Adopting the Experimental Approach to Marketing

Safe marketing can sometimes be risky marketing. The value of risks cannot be underestimated in marketing, where constant change is setting the agenda. In such a situation, experimentation is the only way forward. Today’s age being data driven, marketers know that to be effective, campaigns need to be experimental.

With the constant avalanche of new opportunities, brands need to embrace the newest and the latest and act speedily.

People reward experimentation. They want to align themselves with brands that push boundaries, boldly reinvent the rules of their category, and go with the flow of the moment. Given below are choices that brands can make if they want to engage.

Push Boundaries

To get noticed, a brand has to push the boundaries of traditional marketing. A few companies are becoming increasingly adventurous in putting innovation into practice.

For instance, at a Diesel fashion show in Florence, images of gigantic aquatic creatures projected from futuristic machines appeared alongside models.

It was the first time that multiple holograms occupied space on a traditional catwalk with real models. It transformed the fashion spectacle into a surreal visual feast, and left the audience stunned. The show previewed the brand’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection.

Provide Immersive Entertainment

A lot of brands are diving right into interactive and immersive virtual platforms. In spite of the pandemic and lockdowns across the globe, the concept of bringing unique experiences to audiences is doing well.

For instance, to showcase the potential of Adobe’s CS3 software, an interactive mural was designed.

In it people’s movements were recorded and translated into a mixed-media graphic display. People walking past the mural triggered detailed animations that continually evolved as more and more elements filled the screen.

Experiment with Conventions

Some brands are experimenting with the boundaries of conventional marketing. They create high-quality treasure hunts that intrigue audiences. They often involve posting online clues to hidden items scattered across a city or several cities.

For instance, Coors Banquet sent customers on a hunt for a fully restored ‘77 Pontiac Firebird. Participants were asked to solve five clues that were related to Coors Banquet’s heritage and history to unlock the different locations. They needed to snap a selfie in the locations.

The winner would be handed the keys to the car and would receive Coors Banquet beer for a year.

Publicity Stunts

Publicity stunts also generate a lot of free media coverage. They might seem risky, but their potential to increase brand awareness makes them seem worth the risk. For instance, Visible Mobile’s advertisement boasted unlimited massages.

This seemed distinctively different from other ads by providers that offered unlimited messages with their services. This might have seemed to be a typo, but Visible actually summoned the assistance of masseuses and offered free massages to passersby.

The company owned up to its mistake and offered a pop-up massage stand, allowing the public to benefit from the company’s grammatical error. Such a stunt could only lead to positive feelings towards the brand.