Experiential Marketing Examples

Today’s marketplace has thousands of brands vying for consumers’ attention. While having an excellent product is a fundamental cornerstone, it isn’t the sole factor attracting customers to your brand. Customer involvement plays a pivotal role, which is why experiential marketing can be valuable.

 What Is Experiential Marketing?

Also called “engagement marketing,” experiential marketing is far from your typical ad campaign. This strategy encourages audiences to interact with a brand in a tangible, real-world situation instead of only watching or reading about it.

 With experiential marketing, brands emerge from behind the screen or billboard and step into the real world. The result is hands-on, immersive branding materials that leave an indelible imprint on consumers.

 The MadeFirst team creates stunning, larger-than-life installations for conferences, trade shows, festivals, conventions, brand launches, sporting events, premieres and more. Our talented fabricators are experts in 3D modeling, rendering and CAD drawing, and we will work with you at every step of the way to make your vision a reality. As one of the only fabricators with a robotic arm, we can handle CNC routing, oversized props, 3D printing, foam carving and more.

 Why It Matters

According to Forbes, experiential marketing fosters a lasting connection between customers and a brand. That’s because it taps into the senses, making every interaction memorable.

 Moreover, these campaigns can be data goldmines. Every time a consumer interacts in an experiential marketing setting, you can collect more information about them. Then, you can use this rich data pool to refine and elevate future marketing strategies.

 The Integrated Approach: Bridging Offline and Online

Though experiential marketing’s essence is in the tangible, offline world, that doesn’t mean online elements are out of the picture. Integrating online components can amplify your campaigns’ reach and impact.

 Consider that the vast majority of video marketers report a high return on investment from video content. Furthermore, consumers are twice as likely to share videos over any other content type, which paints a clear picture of the power of digital media.

 Therefore, blending the two can be potent. Launching a brand-specific hashtag during an offline event can spark a ripple of online buzz. Tools like livestreaming can bring local, in-person events to global audiences in real time. Encouraging attendees to share their experiences on social platforms can exponentially expand your brand awareness.

 Make Your Next Event Unforgettable With Experiential Marketing

MadeFirst understands the power and potential of experiential marketing. Crafting a brand narrative is one thing; letting your audience live that narrative is another level altogether. Whether you’re hosting a special event, planning a booth at an upcoming trade show or launching a promotion, count on us to create an experience that can turn casual consumers into brand evangelists. Though many of our projects are confidential, we believe our portfolio speaks for itself.

 MadeFirst is here to help your brand’s story resonate offline and online. Once we’ve built your experiential marketing campaign, we’ll handle everything from trucking and storage to shipping and receiving. Our team of logicians will coordinate with vendors and clients, ensuring on-time delivery of our high-quality installations. Contact us today for all your experiential marketing needs, and let’s collaborate to build your dreams.

3D Advertising Company

If you’ve ever watched a movie while wearing 3D glasses, you have seen firsthand how immersive and impactful this technology can be. The characters come right out of the screen toward you, making you feel like you are part of the action. In recent years, the power of 3D has transcended movie theaters to revolutionize the way brands communicate with their audiences.

Benefits of 3D Advertising

Three-dimensional visuals offer depth perception to viewers, giving them a better experience than traditional 2D. And the advantages don’t end there. 3D advertising offers a unique appeal through real-time interactivity and manipulation, resulting in enhanced customer engagement. 3D ads improve sales conversion through better experience and understanding of your brand. From 360-degree product visualization to in-depth customization and even gamification, 3D allows brands to dictate the narrative and user experience.

• Personalization: 3D advertising allows users to see how a product looks from every angle. This ability to personalize online experiences is tremendously attractive, building brand loyalty and trust.

• High conversion rates: With 3D advertising, people can try before they buy. The ability to make more informed decisions will increase your repeat customers.

• Strong audience connection: The best marketing campaigns inspire emotion, and 3D advertising simplifies that task. Its ability to create immersive experiences makes the audience feel more attracted to your brand and everything it has to offer.

Ad Fatigue vs. 3D Authenticity

The average person sees hundreds, if not thousands, of advertisements every day. This oversaturation has led to advertising fatigue – when people who see your ads too often become bored and annoyed. The resulting lack of attention makes your campaigns less effective and ultimately harms your company’s bottom line.

