How many events, exhibitions and launches have you attended? How many can you say were truly unforgettable and engaging experiences?

In this age of information-saturation, marketers no longer achieve the same cut-through with traditional and static marketing. Your consumers are now a hungry and constantly evolving community looking for two-way conversation; they’re ready to engage with your brand on an emotional level, this is where experiential marketing can help.

Ultimately, your consumers are looking to connect with your brand in a positive and memorable way. According to a 2018 study by EventTrack 2018:

  • 91% of consumers say they have more positive feelings about brands after attending events and experiences.
  • 85% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product or service after attending a live marketing event.
  • 98% of consumers create digital or social content at events and experience (and 100% share the content).

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What is experiential marketing?

Experiential marketing, also known as engagement marketing is a strategy that focuses on directly engaging the consumer through an immersive and rewarding branded experience.

Experiential marketing is reinvigorating consumers’ engagement and excitement for brands. We reviewed marketing and brand activation campaigns that combined gamification with innovative technologies to create immersive, engaging experiences.

Brands that succeed in experiential marketing have an immersed social community and unwavering brand loyalty and high-levels of customer engagement.

Need ideas on how you can get ahead of the curve? Here is our list of 11 brilliantly executed digital experiential marketing campaigns from Australia:

1. Seiko x Australian Open: Tennis VR Challenge

2019 | Initiative, Funkified Entertainment, Rentertainment

To ignite engagement and unmatched brand exposure for the upcoming 2019 Australian Open, leading-edge watch manufacturer Seiko activated their exciting project in Federation Square, Melbourne drawing in curious passersby.

Alongside Initiative, Funkified Entertainment and Rentertainment, Seiko built a branded virtual reality tennis court that allowed participants a chance to return serve from the World’s #1 singles champion, Novak Djokovic, also a global brand ambassador for Seiko. The competition winner would go home with $1000 in cash prize money and a limited edition Seiko watch, this encouraged eager passersby to not only have fun but also look forward to the upcoming Australian Open.

Results

  • 400+ participants.
  • Major media coverage, Channels Nine & Ten and Page 3 of The Age.
  • Heightened event and brand engagement and excitement.

2. Renault x Australian Grand Prix: Make the Move Campaign

2019 | Neonormal

In celebration of Australian racer Daniel Ricciardo’s move to the Renault Sport F1 Team, Renault partnered with Neonormal to design the ‘Make a Move’ campaign for the Australian Grand Prix.

Over the 4-day festival, Renault’s F1 Central stand included open-plan layouts, a cooperative VR experience, vehicle display and ambassadors. Audiences queued up for the VR Pitstop Challenge, this immersive experience gave insight into the mind of professional F1 drivers and pit crew when under pressure during a race.

Results

  • 93,000 impressions.
  • 12,000 unique visitors to the stand.
  • 800 VR engagements.
  • 4.5x delivery on lead target.

3. World Square: Lunar New Year AR Experience

2018 | Virtual Immersive

Every year for Lunar New Year, Sydney explodes with unique cultural events, the streets are buzzing with people and the atmosphere is electric.

Vandal partnered with Virtual Immersive to bring an all-encompassing and unforgettable Augmented Reality activation in the heart of the CBD. Using their mobile devices audiences can bring the iconic World Square Dragon to life and participate in Treasure Hunts for vouchers from participating retailers, all with advanced AR technology.

Excited audiences were also eager to step in front of the live camera where they can view themselves and  interact with the Dragon on the big screen.

Watch it here

Results

  • 7.8% increase in Sales in World Square retailers.
  • 15.3% increase in Traffic.

4. PETRONAS Syntium Australian Launch

2018 | Alive Events Agency

For the Australian launch of their flagship car engine oil Syntium with °CoolTech™ in 2018, PETRONAS partnered with  Alive to create a fun and unforgettable F1 event.

PETRONAS showcased the new HADO VR experience where attendees had an engaging experience through new interactive, competitive games. Just days before the F1 race, this unique activation aligned perfectly with the F1 theme and also set the stage for a national media conference with special guest, five-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

The event attracted new and existing F1 fans, the immersive and memorable experience ignited excitement for the product launch and upcoming F1 race.

Results

  • Over 120 on-the-day registrations for activation.
  • Strong media attendance and national media coverage.
  • Creative execution aligned with brands’ global expectations.
  • Positive feedback from all attendees.

5. HCF Health Hub: Health Comes First Campaign

2018 | Urban

What better time to captivate and engage new audiences than through major sporting & charity events.

In close collaboration with Urban, HCF designed the HCF Health Hub a multi-touchpoint, immersive experience that educated audiences on better healthier life choices at a myriad of sponsored events. HCF branded Mr. Veggie Van distributed ‘Fresh Fries’ samples, handed out member giveaways, offered full body biometric scans, how to check for breast cancer scans and eye health check ups.

We are Urban also designed a HFC Digital Skill Tester game that promoted healthy choices and lifestyles, educating and engaging their audiences through branded gamification.

Watch it here

Results

  • Exposure to over 200,000 fans and participants.
  • 16 activations at key AFL, Netball & Mothers Day Classic Events.
  • 1000+ game plays of the HCF Challenge.
  • 25,000 serves of ‘Fresh Fries’.
  • 577 HCF member giveaways.

