From brand activations to award shows to social events to the most elaborate weddings, all are mostly being organized at this time of the year. And being an experiential marketing journalist my work enables me to visit all such events with a ray of hope of finding something new and interesting to write on and feature every single time. But lately all the events that I have been to can be observed to be following a peculiar monotonous pattern; a pattern that blurs the divide between different genres of events so that even a first time attendee forgets that did they just visit a wedding, an activation or a charity dinner. Yes I am talking about the excessive integration of social into events. Event managers today are obsessed with technology and social media today. Yes, tech and social are definitely ‘the trends’ of the decade that facilitate the amplification of an event content but it is high time that event curators understand the fact that technology integration has to be a part of your overall event rather than being all of your event. As you step into an event today be it a brand meet or even a wedding, what you as an attendee are told out right is that so and so is the hashtag of the event and please use it to tweet ahead. And then it becomes a battle, whatever an attendee finds at an event be it a magnificent art installation or even a dying tree one has to have a selfie taken with it and float it on social media. Why you ask? Just to get social showoff brownie points. Yes, that is what all attendees are doing at events. Trying decoding the reason for this? Well, probably because the event manager failed to deliver any real engagement to the attendee that they could truly relish and experience. I remember going to circus carnivals in my childhood when technological elements did not exist in the first place. And even though we had no tech driven charismatic elements to blow our minds then, the sheer experience of enjoying the carnival was greater and the engagement level was higher. What brands and event planners do not understand today is that if your attendee is too busy using your event to gain social media hype rather than enjoying what you have created for them, then sadly your event has created no experience for them. There is no engagement, the same attendee will go to the next event and then tweet or share the same updates for that event. Where is the experience? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of experiential marketing in the first place? Why can’t we go back to the old times with future events and have authorized personnel or a dedicated photography staff take pictures on request and then make it a shared content to be accessed by everyone as soon as they move out of the event. Because with the current predicament we are soon heading towards a time when all you will see at an event will be a couple of heads staring at their mobiles, tablets and laptops while there is so connection, involvement and engagement between them. When was the last time an event planner saw their attendee completely lost in the beauty of what they presented? Well the answer to that lies in the fact that while digital is supposed to be a helpful hand for event managers and planners it has recently taken over from the event itself. Hence, it is of utmost importance that event managers should restrict the use of social media at their upcoming events it is only then when an attendee will leave his consciousness behind and try to not fill awkward silences with phone usage but actually become an indispensable part of your overall event.
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In January 2015 a bunch of artists, producers and art lovers got together to form a community and named it Kommune. The idea was simple- to nurture creative performance ideas. Emerging from this objective ‘The Storytellers’ was shaped as an event taking inspiration from the age-old tradition of sharing stories around a campfire and was reimagined to fit the lifestyle of the average urban youth. While Tinder, Facebook, Instagram are supposedly platforms to help one become more ‘social’, when you think about it social media connections are, more often than not, fleeting and lifeless. In a world where people largely communicate across screens, The Storytellers is an endeavor to connect face to face, over real life experiences and stories that come straight from the heart. The event has two types of sessions- Workshop and Pro. The Workshop features few selected storytellers while many more are discovered through a moderated session, whereas a Pro session features selected and crafted stories told to a sizeable audience with the objective to inspire. Touring multiple cities such as Mumbai and Lucknow, The Storytellers came to The Epicentre in Gurgaon on 16 December for a pro session curated by Roshan Abbas featuring close to two dozen storytellers sharing real life experiences in less than 5 minutes each. Lets just say there are events that you attend, and then there are events that you take home. The Storytellers is truly an experience that is bound to stick. Relatable stories that make you stop and think, authentic emotions that come easy and a mixed bag of an audience including children and elders alike, completely set the tone for a ‘real’ and memorable experience. The Storytellers are scheduled to present at the Epicenter in Gurgaon on 28 January 2016. So unplug and go hear a story! But before that, here’s a whiff of what they do.
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The month of November was exciting for experiential marketing specialists and enthusiasts as it saw some of the most interesting on-ground campaigns across the globe. From brands like Sipsmith to Kelloggs to Ford and Dominoes going all out create immersive experiences for their audiences, we at EE are listing down some of Insta-Inspirational global brand campaigns seen in the moth of November this year. Sipsmith pop-up lounge at Clerkenwell This is another one of those experiential campaigns that we hope Indian marketers and agencies take inspiration from. Spirits distillery brand Sipsmith in this campaign launched a pop-up bar at London's Clerkenwell. The distillers changed cocktail lounge on the lower level into an alpine ski lodge with an open fire and fur rugs. Specially created winter cocktails like Mulled Sloe Gin and the Dainty Damsel were served to the guests the lounge could accommodate 70- people at one time. This campaign works as it provided with fans an interesting opportunity to connect with the brand and relish the offerings of the brand in an innovative new avatar. Xbox ‘Survival of the Grittiest’ Craft London collaboration with McCann London for this campaign to promote 'Rise of the Tomb Raider' and strapped eight Lara Croft fans to a billboard in Southwark, pitting them against extreme weather conditions controlled by the voting public. After a gruelling 20.75 hours, one contestant was crowned victorious and the overall campaign brought the much needed freshness of idea and execution in the experiential domain with the campaign being applauded by everyone and creating a huge social media stir. Ford Road Safety Event This campaign by Ford is a testament of the fact that how can a brand create positive experiences for its TG by simply living up to its social responsibility. Through a road safety event Ford welcomed 1,000 individuals aged between 18 and 24 across three days and challenged them with a number of driving obstacles to encourage the idea of safe driving. The highlights of this campaign were a distraction test, where drivers were tasked with manoeuvring a Ford Fiesta around a windy track and a drifting test. Good job Ford. Kelloggs personalized cereal boxes To give its consumers an exciting engagement during the lead up to Christmas, Kelloggs created this campaign offering consumers the chance to receive their very own personalised box of cereal. To get your personalised box people were asked to either tweet their favourite thing about Christmas along with the #FestiveFlakes hashtag, or include an answer to the question: "Which part of Christmas do you most look forward to?" on the campaign post on the brands facebook page. The campaign was simple, interesting and perfectly suits up the spirit of holidays while giving brand the spotlight it asked for with minimum cost involved and hence works. Dominoes easy order button Similar to Amazon's Dash button the multinational joint Domino's too launched its very own easy order button to make the act of ordering pizza even simpler and lazier this November. The button is in shape of a miniature pizza box and works by pairing with the Domino's app over Bluetooth. The button was handed over to the winners of a social media campaign by the brand and created huge social media buzz with its launch. Clearly the launch is an indication of where the world of consumer purchase experience is heading to.
