Experiential marketing is changing how brands interact with consumers by allowing for the opportunity to introduce them to products in an authentic, tactile and memorable way. In turn, this fosters lifelong relationships between brands and their consumers.

At CerconeBrownCompany, we believe that an experience can be a brand’s most valuable offering and has the power to convert a person from a one-time customer into a brand advocate.

Hiring an agency is a wise investment, as one that is successful will create, deliver and share a positive experience on behalf of your brand. But before you sign on the dotted line, review the qualities below to make sure you are selecting the ideal partnership.

Consider your company’s values

Read between the lines of the mission statement and opt for an agency with similar values to your own. Collaborating is more successful when both parties genuinely enjoy working together.

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You can’t do experiential without “experience”

Every agency will admit to spaces that are more in their areas of expertise than others. A quality agency will host a kick-off or strategy session when you first begin work together. It’s not always a deal-breaker if the agency hasn’t worked in your industry before – sometimes a group of people with a proactive, go-getter attitude with experience in getting their hands dirty for their clients is more efficient than anything else.

Creativity is a skill

You wouldn’t buy a car without reading about the reviews and expert opinions, right? It’s no different when selecting an agency. Peruse the agency’s portfolio and see how they’ve brought other brands’ creative visions to life.

For example, CBC hosts a variety of unique House Programs – an opportunity for influential journalists to immerse themselves in unforgettable brand experiences in idyllic settings.

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Communication and accessibility

We totally get it, you are passionate about your brand. The right agency will understand that and do everything they can to keep you in the loop. It is important that you work with a team that is responsive, the direct point of contact, and collaborative.

One way an agency will communicate is through consistent and formalized reporting. At CBC, we report with two different platforms: TrendKite for public relations and Brandwatch for social and digital.

 What are your goals?

If you’re looking into experiential marketing, it’s likely you have specific business objectives in mind. Whether it’s growth or overall brand amplification, make sure the agency understands your goals and is proactive about addressing them in their proposal. If you are upfront and direct about your goals, you will better identify the agency that will best fit your needs.

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Inhouse vs outsource

Why look somewhere else for an asset you might have right in front of you? An agency with a photographer, designer, and creative director in-house is a bonus because it means they have the all of the essential tools readily available. Agencies who want to outsource talent require extra time, money and resources.

Stalk on social

You know the old adage “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? Check out how the agency presents itself on their own social posts – if you see a strategy or unique quality in their digital presence, that’s a good indication they will power up their client’s channels too.

For example, we at CBC are strategic in our social approach, pumping up our Twitter feed with daily industry news and coloring our Instagram feed with the happenings in our House Programs.

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There are certainly many other traits to take into consideration when picking the best experiential marketing agency. What are the qualities you look for in an agency?

Social media has revolutionized the way brands function. Messages reach a larger demographic, consumers engage more often, and news hits the stands before it’s even fact-checked.

But let’s just say it: not all sharing is constructive. And if there’s one thing that permeates the digital space faster than the latest Kardashian scandal, it’s brand controversy. Even a relatively small issue can erupt into vicious global outrage.

There’s no real science to definitively avoiding one, but how can brands use social media as a way of managing an impending crisis?

Separating business from pleasure

It’s social media 101 to take extra when managing a business channel. However, mistakes happen. The American Red Cross took quick action when an employee mistakenly posted a personal tweet to the company’s Twitter page instead of their own.

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The Red Cross quickly removed the tweet and in response posted:

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Often times, responding in a genuine and even humorous way can diffuse the crisis. It might even help a brand’s exposure – the #gettingslizzard hashtag spun off to become a positive message to donate blood.

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Takeaways:

  1. Respond immediately
  2. Openly accept responsibility
  3. Use social media management tools such as Hootsuite to mitigate accidental posting

An automatic “no-no”

We can all agree: it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with an endless stream of real-time conversations. But that doesn’t mean brands should give in to taking the easy way out.

Progressive Insurance proved that this is never the right course of action after a “robo-tweet” Twitter mishap. It started when people accused the company of defending one of its insurance holders in court after he killed a young girl.

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The company did not respond directly but rather used a robot with an auto response when prompted.

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Takeaways:

  1. Silence does not resolve an issue
  2. Be human, compassionate and authentic in your response
  3. Directly communicate with consumers

Removing political ties

Crisis communication has touched most agencies, including CBC. When our client, Garnet Hill’s, advertisements were unknowingly featured on the highly controversial website Breitbart, we took immediate action.

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CBC instantly removed the ad and Garnet Hill was praised by hoards of social users.

