Live Event Marketing: Is this the future of the advertising industry?

Just this week I was listening to an episode of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour where they discussed the Grease Live production that just took place on FOX on Sunday, January 31st and was able to have over 12 million people tune in for the event. However, the most interesting point that came up during the discussion was, “why are networks going back to the live productions?” And the debate it started was quite intriguing and brought up a lot to think about (NPR, 2016).

In the world that has become dependent on their DVR and their streaming services, networks are coming up with ways to be relevant and if shows like American Idol, The Voice, So You Think You Can Dance and Sporting events show us, people will show up and watch the events they know need to be viewed in real time so they can be part of the conversation (NPR, 2016). So if we look at that logic in regards to marketing, our strategies have to shift and evolve to see how to meet the audience where they are at and not be content to lose ground to the new viewing and buying habits in an increasingly digital world.

According to a 2013 survey done by Momentum Worldwide, where they asked 6,500 people in nine markets to rate 23 type of brand experiences, from watching TV to attending a concert to see the impact. The results of note, as you can see in the graphs and surveys to your left, were that people really were influenced by live interactions, whether it be a music event, sporting event or charity event (AdWeek, 2013). These results are telling, when people experience your brand, they are more likely to talk about it and as today’s entertainment landscape is changing and people are more accustomed to the integrated marketing in everyday life, we as marketers need to step back and see how the brands we represent can find their integrations that make sense with the brand positioning and the target audience we are trying to appeal and move to action.

We all know that social media is an integral part of any marketing plan, no matter what your product, service or event but it is time to look beyond just the passive use of posting, tweeting or event retweeting something and create some noise and impact that enhances a consumer’s or potential consumer’s experience. Social media alone cannot be the strategy, it needs to be a tool that leads to a larger interaction and conversation with your potential and current customers to allow a brand to adjust and address the needs that are trending in the marketplace (Newman, 2015).

Sponsorships of live music and sporting events, like we just witnessed with Pepsi and the Super Bowl 50 halftime show or even Ellen DeGeneres using a Samsung Galaxy Note to tweet out that infamous Oscar Selfie during the show are strategic integrations that bring a brand into the conversation and keep them top of mind and potentially become an influencer in their next purchase of an items in that category. Twitter just introduced a new feature for businesses that will allow you to target and interact with an audience during live events that are trending and create content that is directed to them (Hutchinson, 2015). This access to the analytics and audience breakdown, will be a wonderful tool for marketers to enter into a conversation with knowledge of the mindset of their target, allowing them to create an intentional message that becomes part of the relevant discussion with their intended audience.

However, even with the seemingly disconnection of personal relationships in an increasingly digital world, the need for connection is coming back around and is seen as becoming a necessary aspect of marketing in 2016 (Moraes, 2015 & Newman, 2015). The consumer has become wise to they are being marketed to and the need for the personal connection, even if it is through their smartphones will become how brands will be able to find future success. That is why the need for brands to be a part of the live, experimental landscape will be critical to brand evolution and sustainability (Moraes, 2015 & Newman, 2015). Whether it be a live production of a network staged musical, the Oscars, Super Bowl or even a concert or festival at strategic large market venues, brands need to find ways to connect to the audience they serve. Let them feel, touch, taste and live your brand or what your brand means for them and from there you will be able to adapt, adjust and continue to serve your current fan and hope to build loyalty that will result in sharing their experience and bringing more people into the next experience with them.

References:
AdWeek. (2013, November 13). Live events are king for getting people to recommend and buy brands. Retrieved from: http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/live-events-are-king-getting-people-recommend-and-buy-brands-153740

Hutchinson, A. (2015, July 23). Twitter makes it easier for advertisers to target live event discussion with new insights tools. Social Media Today. Retrieved from: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-business/adhutchinson/2015-07-24/twitter-makes-it-easier-advertisers-target-live-event#sthash.qFdW1SGH.dpuf

Moraes, M. (2015, September 25). 7 game-changing marketing trends to tackle in 2016. HubSpot. Retrieved from: http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/7-game-changing-marketing-trends-to-tackle-in-2016

Newman, D. (2015, November 3). The top 10 marketing trends that will define 2016. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2015/11/03/the-top-10-marketing-trends-that-will-define-2016/#209db25c7d58

Pop Culture Happy Hour. (2016, February 5). Pop culture happy hour: ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,’ ‘Grease,’ TV musicals. NPR. Retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2016/02/05/465633016/pop-culture-happy-hour-crazy-ex-girlfriend-grease-tv-musicals