Brand Activation Marketing

Working in the events industry, we know just how important it is to keep up with industry trends to achieve success. 

Brand activation is one of the newest buzzwords, so if you want to get up to date then take a read of our guide explaining brand activation marketing and how you can use it in your business.

What is Brand Activation Marketing?

Brand activation is a marketing strategy that uses real-life experiences to create a lasting impact on consumers.

This modern marketing strategy is a fantastic way to give your consumers valuable insight into who you are as a business or event owner, allowing you to build a stronger connection with your audience. 

Types of Brand Activation

You have likely heard of brand activation marketing but have not realised it. You could even have participated in an activation marketing event.  

There are different types of brand marketing, all of which have the aim of creating positive experiences for consumers:

Samples and Free Trial Events

One of the most famous examples of activation marketing is samples and free trial campaigns. As humans, we all love free stuff, and no matter what it is, we can’t help but get excited. 

By letting people try your product or service for free, you can increase the chance that they will adore what your business has to offer and then spend money on it. 

In the event world, it is not uncommon to encounter companies handing out free drinks. This classic technique is designed to encourage people to buy more, and it is often successful. 

Even mentioning free samples or free trials will attract people to your business, so advertising your free samples is a great way to increase turnout for upcoming events or launches.

Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing has grown in popularity, and businesses worldwide use it to raise brand awareness. 

Experiential marketing consists of creating an experience for your consumers where you connect with them and show them what your brand is about and what it offers.  

Big companies such as Redbull and Ikea have experienced colossal success due to their experiential marketing campaigns. With the growth of social media, now is the best time to test experiential marketing for your business.

Trade Shows and Industry Events

Trade shows are usually associated with car retailers and similar products, but tradeshows are great for showcasing any event or product. You can attend a tradeshow with a product sample or an insight into your upcoming event. 

Trade shows are an interactive and fun way to connect with potential consumers, promote your brand, and boost word of mouth. 

In-store Activation

If your business has a base, this is the best venue to give your consumers an insight into what your brand is really about. The whole point of brand activation is forging a relationship with your clients, so inviting them into your business is the best way to do that. 

We understand that doing this as an events business has challenges, but that doesn’t make it impossible. 

You can invite a small number of potential clients to your base of operations and showcase what you have in the pipeline, which still allows them to develop excitement for upcoming events. 

Our Tips for Effective Brand Activation

If you plan on engaging in brand activation, take the following advice on board.

Don’t Be Invasive

The world of marketing is crazy now. It seems to have become a competition to see who can carry out the craziest marketing campaigns and make headlines. 

Yes, big marketing strategies can be incredibly effective and brilliant for getting your brand out there, but they can also have the opposite effect. 

It really depends on where you are located, but in the UK, people like to keep to themselves, and they don’t enjoy being bombarded on the streets. Even if you are well-intended, you could be invasive during your campaign, which may negatively affect your business. 

It’s good to go big, but make sure you’re being respectful to potential consumers. 

Humanise Your Brand

The main intention behind brand activation is to connect more with your consumers and get your brand out there. Given the current social and political climate, people want to support and work with brands that feel real. 

Nobody wants to support a luxury brand owned by an out-of-touch entrepreneur; they want to connect with brands that express their morals, show empathy and care about their consumers. 

For example, brands such as Starbucks and McDonalds have experienced sales declines due to consumers’ dissatisfaction with their contributions to the current conflict in the Middle East. 

We have noticed that a lot of popular events have started to struggle due to an inability to humanise their brands, which has massively affected event engagement.

A good example of people falling out of love with an event due to a lack of humanisation and a focal switch is Manchester Pride. Since 1985, this event has offered a space for members of the LGBTQ+ community to connect and campaign for important causes.

However, since they started charging for the event in 2002, the event has slowly lost much of its meaning and has become less about political protest and more about profit, which is evident from the £71 ticket fee to attend in 2024. 

Eventgoers have also claimed that the event was oversold, making it impossible to enjoy it. 

People have noticed this shift, and more and more people are choosing to no longer attend Manchester Pride in favour of smaller, more personal and more affordable events. 

If you run or manage an event and you need more advice on this subject, get in touch with our team. 

Take on Feedback

Because brand activation marketing is centred around promoting interactions with your audience, it is important to really listen to their feedback about your business or event. 

There is no point in hosting these activation events if you will not gain anything from them. 

You don’t necessarily have to hand out a questionnaire to all of your event attendees, but having some light conversation about your brand and what they think works could be beneficial.

Examples of Great Brand Activation Marketing

If you are considering utilising brand activation marketing for your own business, here are some fantastic examples of it done right to inspire you. 

Spotify Wrapped

If you are a regular Spotify user, you are likely familiar with Spotify-wrapped. This marketing campaign allowed users to step back in time to listen to the music they have loved over the years. 

This campaign was a roaring success, with users sharing their results all over social media. Due to its roaring success, Spotify has been carrying out the campaign every year since 2016. 

Ikea Bath Boats

This campaign saw Ikea release two boats into the River Thames that looked exactly like their Smarkryp bath toy. While in the Thames, the boats collected plastic and other waste from the waters. 

They then used the plastic collected to make a sculpture in one of their stores, promoting their commitment to sustainability and recycling. This was a huge hit among Ikea consumers and perfectly highlighted the brand’s ethos. 

In the events world, sustainability is a huge determining factor that many event goers consider, so if your company is event-oriented, you should focus on making your event as environmentally friendly as possible. 

Bumble Hive

During New York Fashion Week, Bumble hosted an immersive event, setting up spaces for people to lounge and meet new people. The event promised a laid-back vibe for people to enjoy during the year’s rush. 

The hive event was incredibly successful and led to an influx of Bumble downloads. One of the main reasons this was considered such a success is that it wasn’t incredibly obvious and didn’t necessarily enforce the dating aspect of the app, which people appreciated. 

Improve Consumer Engagement Through Experiences

Brand activation marketing is successful mainly because of the consumer’s involvement. People want to support a brand that they know and connect with, and by engaging with brand activation, you can create this relationship with your consumers. 

If you would like assistance with brand activation marketing or to learn more about how the process works, contact Gala PR today.