The Psychology of Experiential Marketing / by heidi mcghee

Standing out as a brand often means investing in innovation and breaking away from traditional marketing approaches to be remembered by a consumer. Experiential marketing is pure innovation in its creation of immersive experiences that go beyond the visual and engage multiple senses.

Experiential Marketing Explained

Experiential marketing engages audiences by inviting them to actively participate. This captures attention, creates memories and emotions by engaging the senses. It is the difference between hearing about a festival and being at one, seeing the lights, hearing the music, feeling the summertime heat.

Does Experiential Marketing Work Well?

The efficacy of experiential marketing is due to how it impacts audiences psychologically (if done well), namely:

Emotional Engagement: Experiential marketing campaigns are designed to evoke emotions, whether it's joy, surprise, inspiration or nostalgia, the emotional connection augments brand perception and recall.

Sensory Engagement: People are more likely to remember an experience when more senses are involved. Offering a multisensory experience strengthens audience connection, makes audiences want to share their experiences and strengthens brand recall.

Social Influence: Experiential marketing incorporates social elements with visible key influencers and curated spaces and backdrops set up for social posts. This taps into the psychological concept of social proof, where individuals look to the behavior and opinions of others when making decisions. A shared, positive experience can amplify brand perception through word-of-mouth and social sharing.

The Element of Surprise: Experiential marketing often incorporates elements of surprise or novelty, making the experience more memorable and enhancing the wow-factor of the brand.

Is Experiential Marketing Better than Traditional Marketing?

Immersive experiences and brand activations can engaging audiences on a level that traditional marketing can't. As we move further into an experience-driven economy, the brands that engage through meaningful, memorable experiences are the ones that will stand out and engage new audiences. If your brand wants to offer an impactful experience, reach out to one of our project managers.