Experiential marketing best practises fluid@ICEEfest2014

Bridging the divide between the virtual and the physical - a look at experiential marketing best practises and the future of interactive digital media consumer experiences

We are living in a time, where new digital marketing tools & platforms emerge at an ever increasing rate, fueled by crowd funded startups and major corporations competing to develop the next new game changing device or technology.

At the same time, the online audience is becoming increasingly fragmented and ever harder to engage with.

Brands today tend to engage with audiences focusing on the volume of target audience impressions. Experiential marketing involves engaging with consumers in a manner that enables them to feel the brand versus just simply being exposed to it.

An experience has much more impact than exposure. We are used to pushing out messages and telling stories. Now we ask our audience, for the first time, to become part of those stories, enabling us to create a deeper and more genuine connection with them.

In a recent national US survey, eighty percent said they prefer brands that "do more to interact" with them over those that "just advertise" to them. Seven out of 10 shoppers say they'll share a brand experience through social media and other means of sharing. Four in 10 say they'd "like" a brand on Facebook, and one in four will post comments on a social networking site.

Welcome to the new world of experiential marketing, where the old rules no longer apply. When it comes to engaging with consumers, it’s becoming increasingly evident that there’s no substitute for a real experience.

This is a great time to be in interactive digital media. With such a wide array of tools at our disposal the possibilities are endless.