3 technologies disrupting the brand experience status quo

Today’s consumers want to interact with a message, instead of being told what it is. New digital tools are allowing companies to revolutionise the way they engage with attendees.

Technology is single-handedly reinventing the very concept of the brand experience, and some of the latest tools available can have an immediate impact on your event:

1. Live streaming

Live streaming has become a popular option among social media users and companies are quickly catching on. Periscope, Facebook and Snapchat all offer live video capability that many experiential marketers are striving to include in their strategies.

Posting a video after an event falls short of capturing the true spirit of the moment. Product unveilings, question and answer sessions and important announcements can all be digitally broadcast live to form a one-on-one connection with the audience. It’s an inexpensive option that allows marketers to reach a much wider audience than those currently at the event.  This also gives them an opportunity to cultivate and create the experience they’re hoping to project to the crowd, Factory360 reported.

Attendees can form lasting connections with brands with the help of technology.

2. Virtual reality

Virtual reality has long been heralded as a game changer for a number of industries because of its ability to provide a unique digital experience. The technology is expected to generate $9 billion in worldwide sales in 2018, a signal that it’s only a matter of time until it’s incorporated as the foundation of brand experience strategies, according to Event Manager Blog.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then letting consumers digitally interact with a product or setting through virtual reality is simply invaluable. It puts a new spin on what it means to attend an event, and offers limitless possibilities as to how it can be used. While it’s easy to load up one experience and story for users to encounter, consider adding multiple options and letting people pick. This helps to reinforce the idea they’re engaging with the company, rather than just being told what to do.

3. RFID chips

The true goal of revolutionising the brand experience is to personalise how each consumer interacts with the event. Radio frequency identification (RFID) has emerged as an incredibly useful tool for marketers. Normally used for registration and collecting data on attendants, some companies are using it to form a bond with their audience.

One food tasting event was able to provide every attendee with their favourite recipes simply by pairing an inexpensive smart band that syncs with an app on a phone, ExceleratedApps reported. All a person would have to do is tap their wrist and, because his or her location was being tracked, the app would automatically save the directions for the delicious dish to the cloud. This type of technology could also be used for wayfinding or provide personalised offers based on where the attendee visited.

Take your strategy to the next level

Emerging technology has the ability to help forge powerful connections with event goers. It can be leveraged to create innovative experiential marketing schemes that aimed at engaging with attendees at a personal level – something that was difficult to achieve beforehand.

Nearly 77 per cent of marketers use experiential tactics because they help form lasting connections that centre around brand loyalty, and that ultimately results in increased consumer spending, A List Daily reported. To add creativity to your next brand experience, contact Orange today.