CBC’s Favorite Experiential Marketing Campaigns…So Far
At CerconeBrown, we believe experience is a brand’s most valuable currency. From perfectly plated dinners and Gatsby-style parties, to mobile boutiques and interactive exhibits, today’s brands must continue to raise the bar when it comes to customer experience in order to foster loyalty and recognition. Whether you’re looking to increase awareness with a big marketing splash or simply nurture existing fans, experiential marketing campaigns are where we see the most return on investment for brands of all industries and sizes.
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In honor of the start of a new decade, we wanted to reflect back and share some examples of our favorite experiential marketing and public relations campaigns that we’ve worked on…so far!
Picking Pink for A Purpose with Ocean Spray and Vineyard Vines
While we’ve worked with Ocean Spray on more than one occasion (remember that time we set up a yoga class in the middle of Rockefeller Center?), our annual Pink Harvest might just take the cake for our favorite experiential public relations campaign so far!
In 2018, Ocean Spray launched a pink cranberry drink in October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we helped ideate and execute an experiential media and influencer event that not only educated guests on Ocean Spray’s new drink, but gave back. In 2019, we did it again with additional support from Vineyard Vines who had just launched their Vineyard Vines Women collection.
To support breast cancer and two family-owned businesses, we brought select influencers to Ocean Spray’s *pink* cranberry bog (in the shape of a whale!) to learn more about the company’s creations and the benefits of cranberries. Dressed in pink waders and Vineyard Vines newest collection, our guests got to dive deep (literally) into the bog to try their hand at harvesting their own cranberries!
Best of all, as part of the unique initiative, Ocean Spray and Vineyard Vines both pledged to donate proceeds to support Breast Cancer research through Bright Pink.
The result? Countless media mentions and massive social media exposure from some of the country’s top influencers.
A Chance at the Iron Throne at Primark Boston
What happens when you bring the Iron Throne, an iconic symbol from the beloved HBO series Game of Thrones, to a retail store? Hundreds of fans in line for over three hours, waiting for their chance to sit as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
To celebrate Primark’s partnership with HBO and their Game of Thrones apparel collection, we brought the real HBO Iron Throne into their Downtown Boston retail store. Fans lined up around the block for their chance to get a photo sitting on the throne. The results of this strategic experiential marketing event? Hundreds of visitors inside the store, thousands of social media impressions and engagements, and incredible media buzz.
Truly Tailgate Party at CBC Fall House
In 2019, we embarked once again on our annual Fall House Program where we invited more than 20 editors and influencers to the West Coast to learn more about some of the best brands and products available…like Truly Hard Seltzer.
To show our guests the great taste of the low-carb and low-calorie alcoholic beverage, we hosted an experiential marketing activation around the idea of a Truly Tailgate party, complete with lawn games, music, branded attire, and, of course, Truly beverages. As a result, attendees got to experience the product as it’s meant to be consumed—while celebrating with friends—and left with a new appreciation for the popular hard seltzer.
Home Depot Patio Dinner at CBC Summer House
What is one of the key elements to pulling off a successful experiential marketing or public relations campaign? Creating a concept that encourages consumers to think about your brand in a new way. That’s why we loved treating our CBC Summer House guests to a cozy patio dinner, sponsored by Home Depot.
While Home Depot may be top of mind when you think of home improvement and hardware, it’s most likely not your first consideration for outdoor furniture. To showcase its line of durable and stylish furniture, we set up patio tables and chairs outside Summer House alongside romantic string lights, festive decor, and a celebrity chef meal. Editors got to test out their line of patio products themselves and saw Home Depot as more than just a store for nails, knobs, and tools.
April Showers Bring Joules Flowers
Have you ever seen a bike-powered carousel that produces pedal-powered rain showers? Neither had we until we until we came up with the idea to help promote Joules’ line of rainwear through a series of immersive brand experiences across the country as part of their “Right as Rain” global campaign. Guests were able to engage in a variety of festive spring activities, like riding our bike-carousel creation, while testing out Joules’ rain jackets and rain boots.
In addition to media mentions and over five million social media impressions earned from the Instagrammable event, we were able to introduce the UK retailer to a new audience in a natural way as consumers explored the branded games and pop-up stores at this experiential marketing event.
CBC, 2020