there’s no better aura than this dunking Gatorade one…
Social media users crave experiences – to amplify their public life, to create their ‘aura’. And there’s no better aura than this dunking Gatorade one…
For those of us not sporty and/or into American sports (just me is it??), the Gatorade dunk is a Super Bowl tradition. Amazing in itself, really. Baffling, I’d say. But… anyway… The sports drink decided to incorporate the dunk into its ad campaign for the Big Game on Snapchat. Simple, savvy, clever. They initially showed an animated GIF of tennis star Serena Williams getting virtually doused.
They initially showed an animated GIF of tennis star Serena Williams getting virtually doused.
This nice bit of augmented reality is, obviously, an optical illusion – as if she’d REALLY want to get dunked in Gatorade, no matter how dehydrated she was.
Here’s the clever part: Gatorade came out with an animated filter on Snapchat, which allowed users to dunk a virtual Gatorade cooler over people’s video selfies. They rolled this out to all Snapchat users who were able to save the animation and share it. Consumers personalised the Gatorade lens by pressing down on the app and holding their face—or a friend’s—in front of the camera in Snapchat. Filtering options appeared at the bottom of the screen.
The only branding was a single “G” on the cooler, which flashed onscreen for a split second. Pretty understated, albeit overtly obvious which brand it was. This highly successful Experiential Marketing iSuper Bowl moment on Snapchat drove over 160 million impressions. That’s more than the 115 million who tuned into the game! Insane when you think about it.
We really are seeing the consumer become the copywriter. More than ever they can make or break a brand just by sharing or not sharing. Simple as that. They set the tone, share the adoration (or disgust) far and wide to really mould your brand into what it is. The revered consumer and his/her love (or hate) for a brand is now the driving force behind social sharing.
The Consumer is now in charge of what brands can do or say on social media platforms.
This reality has turned brand marketing on its head, and – like it or no – it’s something brands need to realise; The Consumer is now in charge of what brands can do or say on social media platforms.
Market ‘at’ them with self-obsessed bombardment on your brand’s merits, and they will shut you down or ignore you. Harass them to “like, share or comment” so they can get some free gift or coupon, and they may comply – but that’s just a fleeting show of loyalty.
And to conclude, although this seems like we have the whole consumer as copywriter thing sewn up – tick the box – move on, we must also remember that brands who do this user-generated content wrong are at the mercy of those consumers who think you’re just wasting their time. Those cringeworthy social media campaigns that innocently ask you to complete the sentence: “I feel like a…” Cue obscene comments. You get the picture.