brand experience – Connect Marketing

2023 in focus: How brands can achieve customer centricity through experiential marketing in 2023

Experiential marketing is an increasingly popular strategy that focuses on creating immersive, interactive experiences for consumers. This type of marketing allows brands to connect with their customers on a deeper, more emotional level, which can be incredibly effective in building brand loyalty and boosting customer satisfaction. According to KPMG’s global trend report 2022, it suggests that customer experience is one of the primary levers that unlock the budget for digital transformation.

In the coming year, achieving customer centricity through experiential marketing will be more critical than ever for brands. With competition in the marketplace at an all-time high, it’s crucial for businesses to find ways to differentiate themselves and create meaningful connections with their customers.

One way that brands can achieve customer centricity through experiential marketing is by using technology to create unique, interactive experiences for consumers. For example, brands can use augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) to create an immersive environment that allows customers to engage with the brand in a new and exciting way. This was one technology used expertly by Connect Marketing Services during the launch of the Marriott Hotel, in Ikeja. We created a zero-contact experience that enabled event attendees to view every room using augmented reality. This served as an external trigger and gave pandemic proof experience to the consumers.

Another way to achieve customer-centricity through experiential marketing is by creating personalized customer experiences. This could involve using data and analytics to tailor marketing campaigns and experiences to the individual preferences and needs of each customer. By doing this, brands can create a more personalized, meaningful experience for customers, which can help to build a stronger connection with the brand. One way Connect Marketing Services played in this space was with their shopping festival property, ShoppaSpree in partnership with Mastercard. Here, shoppers were rewarded for using their cards. However, we were able to scale the personalization through technology by creating random QR codes to be scanned by consumers for personalized rewards based on data provided upon sign-up.

In addition to using technology and personalization, brands can also achieve customer centricity through experiential marketing by hosting events and experiences that are designed to be engaging and memorable. This could involve hosting a pop-up shop, hosting a live event or concert, or offering exclusive, limited-time experiences to customers. By creating these types of experiences, brands can create a sense of excitement and anticipation among customers, which can help to drive brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Ultimately, achieving customer centricity through experiential marketing is all about creating engaging, memorable experiences that connect with customers on an emotional level. By using technology, personalization, and events, brands can create unique, immersive experiences that will help build a stronger connection with customers and drive brand loyalty.

Koolkids talks: The future of Brand Communication

Show your Story, Don’t Tell your Story

I have learnt something really cool over time: the power of “showing your story” I know you would be wondering what I mean by “Showing your story” but LET ME EXPLAIN!

Seth Godin once said “Brands are built around stories and stories of the identity of who we are and where we’ve come from are the most effective stories of all”

Showing your story is a powerful way to bring brands to life. So, you know how you watch a blockbuster movie and then you run to surf YouTube to know the behind the scene story of how the movie was put together? That is the power of curiosity and that is what consumers possess. They always want to know what goes on behind the scene of every brand. Do not just display your product or services or your achievement but also show a story of how the product was done or how the service was carried out.

Consumers are interested in authentic brands. One way to show authenticity is showing the journey through which their beloved offering is made. Process or behind the scene videos are tremendous ways to show your story. Consider experiential marketing agencies such as Connect Marketing Services as an illustration. Activations for brands are carried out by experiential marketing agencies. When a brief is received, experiential marketing agencies can film a video of the brainstorming session, follow it through with the implementation of their plans, and then launch the brand activation. They can then post the video to all of their social media networks. That is what I meant by “Show your Story, Don’t Tell your Story” Both beautiful and unpleasant moments can be found behind the scenes.

Your customers will have a better grasp of who you are and what you stand for if you share your story. This can enable people to relate to your brand intimately, which is essential for establishing trust. Arsenal’s “All or Nothing Arsenal.” documentary took us inside the Arsenal locker room to observe how they prepare and train specifically for the forthcoming football games. In this way, we would know they are not just galivanting but putting in hard work to win and please us the fans. This is a vivid example of showing your story.

One of my friends once helped me recognise the importance of showing your stories while creating a trustworthy brand. Storytelling includes everything from the goods you sell to the customer service you offer, and it helps to summarize how your clients perceive or view your brand as a whole. Actually, what distinguishes you from your rivals and inspires customer loyalty is your brand.

Consumers are now passionate about the environment and self-care. Brand communications will tilt towards more purpose-driven topics as brands have become more ideas-led. Brands will communicate their corporate social responsibility to build brand reputation and image some more.

Interactive marketing through Live Product videography is another excellent example of a brand that chooses to show rather than tell its story. Every time a product videographer creates a product video, he shows you the process, including his successes and failures, so you won’t assume everything went perfectly the first time. He can also get real-time feedback from consumers as well as create a sales mechanism for instant pre-orders of products.

In conclusion, your story is important because it helps people to understand who you are and what you stand for. When customers know what your story is, they are more likely to trust and communicate with you. To create deep communication, brands should therefore leverage consumer insights and communicate in a way they can connect better with their consumers whilst staying true to their brand identity.

Talk to one of our experts today and let’s future-proof your brand communications

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Koolkids talks: Experiential Marketing for tomorrow

Aizehi Itua once defined an experience as a series of memorable engagements throughout a journey. For businesses, this comes in form of a transaction. From how latent customers become brand ambassadors, marketing has evolved over time and has developed models to ensure they constantly win at the top of mind, point of sale and after-sales. As technology continues to evolve, new and innovative ways of marketing are being created. One of the most interesting and captivating new methods is experiential marketing.