3D visuals’ depth, interactivity and sheer novelty can shatter this monotony, leading to exponentially higher brand engagement than traditional campaigns. With 3D ads, consumers will resonate with your brand on a profound cognitive level and actively participate in your marketing efforts, building a foundation for long-term brand engagement and loyalty.

Scholars Charles Dennis and Raed Algharabat coined the marketing term “3D authenticity” to describe a viewer’s psychological connection with a three-dimensional advertisement. In this state, users view the virtual object as genuine, even tangible. Consequently, consumers are more likely to perceive brands that provide 3D previews of their products as reliable and worth purchasing from.

MadeFirst: Your Partner in 3D Mastery

At MadeFirst, we help our customers get ahead of their competitors who still use conventional two-dimensional graphics. Our talented team of artists understands the value of 3D and has incorporated it into our array of services. We have the resources and skills to bring any vision to life.

Whether you need a massive 3D prop for a festival, an interactive brand display at a trade show or a captivating 3D advertisement campaign, we’ve got the expertise to make it a reality.

So, why wait? Embrace the future of advertising with MadeFirst and make your brand stand out in a 2D world. Reach out to us today to learn more about our approach and capabilities.

Boost Sales With A Retail Space Design Strategy

Crafting Retail Spaces That Spark Sales: Your MadeFirst Guide

Navigating the fierce retail seas requires more than just a decent product—you need marketing tactics that pack a punch. Ever thought of using pop-up shops or grand launch events to elevate your brand's game? That's where we at MadeFirst, a creative design and fabrication powerhouse, can step in to jazz up your retail event scene.

Why Retail Spaces Can Be Sales Magnets

Ever entered a pop-up shop and found yourself magnetically pulled towards a product? That's retail environment strategy doing its magic. Design and presentation of a retail space can steer your customer's choices. But it’s not about putting up displays haphazardly; it's about understanding and predicting your customer's behavior, and then curating an environment that tickles their shopping senses.

A fantastic retail space isn't just about selling—it's about offering an experience. Think custom installations that turn heads or atmospherics that give your store a bold, unforgettable personality.

The Key? Know Your Customers

When your customers feel seen and understood, they're more likely to be loyal to your brand. This rule applies whether you're running a conventional store or planning a pop-up event. The trick? Dig into the data—ticket sales, social media interactions, surveys, you name it—to uncover your customer's preferences and backgrounds.

With this valuable information, you can design a retail environment that not only grabs their attention but also resonates with them on a deeper level.

Crafting a Retail Environment That Turns Heads

Ever walked into a space that made you feel amazing and in awe? That's exactly the kind of reaction we aim for when we design retail environments. Here's how we do it:

Mind the layout. A well-planned layout guides your customers naturally through the space, making them feel at ease and free to explore. And yes, keep that entrance clear and welcoming—it's your first handshake with your customers.

Play with lighting. Lighting isn't just about visibility—it's about setting the mood and highlighting what's important. The right mix of lights can subtly guide your customers to what you want them to see.

Show off your displays. Eye-catching displays aren't just pretty—they're the bait that reels in passersby. Make sure they scream "you" in every way.

Go big on visual merchandising. A consistent theme with matching colors and graphics can draw attention from a mile away. And of course, put your star products where they can shine—the spotlight.

Leverage tech. From mobile devices that offer easy checkout to interactive displays that grab attention, the right tech can elevate your customer's shopping experience to a whole new level.

Get Your Retail Game on With MadeFirst

Ready to transform your retail space into a sales magnet? No matter where you are—Nashville, Los Angeles, or somewhere in between—MadeFirst is at your service. We're all about designing stunning retail spaces that not only look good but also work hard to boost your sales. So, lets fabricate your idea, shall we?

Commission a Custom Photo Backdrop

Elevate Your Event with a Custom Photo Backdrop 

Custom photo backdrops make a signature statement about your event and create a memorable guest experience. They turn celebrations into experiential marketing activations that highlight your brand, create awareness, and entice eventgoers to engage with your organization. Today, we'll discuss the benefits of commissioning custom photo backdrops for parties. 

