Experiential Marketing Exemplified At IMEX
Every year, IMEX connects more event and meeting professionals than any other conference. In an industry where hospitality and experiences are king, suppliers in the space compete over the best new and innovative ways to attract visitors to their booth. Planners and buyers are able to experience these activations first hand, giving them a window into how their own clients might benefit from a similar activation. The stakes are high, and this year’s show floor did not disappoint. Below we’ll highlight some of our favorites.
Led by a group of professional songwriters and musicians, Song Division gives attendees the opportunity to participate in writing their own fully customized song or jingle. They can work in small groups to create individual team or breakout room songs, or they can lead a large group experience- hello general session! For internal events, this can be incredible ROI for a company’s brand- imagine having employees walking down the hall singing a song they helped write about their company! This activity never fails to bring smiles and laughter to attendees, and it gives your quiet creatives just as much opportunity to participate as your extroverted sales team.
Curiosity (and maybe a bit of light-hearted risk!) made this one hard to pass up for most attendees. Consider ways to tie it into your event theme, brand, or educational messaging. Consider tattoos that represent key concepts an attendee should be walking away with from the event. For an internal corporate event, consider asking attendees to vote on their top 5 words that define your corporate brand and have them applied as mystery tattoos. Sponsor logos, positive mantras, or even just fun graphics could all be options depending on your audience
Tradeshow Survival Kits
This remains one of my favorite ways a sponsor or host can make a positive impression a conference attendee while driving awareness of their brand. Multiple suppliers handed out branded kits containing everything from Liquid IV, advil packets, small packages of sunscreen, sanitizing wipes, shout pens, etc. Most attendees will find use for at least one of these items during a show, and if your brand can be the provider, they will remember and appreciate you!
Food & Beverage Activations
At a large conference or tradeshow basic essentials can be hard to find, particularly without a long walk. Even a basic coffee station or granola bars can be a hit on a busy show floor, but consider an activation that aligns with your brand or will leave attendees talking. To keep attendees in your booth even longer, consider interactive activities like tasting stations of local goods, cookie decorating, or craft beverage stations.
Experiential marketing is an impactful way to better connect your audience to your product, service, or brand. Attendees can be overwhelmed at tradeshows and large conferences and it’s easy for traditional swag and marketing materials to get lost in the shuffle. By engaging your customers with an enjoyable activity, you can be sure that your brand will have a big impact that lasts long after the event.
Interested in seeing how experiential marketing can benefit your brand? Contact Us Today!