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Takeaways:

  1. Constant monitoring of social channels to prevent the spread of bad press
  2. Stay neutral in politics
  3. Listening to your audience’s requests pays off

As many of us know, crises happen. Effective communication and management, as well as a plan to mitigate, can turn a negative into a positive.

Or, at the very least, extinguish the fire as it starts.

Casey Neistat is a YouTube influencer and vlog pioneer.  With cinematic shots and clear narrative lines, his high-quality daily vlog has been a breath of fresh air in a genre filled with shaky selfie-like shots. Moreover, Neistat has built himself a loyal audience from the ground-up; one that follows his recommendations devotedly and takes his word on different products as the undying truth.

Digital influencers like Casey are the ticket in for successful marketing campaigns. In fact, MuseFind revealed that 92 percent of consumers trust an influencer more than a celebrity endorsement or traditional advertisement. With that, companies are doing everything they can to foster these unicorn relationships as a way to build loyalty with consumers.

Earlier this year, Samsung recruited Neistat to be the face of their “Do What You Can’t” campaign, to position the Galaxy S8 as the device to have in today’s creator-driven landscape. The campaign celebrates everyday people who use social media and new technology to shape their careers.

Samsung’s choice to solicit an influencer was understandable; however, how valuable a choice was it? Historically, Neistat is a loyal and vocal fan of Apple – a major rival to Samsung with a reputation for innovation.

Neistat’s following responded to the Samsung partnership negatively, saying it wasn’t the authentic story. Perhaps Samsung made a bet that the benefits of Neistat’s endorsement and the exposure would outweigh the questions the partnership begs. But evidence of that can’t be found in the comments of Neistat’s video.

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Unnatural brand and influencer partnerships can tarnish an image. Comments from Samsung’s Oscar ad are pretty mixed, but the animosity towards Neistat for working with Samsung centers on him “becoming a sellout”. As Neistat once said, “The key to cool is that you shouldn’t have to tell someone you’re cool.” Seems like Samsung wasn’t listening. That said, the entertainment industry is changing, and the line between marketing and entertainment is blurring. Many influencers have started launching their own brands using platforms like YouTube, allowing them to control their own image and ensure everything they endorse remains authentic.

Jeffree Star is one example of this kind of self-made influencer. Originally a makeup artist, Star began his climb to top-tier influencer as a Myspace musician and makeup/beauty vlogger. A few years ago, he launched an eponymous cosmetics line.

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Star also uses his products to secure trust and strengthen his brand’s image.

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And that feedback loop has led to immense commercial success for Star, who now employs over 100 people. Star almost never partners with anyone; however, when he does, it’s either his best friend or a brand he truly believes in, allowing him to ensure his image and messaging are consistent. As Samsung proved with Casey Neistat, all of this matters when fans are loyal to their influencers and can recognize an inauthentic partnership.

When brands and influencers partner, both need to make sure their actions and essence align. Audiences can smell inauthenticity a mile away, and you can bet they’ll have something to say about it.

We live in the age of information; an era that gave birth to the World Wide Web, online messaging, and social media.

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More and more, brands are expected to keep up with digital trends when it comes to connecting with their audiences, oftentimes relying on tried-and-true approaches.

But every so often, one brand will do something completely unexpected and disrupt the digital space.

One such brand is Addict Aide, a French organization that empowers progress in the fight against addiction.

Their 2016 campaign Like My Addiction featured Louise Delage, French socialite who had it all: glamour, wealth, style … and a drinking problem? In every one of her pictures, she held a drink. Not one of her followers noticed.

Little did her fans know, she was an actress devised by Addict Aide as part of a campaign to bring awareness to alcohol addiction.

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Below we have dissected the science behind this viral campaign using an online persona and created some takeaways for your next disruption.

 

Do your homework

Underneath the seemingly simple social posts was a data-driven scheme. The creators identified their audience before the launch, studied the influencers within that space, and designed a character that would appeal to the targeted demographic.

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They also used standard strategies such as posting at high-traffic times, networking with influencers, and sourcing trending hashtags.

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Fake it ‘till you make it

To keep “her” audience unaware, Louise Delage posted content that was relevant, attractive, and enviable. While the alcoholic beverages were conspicuous, the images crafted a realistic storyline that didn’t seem out of the ordinary.

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Blending in with the crowd

Users are accustomed to an Instagram feed of idealized and fantastical photos from their favorite influencers – a space that already makes it difficult to quickly distinguish reality from fiction. Louise Delage successfully played the part of “the girl women want to be and men want to be with”. She evoked jealousy and longing, sentiments that led to her reaching 50k followers in just a few weeks.

