Experiential marketing has forever changed the marketing game.

Marketers are constantly discovering new and compelling ways to engage and satisfy consumers at launch events, trade shows, exhibitions and even in-store. Combined with the perfect mix of marketing ingenuity and a generous serving of creativity, experiential marketing has revolutionised brand and customer relationships and improved overall interaction.

Traditional marketing like print advertisements and promotional direct mail have been refined over the years, marketers are now better informed and their enhanced strategic and creative approach to campaigns will usually garner decent results. However, no matter how well it’s executed, traditional marketing is a one-way communication channel, you’re showcasing your products and services alongside a static marketing message and ultimately you’re left uncertain about your customer’s satisfaction and engagement levels.

Experiential marketing invites your consumers to participate in a branded, interactive event, this is the brand’s opportunity to stimulate all their senses through personalised experiences and two-way conversation. Forward-thinking brands have implemented experiential marketing strategies for a myriad of purposes such as capturing data, generating leads, raising awareness and building loyalty, this ground-breaking marketing approach has achieved phenomenal results through immediate feedback, data collection and research. Interested in how brands in Australia have succeeded with their experiential marketing campaign? We wrote an article about it that you can read here.

Research has shown that the effectiveness of experiential marketing is already wide-spread, it works for people of all ages and audiences are better engaged with brands and in turn are more receptive to the marketing message when delivered through an experiential platform.

According to a study conducted by ATNEvent:

  • 9/10 Marketers agree that brand experiences deliver more compelling engagement.
  • 84% Marketers say events and experiences are a key part of integrated brand marketing campaigns.
  • 77% Marketers use experiential marketing as a vital part of a brand’s advertising strategies.

Not only has this experience-first trend grown in popularity with brands and consumers, but it will most likely continue to evolve and develop in efficiency and effectiveness for years to come. The resounding success of experiential marketing has transformed the marketing landscape for the better, but now it is time for brands to jump into a whole new level.

As we progress further into an unprecedented technological age, we must embrace the exciting possibilities of digital transformation and how it will streamline and elevate experiential marketing strategies going forward.

We have predicted that experiential marketing campaigns that integrate digital mixed media i.e. artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and mobile technology will dominate the marketing landscape in the coming decade. 2020 is the best year for brands to implement a successful digital experiential marketing campaign, so it’s time to get on board now or get left behind!

These are the 3 reasons we believe digital will dominate experiential marketing in 2020:

Personalised Customer Experience is Key

  • 80% of Millennials see value in brands engaging them with personalised advertising and offers.
  • By 2020, the customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.

Customer experience will still be at the centre of everything in 2020 and with personalised technology very much on the rise, consumer behaviour will continue to evolve as a result of society, technology or the environment. However we can expect that marketing tactics and strategies will evolve alongside it. Armed with today's knowledge of customer behaviours and decisions, digital experiential campaigns will allow brands to engage and excite customers on a personalised level throughout all stages of their journey, from awareness, to consideration, to purchase, to advocacy.

Nike+ Run Club is the perfect example of mobile app personalisation for health and sports in the digital space, it’s your own running partner in your pocket. It allows users to choose their workout and lifestyle plan, the app then learns and adapts according to the progress and choices of the users. The information collected from the tracked progress is streamlined into personalised workout routines in order to achieve the best results.

Technological Advancements are Making Fantasy a Reality

  • By 2020, over a billion people worldwide will regularly access AR and VR content.
  • Revenue for virtual and augmented reality technology forecast to reach 15 billion by 2020.

The best and most successful experiential marketing campaigns are fueled by technology, more advanced technology will be more easily accessible therefore opening up new opportunities for both brands and consumers. The digital space and it’s tools are enabling people to explore concepts that are otherwise too costly or practically unrealistic, however with the rise of progressive, immersive technology - the only limitation will be your imagination.  Experiential marketing campaigns will only continue to improve in the future, as events, brand activations and overall marketing initiatives will be more innovative, customisable and intuitive with the evolution of technology.

What are your favourite Oreo cookie flavours? Now imagine being able to instantly print your very own dream Oreo, well Mondelez made this tasty dream come true. The Oreo brand partnered with Twitter and utilised cutting-edge technology to create a 3D printer that prints hyper-personalised, customisable Oreo Cookies, a perfect example of blending emerging technology with a well-known brand to create a unique and unforgettable brand activation.

More Time, Resources and Money spent on Experiential Marketing

  • Advertising technology revenue is set to grow 300% by 2020.
  • Digital advertising spend across mobile, wearable and online devices will exceed $285 billion by 2020.

Stakeholders recognise the potential of experiential marketing as every year the number of organisations that invest in brand activation events continues to grow exponentially. Businesses are investing more of their money and efforts in launching digital experience-centric strategies, as it is now imperative for brands to engage with their customers not only face-to-face but on all digital channels i.e. mobile, web, advertising, social and digital marketing. New specialist marketing and communications roles are also being generated to keep up with the demands of the growing marketing landscape.

