Experiential Marketing is here to stay

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Chris Russell

The best Experiential agencies are true experience-makers which bring brands to life. And consumers love it. So in today’s economy, experiential marketing is even more relevant. With so much economic uncertainty, today’s consumers are more cautious, so brands need to assess how consumers respond to different marketing channels.

From what we’re seeing at Tribe – particularly in the results of a white paper we recently produced – experiential marketing is going to become an increasingly important way for brands to engage with consumers.

The white paper surveys gave us a chance to see how the economic downturn is affecting consumers’ attitudes to different marketing channels, which ones they respond to most and which ones would make them more likely to buy a product.

We touched upon the results in our recent article for Marketing Week – Why Experiential Marketing is here to stay. Have a read and let us know what you think.

#TrendingatTribe – Will you be my Valentine?

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Anna Murdoch

Valentine’s Day, probably the only day in the year that splits the nation as much as Marmite. Whatever you feel about ‘V-day’, it looks like brands have jumped on the opportunity to spread the luurve with cupid inspired marketing initiatives and experiential activities. Here are a few of our favorites.

Air New Zealand Love Gate
Air New Zealand has got that loving feeling for Valentine’s Day with the UK’s first ever live dating show to be held at London Heathrow today. Lovingly dubbed Blind Gate, the dating show gave two singletons the chance to find their perfect match from five contestants during a live show at the Heathrow check in. The contestants and to complete three rounds of romantically themed challenges before the final couple were whisked off to enjoy a long weekend Los Angeles on Air New Zealands unique ‘Cuddle Class’ Economy SkycouchTM
Playing Cupid for the Blind Gate challenge was TV and radio host, Claudia Winkleman. Claudia says: “Most singletons expect chocolates and dinner at a nice restaurant but Air New Zealand is taking the dating experience to a whole other level so to speak. I think this could be the best blind date ever and if all goes well, there could literally be love in the air!”

Ikea
Ikea in Australia are offering free cots to couples who give birth 9 months from Valentine’s Day – both economical and ‘romantic’………

BT Tower of Love
BT encouraged people to shout their Valentine’s message of love in front of millions of Londoners, by tweeting their heartfelt message and #BTTowerofLove from the roof top screen at the BT Tower to enter a competition. The BT cupid love arrow then chose one romantic tweeter to view their Valentine’s message with a bottle of bubbly from Paramount Bar at Centre Point as a surprise for their partner…….now that’s a PDA if ever we saw one!

HP Sauce
Are you a man? Are you having trouble finding you Valentine? HP has some top manly prowling tips for you which will make you completely desirable to women all over the land.

Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s has chosen this day of love to send a choir of cows to serenade Londoners in the name of its Happy Cows campaign in aid of improving the welfare of the 23 million dairy cows in Europe. A tenuous link to the romance of the day comes in the shape of a Twitter competition to win romantic prizes. Singing cattle = over whelming feelings for a loved one……..yeah that’s what we thought.

Trojan
Trojan issued branded ‘Safe Ride’ cabs in the Big Apple offering complimentary trips that will also provide passengers with a lesson in sexual health.
During their trip, passengers participated in a condom trivia game with those that answer five or more questions correctly winning a Trojan Brand Condoms prize pack. Those who answer all of the questions correctly win a year’s supply of Trojan Brand Condoms…….who knows that much about condoms?!

Spar
In stark contrast to the likes of Waitrose, M&S, Tesco’s etc., who are shamelessly promoting their ‘dine in for 2’ options, Spar have adopted and anti-Valentines stance by supporting Valenswine.com. Valenswines.com offer apps designed to help heartbroken singles deal with their breakup. The apps, advertised on Spar’s in store radio yesterday accompanied by Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”, offer a 90-day break-up package including advice, songs and comfort food such as Spar’s Italian ranges, to help get through the heartbreak. Bitter much….

New Year, New Tribe

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Chris Russell

2012 was an unforgettable experience for us at Tribe. And we’re going to make 2013 even more memorable. Because, as our industry develops at a breath-taking pace, we’re evolving too

As our new ‘butterfly’ logo shows, we’re evolving into an even more creative experiential agency. And we recently moved into new offices, that give us a modern and inspiring space for more evolution. It’s a place where our teams can put their imaginations to work and develop the surprising and exciting brand experiences that get people talking.

