LogInExperiential marketing covers a range of elements: from creating small virtual items to developing an entire game dedicated to a brand. But why does interactive content outperform traditional advertising?
The New Format of Advertising
Let’s consider some possible root causes of interactive content popularity. Due to the negative impact of various economic, ecological, and social factors, people are seeking more emotional experiences in their daily lives. A survey conducted by Wunderman Thompson Intelligence revealed that 58% of participants feel their lives are less exciting than before, and 77% of people want to make their lives more interesting.
Consequently, consumers would like to receive vibrant and breathtaking experiences. Over 60% of surveyed participants expect a 'wow' effect when interacting with a brand.
Interactive content gave brands the opportunity to look at advertising from a different angle. The 80 Level Research interviewees believe that this approach allows brands to promote their products and services without imposing on users or interrupting their gaming experience. Such advertising can be integrated into a game in the form of billboards, installations, or game events.
Matthew Warneford, CEO at Dubit (Full interview)
We've built an amazing NASCAR game inside of Roblox, but no one's experience is being interrupted by an ad to visit it. It sounds cool, you can hang out and play in a NASCAR world. It's not forcing advertising onto you in a way that hurts the experience and that, therefore, is very appealing to brands.
In contrast to traditional advertising, which rarely receives a positive response from consumers, experiential marketing builds a strong connection between the brand and its users. This is achieved by allowing people to be active participants or co-creators of ad campaigns through their engagement with interactive content. Subsequently, consumers often become loyal to the brand and introduce their friends to the virtual content environment.
Bogdan Lomakin-Moroz, Founder & CEO at Trend Surfers (Full interview)
We are in the era of interactive marketing when the user becomes a co-author of a brand advertising. In this case, I like games because they allow us to receive unique results. For instance, when a user takes a quiz, his answers will be very specific. With the help of interactive marketing, we have an opportunity to see actions that reflect the character of each unique user.
Everyone Will Be a Creator
80 Level interviewees believe that experiential marketing will become a common practice in various businesses and non-profit areas in the next 5 years. More and more brands are using virtual environments for revenue generation and advertising to build strong relationships with the younger generation. The respondents are sure that we will see more large-scale projects in the market.
Developing virtual content won’t be exclusively for brands: even users will be able to take part in it. Our interviewees expect that every person will have an opportunity to create their own 3D models, especially with user-friendly platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. This trend will take the customization of various items and spaces to a new level.