If some pessimistic oracles had predicted the end of physical events, pushed aside by the explosion of digital, the reality is quite different and it is clear that events for the general public as well as for professionals have never been as popular as they are today.
Audiences are more demanding, however, and gathering guests around a good buffet and pleasant music is no longer enough to make an impression.
Experience and emotions have become the markers of success for an event and today, events and emotions are the winning duo for creating links.
Why experiential and emotional marketing?
Whether we speak of experiential marketing or emotional marketing, the idea behind these expressions is to set up systems aimed at giving audiences new experiences and to take advantage of the emotions aroused to create links and influence behaviour.
It is now undeniable that emotions influence decisions. The objective for the brand is therefore to capitalise on positive experiences and emotions in order to leave a favourable imprint on future decision-making.
On this basis, many brands today integrate emotional and experiential logic into their marketing and communication strategy.
Why this return to emotion?
Contrary to popular belief, if screens have created bubbles of isolation in our daily lives, globally we can see that the more screens are important, the more the need for human contact increases.
You have to admit that a World Cup final in the stadium or behind your television screen does not have quite the same flavour. To go from fear to hope, to vibrate in unison, to feel sadness or joy, to celebrate victory or to console oneself after a defeat, the experience of the place, of the collective and of the physical and human contact has no equal.
In a hyper-competitive context, whatever the sector, the brands and companies that stand out and manage to create a link and closeness with their customers are those that offer more than just a product but also provide them with new experiences.
Combining events and emotions
Digital technology can help to create this bond and to arouse strong and memorable emotions, as it offers many tools for this.
When rapper Tupac, who died in 1996, virtually came back to life in 2012 and joined Eminem, Snoop Dog and Dr Dre on stage at the Coachella music festival, attendees were stunned not only by what was, at the time, a true technical feat, but also by one of the decade's most memorable musical events (several million views on Youtube).
When used properly, digital and physical media actually go together quite well. More recently, the music streaming platform Deezer and the record company Warner Music France proposed a tribute to Johnny Hallyday by offering to listen to his last posthumous album on the forecourt of the St Lazare station.
A circular event structure, 8 metres in diameter and 4 metres high, made up of a multitude of headphone cables representing a photo of the singer and inside which it was possible to listen to the album from the day of its release. A communal listening experience for the many fans who came to celebrate the great man.
Another iconic brand of emotional and experiential marketing, RedBull, has built its brand through its extreme sporting events. The audience at RedBull events first shudders and then bursts with admiration at the prowess of extreme athletes.
The results? No need to make long speeches about their cans, the emotional lift has done all the work and the products sell "by themselves", like an extension of the event.
The location of your events can also contribute greatly to making a lasting impression, following the example of the Dior brand for whom we organised a fashion show on the Courchevel slopes, or Narciso Rodriguez for whom we installed a dome structure on an Icelandic glacier.
In a context of hyper-competition where many products are equal or difficult to compare rationally, and faced with the volatility of consumers, reaching people is one of the main challenges for brands seeking to build a quality and lasting relationship with their customers. For this, events are an incomparable tool: an exceptional or unusual location, a unique experience... are the ingredients of a memorable interlude for its audience.
Feel free to download our guide "5 brands, 5 winning strategies for an extraordinary event".
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