Designing the Perfect Photo Backdrop for Your Party 

Custom photo ops leverage proven design strategies to enhance your company's reputation. You can include your company's logo, the event name, and even an array of custom hashtags to further your event's reach. You can also add branded elements to your photo backdrop, including personalized messaging to tie into the theme of your trade show or company party.

Commissioning a custom photo backdrop to your next event can also enhance the overall aesthetics of the event itself. We work closely with your on-staff design team to create a piece that perfectly complements your vision. If you can dream it, the team at MadeFirst can make it a reality.

Creating a Memorable Guest Experience 

What's the key benefit of a photo backdrop for your fundraiser, gala, or red-carpet event? The answer is guest buy-in. When you create a memorable guest experience, it heightens the excitement and brings extra attention to your brand. 

Guest will share photos from your party to their social media accounts, spreading the word about your organization and providing greater exposure at no additional cost. Slipping your branding into the background creates powerful word-of-mouth advertising that resonates long after an event is over. 

Using a Photo Backdrop for Business Events 

Custom photo backdrops add a professional touch and polished look, sending a message about quality. It also you to extend your brand to events and ensure the impression guest have is consistent with the brand’s overall marketing strategy. This can help guests remember your company to create higher levels of brand awareness and generate more leads. When you use a custom photo backdrop for your holiday parties, trade shows, industry conferences, and other corporate events, you put your brand front and center. This lets you stand out from your competitors and other exhibitors. 

Get Your Custom Photo Backdrop 

Searching for that custom photo backdrop to create memorable connections with guests and clients? Look to MadeFirst, a full-service creative design and fabrication company with facilities in Nashville, TN and Los Angeles, CA. 

MadeFirst has 75,000 square feet of fabrication shops and handles creation, logistics, and installation nationwide for projects of any size. Whether you need custom photo backdrops, trade show displays, stage design, or experiential marketing, MadeFirst can create the perfect solution for you.

MadeFirst provides customers with superior service and quality craftsmanship at competitive prices, creating custom installations for large-scale events, conventions, trade shows, and product launches. 

Check out our online portfolio of recent projects and then contact MadeFirst to bring your ideas to life.

Brand Experience Agency

To succeed in business, it’s crucial to leave your clients and potential customers with a positive impression. By partnering with a brand experience agency like MadeFirst, your company can drive sales and set the stage for long-term loyalty. How can you create strategies that deliver reliable results over time?

What Is Brand Experience?

Brand experience describes the tangible and emotional connection consumers have while interacting with your business. For example, during a trade show, awards banquet or festival, a brand experience agency can help you develop an immersive environment that moves beyond your business’ mission or vision statement, encouraging people to interact with you on a personal level. Take the opportunity to make these occasions memorable, meaningful and as unique as you are.

If customers are negative or neutral toward your brand, they’re less likely to remember you when they’re ready to invest. The absence of a specific good opinion means you’ll lose out to competitors that offer more effective messaging.

The Three P’s of Brand Experience Design

The goal of crafting a brand experience is to resonate with people by appealing to them on three levels.

1. Perception

Engaging people’s senses lets them connect with your marketing and branding efforts more readily. Where it makes sense, consider adding audio, visual and tactile elements for holistic interactions. Sights, sounds and even smells can cause attendees to form lasting memories. Why? Our five senses work together to give us well-rounded impressions of the world around us.  

2. Participation

When you encourage event attendees to participate in some way, they’re more likely to feel satisfied that it was a good use of their time and energy. For instance, you might add an interactive element where people can ask questions or send feedback through an online message board. Or, if you want to establish a fun, friendly vibe for your brand, include games or physical installations that allow people to handle your products. 

3. Personalization

If you aren’t getting the desired results from your typical marketing efforts, try using your knowledge about your audience to segment them into different categories. Whether you create these targeted lists based on demographic factors or behavior, audience segmentation can be a highly effective marketing tactic. You can tailor messaging to different customers for a more personalized touch.

One-size-fits-all attempts to appeal to every consumer, every time, can detract from the overall brand experience you’re trying so hard to craft. That’s why it’s better to personalize based on specific brand metrics such as social media interactions or repeat event attendance.