Experiential marketing uses physical experiences to engage customers and leave a lasting impression. It’s a type of marketing that focuses on creating unique, interactive experiences for customers. It’s also perfect for brands that want to connect with their customers on a more personal level. It allows customers to interact with the brand in a way that goes beyond just seeing an ad or reading a post. Experiential marketing immerses them in an experience they will remember. With so much competition, brands need to find new and innovative ways to stand out from the crowd, and experiential marketing is a great way to do just that. It’s not just about getting customers into the shop; it’s about leaving a lasting impression that keeps them coming back for more. And that’s what it’s all about.

Experiential marketing isn’t only beneficial for brands, but also for consumers who prefer personal interaction with the brand. It’s memorable, more personal, and creates a sense of community around the brand. When people come together to experience something fun or exciting, they feel like they’re part of something special. This can help attract new customers and keep existing customers coming back.

We have experienced the acceleration of technology and for the experiential marketing space, this speed is equally a cancer and a relief. As this broadens the possibilities to be imagined by experience designers. It also improved the quality of work that can be delivered by brands. However, it’s fast paced nature can be costly and make ideas go stale in no time. Having said this, questions have come up about what is next for this space? Is experiential marketing future-proof or just a trend? What does the future of experiential marketing entail?

Well, to be honest, it’s hard to say. But one thing is for sure: experiential marketing will become increasingly important. As technology advances, we’ll see more opportunities for brands to connect with their customers on a personal level.

Think about it: In a world where people are constantly bombarded with advertising, it’s more important than ever to create an experience that people will remember. And that’s where experiential marketing comes in. By creating an interactive experience, you can connect with your customers in a way that traditional advertising can’t.

So how can you use experiential marketing in the future? It depends on your industry and your target audience. But some ideas are:

– Hosting events or experiential pop-ups

– Creating interactive online campaigns

– Developing brand ambassador programs

Here are some trends to keep an eye on in the coming years.

1. Live events will continue to be popular. People love the experience of being in the same room as their favourite author, musician or speaker.

2. Virtual and augmented reality will continue to grow in popularity. Experiences that allow people to immerse themselves in other worlds are always fascinating.

3. Interactive installations are becoming more popular. Creating hands-on experiences is a great way to engage people and remind them of your brand. Real-time

4. Social media will continue to play a big role in experiential marketing. Platforms like Snapchat and Instagram allow people to share experiences in real-time with their friends and followers.

5. Promoting good causes (CSR)

4. Increased brand collaborations

As we move further into the 21st century, it’s becoming increasingly clear that experiential marketing is the future. By creating unique, one-of-a-kind experiences, brands can leave a lasting impression on their customers.

If you want to keep your finger on the pulse, consider how you can integrate experiential marketing into your business. If you wish to create an interactive storefront or host unique events, there are no limits to what you can do.

Experiential marketing is a powerful tool that, when used correctly, can have a huge impact on your business. This is one thing we have mastered at connect marketing services having done this for 15 years with over 50 global brands served.

Chat us up today to Start your next experiential marketing campaign today.

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KoolKids talks: how brands can create experiences for Gen-Zs

The pandemic year, 2020, was a paradigm-shifting year that changed everything. The coronavirus caused an abrupt acceleration in the digital revolution. The typical customer has much higher expectations than just a smooth digital transaction. Companies want anticipatory, personalized experiences throughout the entire customer journey now that they have access to their personal data. –Harvard Business Review

It is obvious that consumer expectations were already in the rise before Covid-19.

According to Statistica, The Gen-z’s are the youngsters [10-25] that make up over 25% of the Nigerian population. This generation alongside the millennials currently account for the working population of the country which places them as a viable market for brands with offerings that cater to the young population. This is because they have the market size and purchasing power needed to help any brand excel.

The Gen-z are used to getting their information digitally, they’ve never known a world without the internet. The gen-z’s look for brands that can provide them with unique and engaging experiences for transactions. This is due to their love for flexible lifestyles. This is evident in the shift from full employment to owning businesses and doing gigs according to Amuge,2022. They want to be incontrol of their lives and see strict laws as mediocre.

If brands want to create unique and memorable experiences for the Gen-z’s in Nigeria, it starts with understanding what they care about. Figuring this out will help in the creation of activities that will reflect their values.

How can these experiences be created? Easy

First, brands can create experiences by leveraging popular culture (pop-culture). To the generation Z, social media is real life.Local has become the new cool. The internet has also accelerated globalization which has also adulterated culture. However, Knowing what is popular and what is in demand will be very helpful when creating experiences for the gen-z. Brands must discover their interests. The level of engagement would be driven by using what is popular in the society at that particular time to create experiences for them. Brands must study consumers’ habits and preferences before using pop culture to create experiences. It will increase engagement by understanding and addressing gen-z pop culture. Like Axe Canada; they launched a #Praise Up campaign in order to celebrate and reaffirm men’s freedom to express. They created a bond and increased engagement with their followers through this.

Furthermore, Technology can also be used to create experiences for the Gen-z’s through education and engagement. As a result of growing up in the digital age Generation Z frequently use the internet and social media Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok just to mention a few. Brands can use these platfroms on their mobile phones and laptops to create experiences for them. Brands can use virtual reality and live streaming to create a branded, interactive experience. This can even be used as external triggers for product trials and create information awareness for brands. This was used expertly by Heineken when they launched their first Metaverse Beer, Heineken Silver. While customers could not taste the beer in the Metaverse, it triggered their beer cravings.

In conclusion, Brands need to understand what the gen-z’s want and need in order to create experiences that will make them keep coming back. The Gen-z’s want brands to be true to their words, to be authentic. They want brands that can engage them and communicate with them through their preferred platforms. If you keep these things in mind, you’ll be well on your way to creating memorable experiences for gen-z in Nigeria. The dynamic nature of these elements and passion points should be harnessed to create memorable experiences. Businesses therefore have to optimize their operations and offerings to create personalized experiences for this Generation.

Looking to create memorable experiences for your customers that will give measurable results to your brand? Contact us today

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