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Planning a new product launch event? Booked an exhibition booth at a major convention? Ready to dive into a new digital channel? It’s time to amplify your marketing plan and revolutionise your brand’s customer experience with a digital experiential marketing strategy!

We know what you’re thinking, if everyone is investing in experiential marketing, how can your brand stand out from the crowd? How can your brand engage and excite your customers in an age of personalisation, advanced technology and cut-throat marketing tactics?

Games are the #1 solution for inspiring and engaging your audience and we are advocates for the unstoppable engagement engine that is gamification.

Games are the perfect medium for creating branded and personalised user experiences for your digital marketing campaign. Gamified marketing and branded games drive repeat engagement, enable personalised experiences, maintain positive brand interactions, are highly shareable and most of all, they’re entertaining.

Games can be built to achieve a variety of marketing goals whether that's to increase product sales, boost brand awareness, build brand loyalty, or collect detailed data about existing and potential customers and clients; no matter the objective, games can offer an all-encompassing solution. Games and the applications of gamification are perfect for incentivising and rewarding behaviour, changing perception, improving and refining skills - basically games have an inextricable influence on our mindset and behaviour.

Juliette Denny in the Engagement Engine created the following equation:

Gamification + Social features + Personalisation = Unstoppable Engagement

Here are 5 reasons why games will amplify and transform your experiential marketing campaign:

Games are Engagement Engines

Today a consumer’s attention and engagement is worth so much. At its core, branded games allow brands to engage with their customers in a meaningful way, most of the time resulting in a positive and valuable interaction for all parties. Gamification is seen as the solution for combating disengagement and when implemented properly, it encourages active participation through rewards and has the ability to capture attention and incentivise actions. It also has the potential to resonate with the player on several levels, including emotionally, intellectually, and physically.

Traditional marketing campaigns aim to raise awareness and spread the word, however gamified marketing relies on prolonged engagement, repeat plays, and sharing of user generated content. Ultimately, games are the most compelling way to win the consumers’ attention and retain their engagement.

Games are Highly Immersive, Interactive and Fun

Games offer players a unique immersion and in a world where customer experience is king, games have the ability to empower players through personalised and immersive experiences. According to Funday Factory “An engaging and entertaining game blurs the line between marketing and entertainment creating a more absorbing brand space”, so a branded game will not only engage and entertain your users but will subtly and successfully deliver your marketing message and brand story.

If you take what people love about games and apply it to other things, they become more enjoyable and fun and when blended with technology, Gamified marketing tactics are not only used to generate fun and engagement; they’re built to educate, motivate, reward and immerse the user.

Games are Multiplatform

Thanks to technology and the online space, your branded game can reach and engage your audience from anywhere and throughout every platform through cross-platform play i.e. mobile, web, console, tablet.  Games offer a dynamic experience for your users on any chosen channel, there is a higher possibility that you'll not only retain your existing customers but also reach new audiences on more digital platforms.

Games are all-encompassing and wide-reaching, they are compatible with more and more online channels, and through the consumer's ability to report bugs and provide feedback games are constantly improved through updates and patches. They are also built to be scalable should you require your game to be expanded or scaled back, as their infrastructure allows for this flexibility.

Games are Social

Gamification incorporates fun and an element of competition to the marketing strategy, they're easily integrated with social media channels that often encourages social sharing. Incorporating games with social channels builds an engaged community surrounding the game, the level of connection the users feel with your brand and other players results in their motivation to compete with other users, share their experiences and dedicate playtime in order to be rewarded. Brands use social media to establish a connection with their audiences and with branded games you can amplify the engagement and interaction between you and your audience.

As mentioned in the previous point, due to the dynamic nature of games, they are highly shareable in the social media space and often gain unprecedented levels of engagement through downloads, repeat plays, social shares and competitive leaderboards throughout multiple social platforms.

Gamification is Growing

Gamification has extended beyond marketing, it’s now ingrained in all aspects of business across different industries. Most businesses recognise the potential and success of gamification, widespread use is growing and it has gone on to become the fastest and best ROI for marketing campaigns. According to AP News, the global gamification market was valued at USD 5.5 billion in 2018, and it is estimated to witness a CAGR of 30.31% over the forecast period of (2019- 2024), as you can see the necessity for further investment into gamification applications, research and resources, as demand will only increase going forward.

Games are hacking their way into how our brain works to make every task more enjoyable, they have an intrinsic and inextricable connection to our day-to-day mindset and behaviour. This means there are now endless opportunities for marketers to utilise games to influence our buying decisions and perceptions, social interactions and overall brand experiences.


Your 2020 digital experiential marketing campaign will be incomplete without an immersive, branded game, whether it’s VR, AR or Mobile experience, there’s no doubt that games will excite your consumers, drive high levels of engagement and quickly push you ahead of the pack.

Chaos Theory are the gamification experts that can teleport you ahead of the curve, we are the Australian game developers that will transform your 2020 marketing campaign into a digital and immersive gaming experience.

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 getting ahead of the game? We are the experts in gamified marketing! Contact us today and claim your free concept brainstorm session with James and Nico.