Why Choose MadeFirst?

When you’re looking to elevate your experiential marketing efforts, it’s crucial to partner with an innovative, full-service company that pays meticulous attention to detail on every product. At MadeFirst, we have built everything from pop-up exhibits to fully immersive branded environments for our clients around the country. We combine traditional techniques like handcrafted carpentry and woodworking with advanced 3D technology, state-of-the-art software and robotic arms. No matter what you envision, we can make it a reality.

To learn more about our custom-made props, trade show booths, themed environments, pop-up shops or any of the other projects in our portfolio, please connect with us today.

The Role of Environmental Design in Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing with environmental design is one smart way for businesses to immerse consumers in their brand. You may find this through ads that are built into urban and natural spaces, as well as storefronts or events designed with a cohesive theme. Environmental design can enhance the natural beauty of the setting while giving your brand a sense of trustworthiness. But what is environmental design, and how can you use it in your experiential marketing strategy? Read on to learn more.

What Is Environmental Design? 

In 2023, the environment is an increasingly important issue for consumers and businesses alike. Environmental design is a plan that incorporates environmental considerations into the design of natural or urban areas, whether when constructing a new building or setting up an experiential marketing activation. This may include:

• Offering eco-friendly or eco-safe options in the design

• Incorporating natural scenery into the design

• Making use of natural lighting

• Utilizing plants and greenery in the design

At MadeFirst, we often create environments that complement the urban and natural spaces which they occupy. We offer a number of eco-safe material options for eco-conscious clients to create something both beautiful and sustainably designed. 

Environmental Design For Events

Events are a great way to provide an immersive marketing experience for your shareholders and consumers. We build creative designs that allow guests to literally walk through your brand or your recent promotion. Experiential marketing events should engage the senses at every turn, but especially the eye. Environmental design is an excellent way to achieve that.

When we approach environmental design for an event, we make use of the natural beauty that already surrounds the space. This includes indoor spaces. If your event takes place on a high floor within a corporate building, we can leverage natural lighting and expansive views to enhance the design. We used this tactic for the NYFW Amazon Influencers event, where we also filled the space with greenery and flowers, utilizing natural wood pieces. 

The Civic x IG Instabeach event also included plants and greenery to enhance the beauty of the setting. This event was largely outside, against the backdrop of sunny Malibu beach. The colors and natural elements incorporated were meant to complement that setting. Likewise, the Frieze Los Angeles RUINART event included a minimalist design with natural wood furnishings that drew attention to the woodsy, natural exhibits. 

For another event, Diptyque hosted Pop Up at the Grove in LA. Because the Grove is already a well-loved setting with plenty of natural features, it was only fitting to make use of that scenery with environmental design. The pop-up was placed strategically near one of the Grove's most striking trees and in front of several other blossoming trees. Inside the store were several potted flowers and plants arranged near the latest fragrances, showing customers the natural sources for their favorite perfumes.

Create Your Own Immersive Experience

Want to create your own immersive experiential marketing experience using environmental design for your next event in Nashville or Los Angeles? Contact MadeFirst today to get started. 

What Is Experiential Marketing Strategy?

It can be frustrating to put your time, money and creative energy into developing a marketing campaign, only to have it fall short of your goals. Experiential marketing is a tactic that can make your efforts more effective by engaging people in a unique, dynamic branded environment.

Read on to learn how our experienced team can help you make your next marketing campaign more memorable.

Types of Experiential Marketing

Examples of experiential marketing include live events, installations, product rollouts and trade shows. Instead of passively hearing or seeing your message, experiential marketing allows customers to form emotional connections with your brand. Encouraging people to participate in a compelling story makes them feel like they are participating in something larger than themselves – not being talked at or sold to. 

Consider these five tips for successful experiential marketing.

1. Look at Your Customer Base

To ensure your campaign succeeds, start by evaluating your target audience to learn what might resonate with them. Identifying who your customers are and what they want can provide valuable information on the kinds of immersive experiences they might find exciting and worthwhile.