6. Donut Papi: Pop! Mobile Game

2017 | Gamify

Sydney-siders have fallen deeply-fried in love with Donut Papi’s handmade, gourmet donuts. Donut Papi collaborated with Gamify to launch an addictive mobile game in order to increase website traffic and increase customer engagement with their brand.

Donut Papi Pop! is a competitive puzzle game where customers can win a free box of donuts weekly in accordance with the highest submitted score. This sweet and simple game encouraged players to enter their details for a chance to win, the brands’s customer database doubled in the first 2 weeks of the 6 week campaign.

Watch it here

Results

  • 3,666 unique players.
  • 89.4% completion rate.
  • 41,659 total plays.
  • 312 organic social shares.

7. Transport for NSW: ‘Don’t Trust Your Tired Self’ Campaign

2017 | Wonder

Using VR technology Wonder and Transport for NSW created a ‘microsleep’ experience at a major AFL event.

Participants were asked to handball a footy into a target in VR simulation, whilst promotional staff would  trigger a ‘microsleep’, blinding the user with a black screen and the words ‘Don’t Trust Your Tired Self’, encouraging them to hit the target blind. This powerful message resonated with passersby, providing an all too real experience on the consequences of driving whilst tired, a campaign that is generating awareness for motorists on the vast number of deaths and injuries on NSW’s roads.

Results

  • 4,000+ AFL fans engaged.
  • 1,200+ branded traveller mugs distributed.

8. Honda: Digital Gamification Launch

2017 | Aesthetic Group

The upcoming launch of the new Civic Hatch was Honda’s opportunity to achieve dealership buy-in, they wanted  a digital solution that would educate staff on product features and connect and engage all members from across the network.

Together with Aesthetic Group, Honda launched an integrated digital campaign utilising gamification and video content, through this activation this was the first time all members from the Honda dealership network were included in a launch. This platform guided and engaged participants across multiple digital and live brand touch points; staff participated in exclusive competitions, virtual treasure hunts and training prior to, during and post-launch.

Read it here

Results

  • 8,000 sessions activated.
  • Average 5 minutes per session.
  • 5,305 video plays.
  • 102% attendance across multiple touch points throughout launch.

9. Boost Juice: Free the Fruit Game

2016 | Millipede

Boost Juice is known for its award-winning customer experience and service offered in-store, however the brand wanted to engage its audience on a new digital platform.

With the help of Millipede, Boost Juice’s Free the Fruit branded game was a marketing initiative that combined addictive gameplay with a time sensitive voucher reward system that aimed to encourage downloads, repeat plays, and drive users into stores using vouchers to make purchases. This fun and easy to play game allowed Boost Juice to dive into a new online channel resulting in outstanding brand awareness and engagement.

Results

  • #1 Australian iPhone Game within the first week of release.
  • #2 Australian iPhone App in all categories on the first weekend after launch.
  • 3.6 million sessions.
  • 15:05 minutes average session time.
  • 300,000+ Australian downloads.

10. KFC: Snack! in the Face Game

2013 | DT & Oglivy Australia

Ground-breaking on every level, KFC’s Snack! In the Face Game was Australia’s first ever branded app, first mobile or digital game and the first use of a mobile coupon in-store.

Together with DT (Now AKQA), KFC Australia created this interactive campaign that focused on encouraging people to play the game in order to win rewards that could be redeemed for snacks. To incentivise downloads and plays the game offered an adventurous and rewarding experience for their target audience consisting of young male teens and adults (16-24 year olds), appealing to their three main interests: mobile, gaming and love of KFC chicken.

This hugely successful mobile campaign was the first of its kind to engage its customers on an exciting and new digital space, which saw unprecedented levels of social awareness, brand engagement and loyalty.

Results

  • 21% increase in Snack sales.
  • 325,000 downloads.
  • #1 Australian iPhone App within 4 days of release.
  • 3.1 million individual sessions.
  • 9.7 million minutes of play.

11. eBay x Myer: VR Department Store

2016 | Traffik, Red Cartel and Chaos Theory

eBay partnered with leading Australian retailer Myer to launch the world’s first virtual reality department store, a new and innovative shopping experience for Australian consumers.

With eBay VR, eBay sought to reposition themselves as a retail innovator and also give Myer a new and unique eCommerce channel, with over 12,000 products. In collaboration with Chaos Theory Games, Red Cartel have created a seamlessly immersive browsing and shopping experience, giving a glimpse into the future of shopping.

Results

  • 787+ million Social Media Impressions.
  • $45+ million in Earned Media.
  • Bronze AEAF award in the Virtual Reality category.

The benefits and possibilities of experiential marketing are endless, there are now  hundreds of positive ways to connect with and engage your eager consumers. Thanks to today’s innovative technologies, you can build community, reinforce brand loyalty and gain genuine engagement through immersive and unforgettable digital experiences.

A 2018 study by Eventbrite gives insight into the technological preferences for brand activation events:

  • 88% of event creators plan to use virtual reality.
  • 87% of event creators plan to use augmented reality.
  • 83% of event creators use an event app.

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Chaos Theory has the creative and technological know-how to transform your event or exhibition booth into an immersive, digital experience.

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Want to learn how to design immersive, branded experiences that get results? Download the Free eBook: the Beginner's Guide to Digital Experience Design Now.

Interested in standing out from the crowd and creating your own ingenious brand activation experience ? We are the experts! Claim your obligation-free 30-minute concept brainstorming session with Nico today.