Authenticity & Storytelling Need To Be At The Centre Of Building Emotional Connects In Experiential Marketing

Building an emotional connection is seldom done right. And in the age of the availability of a plethora of options amongst brands, utilising storytelling and authenticity to amp up the resonance quotient in experiential marketing becomes essential just as much. A panel comprising of Shruti Agrawal, Assistant VP & Head Marketing, Tata Realty; Ashima Kakar, CMO, NLB Tech; Preeti S, CEO, ZtoA Marketing Agency and Davinder Juj, General Manager, Eros came together with Chehneet Kaur, Senior Correspondent, exchange4media Group moderating it – they spoke about how authenticity and storytelling need to be at the centre of building a relevant emotional connect with their customers.

Craving for Authentic Connects

Defining the significance of authenticity in experiential marketing, Agrawal mentioned that people are craving for authentic connections and in terms of storytelling, they're looking for something more. But all we do is engage with them on a very superficial level just on stories or posts.

“I think we as brands need to take a flip on that aspect and look at how stories are told with people, for people, along with people through immersive experiences. So I think on a lighter note when we say people are looking at connections not only with the brands - in today's day and age, I think people are looking at connections that are authentic even in their personal lives. Crafting a beautiful narrative which connects with your target audience, where they feel engaged, they feel they are a part of that brand - that's when they feel the brand, the storytelling or the experience is personal and they resonate and that brings in a lot of brand loyalty,” she pointed out.

Kakar highlighted that there is a very distinguished line between what is genuine and what is a gimmick. “When a brand does something which is very flippant in its approach, it comes across as if there is no follow through from the brand, it's only going to stay with you for a moment and then it's going to disappear – it’s temporary. But when you're looking to create an experience, an experience is what stays with you. So if you're genuine, it will stay. 

Moreover, if there is an emotional connect with the consumers, definitely the consumers would choose to be a brand advocate themselves rather than just a passive observer or just a normal consumer. So that is again a plus point for the brand – when your consumers are becoming your brand advocates. Organic publicity is much more powerful than traditional marketing.”

Different aspects of Authenticity

Giving insights into the hotel business, which requires attention and authenticity 24x7, from the toiletries to the room housekeeping to the food that is served, everything requires authenticity and transparency, giving prominence to consistency, Juj iterated, “It’s very important because we are not selling any tangible product. We are into selling dreams, selling experiences also into setting up what comfort looks like, and what real pleasure is – whether it’s having nice food or a comfortable stay. 

For us, every guest is unique, and we have to be authentic to every guest. Because every guest's requirements are distinct. No two guests would want equally cold or warm temperatures. No guest would want equally spicy or non-spicy food. So it has to vary for every single individual, depending on their unique needs and requirements.”

Preeti underlined that the key is to stay connected. “Authenticity is important because it leaves a unique impact. The biggest challenge is understanding your consumer. Before going to the consumer, you need to understand your consumer you need to do some research analysis – about their sentiments, perceptions, and psychological demographic. Accordingly, you build up a narrative, where it is important to note about what you are taking to your consumer and how authentic that is.”

Talking at the exchange4media Red Carpet Experiential Marketing Summit which took place on 27 December, 2024 at the Eros Hotel in the capital, the panel conversed about examples such as those of Red Bull, Royal Enfield and several other such brands which have been able to get their authenticity game and the MahaKumbh being an event which brands can bank their emotional play in terms of experiential marketing and on-ground consumer involvement, thus making it a fascinating one.

Neha Kalra

BW Reporters She is the Senior Editorial Lead at Businessworld and majorly covers pieces on advertising, marketing, branding and experiential marketing. She writes closely for BW Marketing World and Everything Experiential.