Experiential marketing is a powerful tool for engaging customers and audiences. Taking memorable, immersive experiences and infusing them with a particular brand, product, or service is the best way to leave a lasting impression for a brand. One of the exciting new aspects of experiential marketing is the sheer number of new technological ways to create these immersive experiences. We’ll cover our top 3 favorite ideas for incorporating technology into experiential marketing activations that will resonate with customers.
1: Augmented Reality
You may have heard of virtual reality (VR) where a simple headset can transform you into another reality, but have you heard of augmented reality (AR)? AR also includes a headset, phone, or electronic device to interact with augmented reality, but it approaches the digital experience differently. It adds a new layer to reality instead of taking you completely out of reality.
For example, with augmented reality, you can create a virtual try-on experience. Imagine a makeup brand that creates an AR-powered booth where users can virtually test makeup products on their faces in real time. They can look at a screen and see themselves wearing lipstick, eyeshadow, and foundation in different shades. It’s part virtual, part real.
2: NFC
Near Field Communication (NFC) technology is a way to communicate between devices that are close to one another. QR codes are an example of NFC technology.
For example, one type of activation that a brand could create would be an NFC-enabled treasure hunt within a retail store. Imagine a retail brand that uses NFC-enabled clues throughout its store that users can grab with their phones and receive rewards and hints for finding non-NFC-enabled clues. This kind of gamified experience would push people to explore the store more and encourage new visitors to come into the store.
3: Gesture Recognition Technology
Gesture recognition technology is a fun technology for brands to use when it comes to experiential marketing because it’s not only interactive but it’s comical to watch for other customers. With gesture recognition technology, human gestures are interpreted as commands, which then can make selections on the device without touching it.
For example, if your brand is going to be present at a trade show, a gesture-controlled interactive display is a fun way for users walking by to interact with the display. A swiping motion can switch between app pages while a pinch motion can zoom in on a detail. You can even program fun gestures such as a wave or hand raised to bring up a goofy GIF or short video in the app. This can lead to a group of tradeshowgoers gathering around the display, trying to see what they can find and what they can do within the display through gestures.
These three technological ways to add flair to your experiential marketing activations will help you gain new customers and make a lasting impression on your user base. Experiential marketing is all about bringing joy to customers through new experiences that align with your product or service.