Experiential marketing in the digital age: Creating memorable pop-ups and digital events that convert

Everywhere you turn there’s ads - the street, the subway, YouTube, on social media, even on some streaming sites now. Consumers are inundated with ads. This means creating something memorable is more important and valuable than ever.

While it is possible for traditional advertising and marketing to capture attention, these days, it takes a little more to grab the attention of consumers and to build brand loyalty.

That’s one of the reasons we love experiential marketing.

What is experiential marketing?

In short, experiential marketing is a strategy that allows consumers to not just read, watch, and/or listen. Instead it allows them to actually participate as well.

The possibilities for experiential marketing are endless. For example, brands could offer a pop-up shop, samples, games and prizes, Instagram worthy photo opportunities, and so much more… Maybe even all of the above!

While a lot of experiential marketing is done in-person, it doesn’t stop there, it’s also online! With the help of tech like augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) and online events and social media, brands can bring their experiential marketing into the digital world.

Why does it matter?

Experiential marketing matters because people love (and want) authentic and enjoyable experiences. Beyond that, it also helps build and strengthen connections between brands and consumers.

According to Seeker, 78% of people recall a brand after an interaction, and 98% create content at events. These are just a few stats that highlight the potential of experiential marketing when it comes to connecting with your target audience. 

Let’s consider probably one of the most successful marketing campaigns in recent years: The Barbie Movie. In terms of marketing and pop culture, it was major. This was thanks to nostalgia, brand collabs, and certainly the experiential marketing around it. They had pop-up events, Barbie's Malibu Dream House with Airbnb, and an AI Barbie selfie generator that went viral. The selfie generator itself was used over 13 MILLION times. That’s insane, right? If you were on social media at this time, particularly on Instagram, I’m sure you probably saw at least a few. Needless to say, even if you don’t have the Barbie name or money behind you, experiential marketing can still create opportunities for your brand to be shared and talked about.

So, how do you create something that is memorable?

Include interactive elements

Experiential marketing is a great way to get people to interact with your brand and can even keep them interacting with you after the campaign. This could include virtual classes/workshops, games, and more.

Make it sharable

When you create something that has interesting or beautiful installations, photo opportunities, or prizes and freebies, it encourages people to not just participate but to share too! I know I’ve come across countless fun brand experiences while scrolling on social media, and I’m sure you have too! Just last year I attended a pop-up event by the brand Maybelline to launch their Superfluff brow product. They had brow consultations that included free personalized brow products, lotto style scratch cards for prizes like compact mirrors and brow products, drinks and a cotton candy station, and a few spots for photos. The place was PACKED and I saw a ton of people posting about it.

Create an emotional connection

Emotions are a powerful thing, especially in marketing. So while you’re thinking up your plans for an experiential marketing campaign, think about the emotions you want to touch on. Be it joy, curiosity or wonder, and more.

Emotional experiences are often more memorable than many traditional ads because they create a lasting impression and resonate more deeply.

In the report referenced above by Seeker, 63% of consumers also said they feel connected to a brand emotionally after an experience. When your audience feels connected to you, they are more likely to be a loyal customer, to share their experience with others, and it helps build a stronger relationship.

What comes next?

When creating a pop-up or online event, you should always consider what action you want your audience to take. If you wanted to drive traffic to a store for future purchases, you could offer a free sample at the event with a coupon to go purchase in store. If you want your audience to continue the buzz on social media after the event, encourage UGC (user generated content). And you should always aim to  capture emails for follow up and marketing purposes. 

Tip: Keep your goal in mind while creating your campaign, do you want to increase sales or awareness? Or do you have another goal? Your goal should help shape your campaigns and what you want people to do next, e.g. share, purchase, etc.

IRL example: Black Mirror/Netflix

Now let’s get into one of my favourite examples of experiential marketing and why it worked!

Back in 2023, Black Mirror launched it’s 6th season with an episode called Joan is Awful. This episode follows Joan, a woman who discovers her life is being adapted into a series on a streaming platform that she pays for, called Streamberry. She unwittingly signs up for it because she did not read the terms and conditions.

What does this have to do with experiential marketing? Netflix and Black Mirror gave viewers the opportunity to create their own tv show posters with their name. So for me, it would be my photo with “Felicia is Awful.” Sounds fun, right? So many people participated and, guess what… They didn’t read the terms and conditions. To promote this campaign and the show, Netflix then displayed various posters created by viewers in a bunch of cities. You can view more about it here.

This worked because it got viewers to participate, it got people talking about the ads, and it was super relevant to the show!

So are you ready to create your own experiential marketing campaign yet?