Brand activation through event marketing is a major asset in the PR industry that allows brands to generate a physical presence at events attended by consumers of the their target audience. These types of events can result in increased brand awareness, the spread of brand messaging, and the establishment of new relationships between products and consumers.
Many factors come into play when mastering the art of brand activation, primarily an audience’s brand perception. That brand perception is comprised of the physical and emotional interactions consumers have with the brand. Positive interactions build a strong connection and encourage consumers to use the brand again. A strategic brand activation process during high profile events can be pivotal in building a brand’s presence in their target market.
Advantages of strategic event brand activation
- Assists in strengthening consumer ties
- Provides a liaison for brands to communicate with their target demographic
- Offers an opportunity for consumers to try products first hand
- Creates beneficial relationships with likeminded organizations
With these advantages in mind, we’ve included some examples of how event activations can amp-up a brand. Highlighted below are a few of the unique ways that Lane Terralever incorporated our brand activation expertise to build positive consumer interactions for some of our valued clients during Super Bowl XLIX and Phoenix Fashion Week.
Phoenix Super Bowl XLIX
The state of Arizona was fortunate enough to host Super Bowl XLIX this year in Glendale, just outside of Phoenix. Having the world’s largest sporting event in our backyard provided an amazing opportunity for several of our clients to build consumer relationships and receive coverage on both local and national levels.
National Bank of Arizona
The Grand Canyon Experience presented by The National Bank of Arizona (NB|AZ) was the largest attraction located inside the 12-block perimeter of Verizon Super Bowl Central. NB|AZ and Rock Works, Inc. teamed up with the Grand Canyon Association to put together the one-of-a-kind, 30-foot-tall by 100-foot-wide rock wall reminiscent of Arizona’s beautiful Grand Canyon. This was part of NB|AZ’s “Elevate AZ” campaign.
The goal of this NB|AZ campaign was to shine light on five of Arizona’s local grown businesses and more clearly define Arizona and what it means to be an Arizonan while working to dispel some of the common myths perceived by people outside of the state. LaneTerralever leveraged this activation to get local and national media talking about the NB|AZ logoed wall and “Elevate AZ” campaign with the Executive Vice President of NB|AZ, Jathan Segur. Through the development of key media relations, the Grand Canyon Experience wall was featured as the backdrop for several local and national news spots.
Additionally, LT leveraged relationships with Arizona professional sports teams like the Phoenix Suns and Coyotes, and had Spike the National Football League mascot, Sparky the Arizona State University mascot, as well as Phoenix Suns dance team members all climbing the wall for media. Phoenix Mayor, Greg Stanton, even stopped by to conduct media interviews and climb the wall.
Boots USA Beauty Brand
LaneTerralever activated another of our valued clients, Boots USA, at several high profile parties during Super Bowl XLIX. Boots USA beauty brand is a British-based company best known for their skincare, makeup and Mark Hill hair products. As a successful international company, Books knows that half the battle of becoming a successful brand is getting products into the hands of the target audience. To reach that target audience, Boots products were tucked into branded swag bags at Jordin Sparks’ Red Black and White Charity event during Super Bowl Week to allow several influential thought leaders to try Boots products first hand. Boots USA products were also activated at the ESPN FanFest event when they were distributed as giveaways at the main media booth.
Phoenix Fashion Week
Another great brand activation took place for Boots USA, as LT secured their position as the official cosmetics and skincare sponsor of Phoenix Fashion Week. To amplify brand exposure in their launch market of Phoenix, we built a unique approach to the event by creating a memorable experience that would leave a lasting impression. This engaging brand activation served its purpose to achieve several essential goals.
Through the event, we increased brand exposure in the Phoenix market. By securing the sponsorship at the leading fashion event in the Southwest, the Boots logo and messaging was exposed to some 6,000 Phoenix fashionistas and beauty buffs. The activation also successfully positioned Boots to host a branded space where Boots Beauty Advisors provided product trials and complimentary service for guests. Additionally, Boots led all of the creative looks featured on the runway during the event.
Additionally, we assisted the company in gaining insight to the product needs of the market. This activation allowed Boots representatives to meet Phoenix fashion and beauty fans first-hand and gather the impressions they needed to develop strategic messaging and brand appeal. We sought to understand the audience product preferences, lifestyle choices, and hobbies are all pieces of essential information.
The event also helped to increase Boots USA multicultural connections in the geographical area. As of 2013, Arizona’s population consisted of over 30% Hispanic citizens. This put Boots in a unique position to get brand messaging in front of a multicultural audience. This event served as an opportunity for Boots USA to engage people of different backgrounds, encourage them to try Boots' line of diverse products, and create multicultural ties to the Boots USA Brand.Event activation is a great way to pump-up a brand’s voice in a new or existing community. By creating a physical presence at events attended by a brand’s target audience, consumers can tune in with important messaging and get a better taste of what a product has to offer. So tell us, have you conducted any brand activations at a major event, and if so, what kind of results did you see? Share your experiences in the comment section below.