And we’ve grown our team too – but not just to be bigger. It’s about creative thinking. Brighter ideas. More knowledge and insight. And delivering all this as consistently and effectively as ever.

Here are just a few views of our new offices. But why not come and see us for yourself? Call us on 0207 702 3600 and find out how we’ll create enjoyable, shareable and memorable experiences for your brand.

#TrendingAtTribe in 2013

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Rebecca Kozlowska

2012 was an interesting year for experiential marketing. With the Olympics and Paralympics taking over in the summer, brands were falling over themselves to capitalise on the influx of tourism and to join the sporting conversation. It meant a year of non-stop brand activations with a reliance on experiential to really make brands stand out from the crowd.

So what about 2013? With the Olympics not casting a shadow over marketing communications and only allowing big (budget) brands to play, we predict 2013 as the year for new and smaller brands to step up to the plate and push themselves into the consumer sphere.

We can definitely see 2013 being a very busy year indeed and experiential will certainly be one of the forefront marketing channels for many brands. With the integration of other marketing channels and with experiential often at the heart, brands are now more inclined to increase investment – especially as a staggering 90% of consumers trust peer recommendation compared to just 14% for advertising.

Here are our predicted experiential trends for 2013….

Mobile, Mobile, Mobile.
New research from BuzzCity shows that 77% now go online exclusively via their mobile phone.

2012 saw a huge rise in marking campaigns involving the use of mobile phones and in 2013 it looks like it will only increase, especially with the launch of 4G. This means that user-generated content is more important than ever, and therefore creating social experiences that are participative are imperative to any brand that is looking to engage their customers.

You will see many brands opting to rely on user generated content at live events (including GPS mapping & geofencing) to share content and extend the longevity of brand messaging.

Vitamin Water recently capitalised on this trend by using a mobile promotion that encouraged consumers to check-in via Foursquare at an event in order to upgrade their tickets – highlighting the simplicity and instant gratification aspects.

Shhhh It’s a secret..
If 2012 saw brands bringing everyone together, en mass, then 2013 will be the year we bring experiences back to smaller, more influential groups who will then seed positive brand experiences online.

Exclusive experiences & “secret” activations will see brands making consumers ‘work’ to be part of amazing and one-of-a-kind events, in order to reward the most loyal and add a competitive element.

Relentless energy drink was just one of the brands last year who staged a secret gig with brand ambassador Professor Green and they weren’t the only ones. Although this theme ran through 2012, it will continue to grow, especially as marketing budgets are tightened and qualitative brand messaging becomes more important

Don’t worry though – if you weren’t able to make it to that secret gig or private viewing then you will be able to head to the brand page where it will be streamed live so you can see what you are missing!

Heritage
With a focus on the Royal Family and austerity in 2012 Britain, consumers will continue to look back to the hazy days of happier and simpler times. Nostalgia will play a big role in 2013 as brands aim to conjure up those joyus memories from the past and associate themselves with days gone by. Retro sweets, vintage cocktail recipes and advertising creative will tie it all together to make consumers feel young again. The Evian “Live Young” campaign, which saw a playground being built in the city, is the first of many experiential campaigns this year aiming to bring out your inner child.

This will also be evident in the celebration of milestone birthdays as our favourite brands look back to see how they have evolved. The Tube turns 150 years old today, whilst Heineken is celebrating its 140th birthday by encouraging fans to submit their designs for a 2013/14 limited edition bottle. The best 30 will be picked by an expert panel and featured at Milan Design Week in April 2013, where a public vote will help pick the winner.

Socially Responsible
2013 will continue the movement of companies opening up themselves up to social responsibility and having a “nothing to hide” attitude. This year a number of big brands received consumer criticism when they were found to be avoiding tax payments and worked hard to bring back customer confidence.

This year, brands want to demonstrate they have a heart, with links to charities, community projects and environmental issues dominating communications and experiential activity. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wondering into a secret community garden in Central London or tweeting to raise money to save rhinos.