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Close with a bang

The big reveal came in a short video; one that disrobed the campaign and presented the concept that you never know when someone is suffering from addiction, even when it’s right in front of your face. Addict Aide closed its campaign in a simple, informative, and nonjudgmental way.

 

The Like My Addiction finale video garnered more than 1 million views and was featured in prominent publications. Most importantly, the creators achieved their objective. Louise was more than just an interesting marketing tactic – she was a living, breathing representation of the company’s mission.

When done wisely, an alternate identity or other disruptive use of digital marketing can help to prompt brand awareness. Just remember: what you see on social media may only show a fraction of the truth.

Apple has undoubtedly changed the face of the tech world, and the company has cultivated a loyal following while contending against its rivals. But they’re about to put their brand positioning to the test as they introduce their newest product since the Apple Watch: the HomePod, due to release in December 2017.

The new Apple HomePod poses a challenge to other voice-controlled speakers currently on the market, like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, despite their similar functions including spatial awareness, advanced sound technology, voice recognition, and mobile apps.

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All it takes is Apple’s brand positioning and loyal cult following to set their new products apart from the competition.

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The force of Apple’s brand—arguably the supreme manufacturer of 21st century technology—significantly strengthens the appeal of the HomePod.

The HomePod’s ultimate goal (to “reinvent home music” as a “breakthrough speaker”) only bolsters Apple’s authoritative positioning, a powerful stance on the project of combining the right blend of smart speakers and good music—something that, according to Phil Schiller in a recent presentation, has not been achieved yet.

Not until the HomePod. Or is this true? By virtue of originating directly from Apple, the HomePod may seem to have certain advantages. But do all consumers believe this?

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According to Schiller, Apple’s signature A8 chip also allows the HomePod to have the “biggest brain” in any speaker. However, even with the hype—the HomePods’s reception among potential customers has been lukewarm.

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Our prediction? HomePod will be a success—but not due to its claims of breakthrough technology and features. The brand awareness of the Apple name and customer loyalty will be the true reasons behind its success.

What do you think?

Source: https://www.apple.com/homepod/

Sonoma Wine Country: the perfect spot to hole up for a long weekend with a bottle of California’s finest and *drink* in the West Coast sunset.

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Which is exactly how 20 editors and influencers spent their time when they attended our annual CBC Cooking Cottage from May 5-10, 2017.

Cooking Cottage is part of the CBC House Programs: experiential marketing activations where we connect great lifestyle journalists with unforgettable brands in idyllic, organic settings. Those invited to this year’s Cooking Cottage were booked dawn to dusk with various activities, dining experiences, and social opportunities – all of which featured brands and products handpicked by CBC. Traditional media attendees included representatives from publications like Women’s Health, The Oprah Magazine, and Martha Stewart. Keeping with the times, well-known digital influencers Broma Bakery and Joy the Baker participated in this year’s event.

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The daily activities included a mix of the best to-do’s in Sonoma, California.

Day 1: The first taste of Wine Country

CBC gave editors a classic introduction to Sonoma – a plate full of food and a never-dry wine glass! Good Food Made Simple hosted a beautiful lunch, which was followed by a wine-tasting with Patz & Hall Winery.

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The evening concluded with a Fondue Party with Folie à Deux to tease our taste buds and then a breathtaking wine cave dinner with Stonewall Kitchen.

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Day 2: A gourmet day

Editors started the day with an endorphin kick and a view of the Redwoods. KeVita hosted a hike through Jack London State Park during Session One and a yoga class in Arrowood Vineyard during Session Two.

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Of course, we couldn’t let our guests go hungry! Breakfast with ThermoMix kicked our metabolisms into high-gear, followed by a lunch hosted by . Attendees from session one were treated with a surprise guest chef – Charlie Palmer!

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In true Sonoma fashion, daily wine-tasting began at 2 pm with Antica Winery and paved the way for the build-your-own sundae bar with Halo Top.

The evening feast consisted of a cocktail hour with Harvest Snaps, wine tasting with Conn Creek & Stag’s Leap Winery, and a cooking demonstration and pasta dinner made by Barilla.

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Day 3: Sending them off in smooth style

Our motto is, there’s always time for one more adventure. Dole delivered by sending the editors off with a lesson in smoothie making.

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Sound too good to be true? Don’t just take our word for it. Check out all of the posts via the #CBCcottage hashtag. Interested in leveraging our experiential marketing programs for your brand? Email us!

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Until next time, Sonoma.