2. Set Goals

Marketers must have excellent goal-setting skills to define their brand’s values and culture. A worthwhile strategy is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. Determine what you hope to accomplish with your campaign – whether it’s promoting a product, forging new relationships or entering a new market.

3. Identify KPIs

All businesses need brand-specific objectives to inform mission-critical decisions. Before launching a campaign, describe what success looks like. Using the goals you outlined, develop your key performance indicators and find out what data you’d like to collect. Experiential marketing is an excellent way to ask your audience for feedback and get detailed information.

4. Set Your Budget

When planning your campaign, don’t forget to set a budget to ensure a return on investment. Remember, since experiential marketing is about making a splash and doing something new, it goes beyond the traditional methods you and your customers might be accustomed to.

5. Develop a Cross-Channel Marketing Plan

Experiential marketing does not have to be limited to one form of interaction. You can segment your audience to appeal to in-person attendees while still offering customers who can’t physically be there a way to engage with your brand, such as by livestreaming your event on social media. Don’t forget to create a unique, dedicated hashtag to generate online buzz.

Let’s Start Building

When you partner with MadeFirst on your next experiential marketing campaign, you’ll get a dedicated team who will work with you at every step of the way to transform your vision into reality. As one of the only fabricators with a robotic arm, we can go above and beyond to create endless possibilities.

Our expertly trained team will handle all the logistical details for a flawless event, including coordinating with vendors and ensuring on-time delivery and setup. If you’re looking to elevate your next experiential marketing campaign, contact us now to start the process.

Nashville New Year's Eve: A Night to Remember

As the home of country music, Nashville is a major destination for music lovers. It’s also a great place to ring in the new year. One of Music City’s biggest events, Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, is a hot ticket with a night full of live music, fireworks, and the midnight Music Note Drop. Like the famous ball in Times Square, Nashville’s own Music Note Drop is a fun and festive way to celebrate as the clock strikes midnight. 

While revelers experience the drop as a seamless part of the atmosphere, it takes a lot to make it happen. At MadeFirst, we know firsthand. We built the music note along with signage and a photo op for the event. We love being part of what makes New Year’s Eve in Nashville special. 

How the Music Note Drop Came to Be

The Music Note is a nod to Music City, and it’s a symbolic way to ring in the new year. It represents the last musical note of the old year and the first of the new. The tradition evolved as Nashville emerged as a popular location for New Year’s Eve festivities. We have always been impressed with the local music scene, and most local venues are booked and packed with partygoers celebrating the holiday. 

In response to widespread live music during Nashville New Year’s Eve, event holders saw the need to memorialize our city's top priority. Shortly before the first Music Note Drop, Nashville dropped a guitar as the clock struck midnight, but the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp wanted to move away from that tradition to better differentiate our city’s celebration from others. 

They approached our owner and creative director, Jonathan Hammel, and collaborated on the note, which is 16 feet tall and weighs about 300 pounds. Hammel came up with multiple designs before the team landed on the red note that is known and loved today. 

Making It a Reality

To bring this vision to life, the MadeFirst team uses local artisans who build and construct the music note and other parts of the installation for the event. We understood that the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp wanted to make the note in Nashville, and we have a shop here. The effort is a collaboration of local talent. 

Once we landed on a design for the Music Note Drop, we worked with our fabricators to build it. We needed a note that could be mounted on a 145-foot-high scaffolding and slowly lowered to kick off the new year. We also had to consider the stage design to blend the note in with the rest of the scenery. The biggest challenge to the project is making a setup that can withstand weather. In Nashville, we get wind and cold, wet nights in the winter. The Big Bash kicks off six hours before midnight, so our note has to withstand any weather that happens before then. 

The whole setup takes about three weeks to build. Just the note takes us about half that time, because we also have to run LED wiring to make it light up and change colors as it drops. Our team is proud of the Music Note Drop. Visitors really respond to it, and we’re glad we can be part of the fabric of Nashville during the holidays. 

To learn more about MadeFirst or hire us for your next event, reach out today. We've got shops in Nashville and LA that can bring your dreams to life.

What is Fabrication?