We can’t wait to see what other experiential trends develop for 2013.

Bring. It. On.

Tis the season: a Yuletide blog

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Sophie Rivlin

The merriest time of the year is well and truly upon us, and with brands all wanting to stay at the top of consumer’s minds (and more importantly their shopping lists), what are they doing this year to break through the clutter?

Experiential marketing is undoubtedly the perfect catalyst for the melting pot of excitement and sentiment that Christmas brings. So, what separates the Christmas crackers from the distinctly average?

Here are just a few that have caught our eye at Tribe this year…

Ebay: Christmas Pop- Up Shop

On the first weekend of December, visitors to London’s Covent Garden were able to see this year’s most sought after gifts, all courtesy of Ebay. There weren’t any products on shelves though, with everything being brought to life using AR, image recognition and 3D technology.
Designed to bring a bit of inspiration and fun to online shopping, the store was also a great way for Ebay to showcase their broad range of apps; especially given that they are expecting a third of Christmas purchase to be made through mobile applications this year.

Coca Cola: Christmas Trucks

For many ‘the holidays are coming’ marks the start of the festive season, and this year the iconic Christmas truck has been making stops all over the UK in order to spread fun and festivities along the way.
Running from 14th November until 23rd December, consumers have been treated to suitably cheerful treats beneath the glow of red and white. Simple in execution, but with all the trimmings this experiential campaign has become a bit of a Christmas classic and is certainly a crowd pleaser for all ages.

Jack Daniels: Barrel Christmas Tree

Every year Jack Daniel’s holds a tradition of building a whiskey barrel Christmas tree in Tennessee as part of its experiential marketing – and for the first time this year it has been brought to the UK.
The nine-tiered tree was built from 140 real Jack Daniel’s used barrels, and took 11 people two days to build. All of the barrels were also personally escorted over the Atlantic by Randy ‘Goose’ Baxter, Phil ‘Weejie’ Whitaker and Mark Lonardo, fromLynchburg distillery and with nearly 100 years’ experience between them.
The tree, which is residing in Covent Garden, is a bit of a beacon for the brand’s history but is an impressive sight and who doesn’t love a good story at Christmas?

So, once again it seems experiential marketing is at its biggest and brightest during the festive season, and with 11 days left until the big day we can’t wait to see what else Santa might bring…

#TrendingAtTribe

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Rebecca Kozlowska

Tribe are always on the hunt for innovative and creative ideas. Here is a sneaky look into what has been causing a stir at Tribe Towers this week…

Nokia Lumia & Deadmau5
Not to be outdone by their own Lumia launch last – this year saw the launch of Nokia’s two new Lumia handsets with yet ANTOHER audiovisual show in conjunction with music producer Deadmau5. The launch used immersive visual technology to enable the square in Southwark to be ‘played’ like a musical instrument.

Nokia rigged Flat Iron Square in Southwark, using specially developed software, to come alive in sequence to a Deadmau5 set. The square was decked out with lights, projectors and speakers to turn the whole thing into a miniature arena. People arriving in the square saw just a normal London street, and as the music started the technology allowed it to be ‘played’ like a musical instrument.

The scale and style of this super-secret event was for a select group of media and industry influencers with a competition on the Nokia Uk FB page and live stream on the Nokia webpage.

It is was a great experiential stunt to raise awareness of the new phone. Downside? It was cold and Deadmau5 tweeted his thanks using an iPhone!

Red Stripe – ‘Spread The Soul’
For the residents of East London, it was just a regular beer run to the off-license – but on that night, anyone who picked up a Red Stripe was in for a surprise!

As soon as they’d lifted a can from the fridge – slowly but surely – the whole store came to life to the tune of “A Message To You Rudy.” Boxes, bottles & brushes all ended up moving to the beat as the Jamaican lager spiced up the night for their customers.

It’s a great watch and is a nice way to bring excitement to the mundane, spreading intrigue amongst consumers. When done convincingly well, these videos can be major hits. Other recent examples include Coke Zero’s unsuspecting vending machine in Japan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDiZOnzajNU&feature=player_embedded) and Durex’s condom safety viral in Poland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhdE53aX-2Q&feature=player_embedded#!)

Watch how they made it here:
Red Stripe \"making of\"

Marmite – ‘Love’ or ‘Hate’ Bus Shelter
Marmite is the next in line for brands turning bus shelters interactive!

At the Oxford Street bus shelter, consumers can take pictures of themselves showing either their love or hate of Marmite, with the choice to upload the images onto a digital screen. The booth will be active for 12 days as part of the four-week Christmas activity, which features a series of Christmas characters, including elves and Father Christmas, revealing their love or hate of the brand.

A simple but effect ambient campaign to tie into their already heavy Christmas campaign.

Magic Mike – ‘Flesh’ mob
Shoppers on Oxford Street were treated to an impromptu flash mob last week to promote the DVD launch of male stripping film, Magic Mike. Leading the group was a Channing Tatum lookalike who announced their presence over a megaphone on Monday afternoon.

What initially seemed like only half a dozen members the troupe expanded as more men joined in the routine – all wearing matching black vest top with the film’s title printed on the front.

Who said the flash mob was dead?! What the video here:
Magic Mike Flesh Mob

Tribe Like This.

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Hayley James

We are a culture of ‘sharers’ and ‘likers’. Songs we’re listening to, places we visit, things we find funny and photos we tag are advertised across our growing number of social media networks. Trendwatching.com recently reported Real World Liking as a key trend for 2012 – where a bridge is built between the offline physical world and online liking.

Here are a couple of great examples.

Coachella Festival Wristbands

Festival go-ers were given encrypted NFC enabled wristbands which could be used at different areas around the grounds to update their Facebook status. Their friends then knew which stage they were at and which band they were watching.

C&A Digital Hangers

C&A introduced special Facebook-integrated hangers across stores in Brazil. These hangers displayed the number of times items have been ‘liked’ on the brand Facebook page, updated in real time, so that shoppers could see the popularity.

Coca-Cola Village, Israel

Coca-Cola Village – Video Link

The Coca Cola Village is a summer experiential event in Israel aimed at teens and twenty-somethings. In 2010, each of the visitors were provided with a bracelet containing an RFID tag which when touched to a sensor, linked back to its Facebook page, transferring the like from the physical world to into the virtual. The 650 visitors contributed up to 35,000 pieces of content per group over their three day stay, totalling over 100,000 branded posts for the event!

We know that experiential marketing ticks the boxes in terms of driving awareness, trial, conversations, content and generating a strong impact on purchase propensity. The trend of Real World Liking is transforming the way we run these experiential events, seamlessly blurring the on and the offline, extending reach beyond the experience and ultimately – maximising ROI.

We look forward to seeing more of this in 2013…

A Colgate Christmas Cracker!

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Sam Aldridge

Tribe is on the road once again with oral health brand Colgate, although this time it’s not for toothpaste!

Next week, Tribe is launching Colgate’s very first electric toothbrush range with an Experiential Shopping Mall Tour visiting London’s Bluewater and Westfield shopping centres, shrewdly positioned outside their primary retailer, Boots.

The aim of the experiential campaign is to create awareness of the launch and drive sales by engaging with the Christmas shopper market, enticing them to either purchase on stand via an iPad or at home online. To incentivise consumers to purchase Colgate will be offering shoppers visiting the ProClinical stand a unique opportunity to receive an impressive 50% off when purchasing on stand or at home.

In conjunction with this; our experienced ProClinical team will be encouraging shoppers to trial the full range of ProClinical brushes available. This will give the brand prime opportunity to educate consumers on the key oral health benefits from using their products, as well as providing a unique platform to showcase the numerous functionalities, style features and price points of the entire range, resulting in giving consumers a clear and concise insight into why ProClinical stands apart and above its competitors and an incentive to purchase.

This is an extremely exciting campaign, which since its debut at Boots flagship store in London’s prestigious Oxford Street has received nothing but rave reviews, sparking a wave of interest with consumers and beauty professionals alike.

Why not come along and see the Experiential Tour first hand – we’ll be in Bluewater from 5th-9th December and Westfield London from 12th – 16th December.

Hope to see you there!