Every marketer and event planner wants to make a lasting impression, create word-of-mouth buzz and drive engagement. With experiential fabrication from MadeFirst, the only potential limitation is your imagination. We have built everything from pop-up exhibits to immersive branded environments.

You might wonder what it takes to fabricate attention-grabbing trade show booths and experiential retail displays, because each custom piece involves so much attention to detail. Read on to learn how fabrication works.

What Can You Expect When Working With MadeFirst?

Quality fabrication fuses art with technical expertise. At MadeFirst, we use traditional techniques like custom carpentry and woodworking alongside advanced 3D technology and state-of-the-art software. Our fabricators have experience working with various materials, such as foam, plastic, metal and wood, and our CNC machines and industry-leading KUKA robotic arms allow us to build anything you can envision and bring it to life.

To ensure everyone involved with the project is on the same page, we won’t start constructing anything until you approve a model of the finished piece. Since we never outsource any part of the fabrication process, you can feel confident in our ability to make your concept a reality, without compromises along the way. When you partner with us, you’ll get Southern hospitality, adaptability and patience at every step of the process. Our commitment to providing complete transparency means you can check in on your project anytime.

Our services don’t end with fabrication. After we finish building your installation, we’ll disassemble, pack and ship it to your location. We also take care of assembly, tear-down and transport before and after your event, ensuring a smooth experience from start to finish.

Our Recent Projects

At Comi-Con International 2022, we treated fans of the HBO shows House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones to an experience that made attendees feel like members of the Targaryen dynasty. Our team fabricated a large-scale replica of the Red Keep  that included dragon eggs, dragon skulls and, of course, the fabled Iron Throne. With more than 130,000 annual attendees, Comic-Con International is the world’s premier comic book and pop culture convention.

Let’s Start a Partnership

We’re interested in becoming an extension of your team – fully committed to the impressions you’ll make. Bring us your rough sketches and blue-sky ideas. No matter how ambitious or complex, we’ll make it happen.
Our custom fabrication portfolio includes:

• Trade show displays

• Pop-up shops

• Prop making

• Themed environments

• Murals and large-format prints

• Sports and experiential marketing

Our team understands how to incorporate your brand standards and specifications into projects that will exceed your expectations. From our home bases in Nashville and Los Angeles, we travel around the country handling logistics and installations for projects of all sizes.
We welcome the opportunity to show you what we can do. For your peace of mind, we offer livestreams and photographic updates on request. To learn more, reach out to us today.

Prop Design and Prop Making

Whether you need a high-impact, oversized version of your product for a trade show or props for a movie, commercial or TV show, the expert designers at MadeFirst can help. As a full-service creative design and fabrication company, we have assembled an impressive prop design portfolio that includes memorable pieces for conventions, premieres and festivals.

Our Portfolio

We’ve used our experience, technology and exacting attention to detail to make even the most ambitious requests a reality for our clients. A few examples of custom props our team has built over the years are a life-sized pirate ship, a 3.5-foot-tall bottle of Tabasco sauce and a gigantic roll of Bounty paper towels. 

While we’ve created some playful props, we always take our projects seriously, providing outstanding customer service and quality craftsmanship to ensure satisfaction and repeat business. We partner with our clients to ensure they are on board at each stage of the process, even sharing photos and a live video feed of our work for complete transparency.  

Our Process

Prop making requires a combination of artistry and technical abilities. At MadeFirst, every prop design partnership begins with a concept you provide, which could be as simple as a few lines sketched on a page. Then, we’ll use our state-of-the-art software to make a model of the finished piece. This rendering provides a realistic idea of what the finished product will look like, so you have a chance to make changes. Once you have approved the model, we’ll start building.  

Our fabricators have access to a range of materials, including wood, metal, foam and plastic. We have invested in CNC machines and robotic arms, enabling us to craft large-scale props that are sure to make a splash. After we’ve finished building your prop, we’ll carefully pack and ship it to your location, then coordinate with you to assemble and install it on site for your event.

If You Can Dream It, We Can Build It

Our creativity and client-first philosophy drive us to develop cost-effective solutions for every challenge. In addition to prop design and creation, the MadeFirst team offers experiential marketing, large-format prints and services for high-profile events like awards shows. To request a quote, reach out to us today.