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The season of holidays is upon us and it’s finally that time of the year when families come together to celebrate the joy and frolic of Christmas. If you too are looking forward to make the best out of the yearend holidays and festivities but have no idea where to go then worry not because we at EE are listing down Christmas events to look forward to in December. X-MAS BBQ COOK OUT Celebrate this Christmas Eve with friends and family over a personalized bar–be–que and live music. Your own personalized BBQ grill, with customized marinades, for a group of 6 or more. For smaller groups, one could join the community grill. The Chefs at Drift, Epicentre will be happy to assist!! Date: 24th December Evening Timing: 8:00pm onwards Address : Drift Epicentre At Apparel House, Sector 44, Gurgaon Tel: 9999326400, 9810797540 Christmas Science - Santa's Lab Give your child this Christmas a chance to hop on the Polar Express on the trip of your lifetime to Santa's home of ice and snow. In this special workshop kids will be allowed to conduct Christmas themed experiments as they have a sledge full of magical Christmas fun. Date: 19th -26th December | Timing: 8:00pm onwards Address : Community Hall, Anand Lok: Delhi, Nirvana Patio: Gurgaon X'Mas Pop-Up Private Preview Now this one is a private preview of the best featured designs by 10 designers with creations ranging from evening wear to contemporary wear, so expect yourself to go home with bags full of exclusive, beautiful clothing! Date- Thu, 17 Dec 2015 Timing: 10 AM- 7 PM Address: DLF Magnolias Club Contact- 9560047249 Christmas Fiesta Noida too, is ready to celebrate Christmas through a fun filled bonanza, games and munchies, laughter and joy. This one is a family entertainment event so be ready for a happening family time. Date- Sat, 19 Dec 2015 Timing: 10 AM- 7 PM Address: GLOBAL INDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, NOIDA D-5, SECTOR 71 NOIDA INDIA 201301 Gift Of Christmas Love Delhi team is set to create a musical evening in Delhi to celebrate the joy and true spirit of Christmas as they journey to recapture the birth of Jesus Christ through live music, drama, friendships and story telling. Date- Mon, 21 Dec 2015 Timing: 10 AM- 7 PM Address: Connaught Place Central Delhi
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‘Marketing’ as a word may sound easy to preach and define but in practicality successfully marketing a product or a brand is indeed a daunting challenge for marketers. From spending billions on hiring celebrities to influence TG, to shelling a lot more on branding and from engaging prospective consumers through on-ground initiatives to constantly keeping a tab on social media trends, marketers today have to bear it all for the success of their offerings in the market. One of such unique marketing strategies adopted by brands in their endeavor to create a maximum impact on their audiences is ‘Stunt Marketing’. For those of you who do not know, Stunt marketing commonly refers to particular forms of marketing through which a brand releases a false or humoristic breaking news for gaining media coverage and public attention. Stunt marketing as a strategy has been used for many years and is known to spell major financial successes for brands. It is often asked that when should brands opt for stunt marketing and why does it work? And if you have a curious mind about stunt marketing then we have all the questions answered right here for you. The reasons why stunt marketing works is that it enables brands to create a surprising memory in the hearts and minds of their audiences resulting in high curiosity and urge to know more about the product. The intention of stunt marketing is to gain a sudden momentum in the market space for your product rather than allowing customers to have a touch and feel experience with it or announcing the attributes embedded in the product via ATL mediums. A stunt marketing technique can be resorted to by brands when despite multiple experiments in their marketing activities, the brand has failed to created an impact in the market or a sudden announcement regarding the brand has to made. Taco Bell Corp used stunt marketing in 1996, when one fine morning an ad appeared in The New York Times with a headline that read: "Taco Bell Buys the Liberty Bell." The ad explained that Taco Bell had agreed to purchase the Liberty Bell and now one of the most historic treasures in the United States will be called the 'Taco Liberty Bell'. The aftermath of this stunt was huge as while some people found the idea simply bizzare and distasteful a few others found it an interesting way to get rid of the country's debt. Thousands of people called in their complaints to the home of the Liberty Bell, but by afternoon, Taco Bell admitted that the ad was an April Fool's joke. As a result of this stunt, more than 650 print media outlets and 400 broadcast outlets covered Taco Bell and reached out to more than 70 million Americans. Interestingly, as a result of this prank the company's revenue increased by $500,000 that day, and by $600,000 more the following day thus enabling Taco Bell to make the best out of this stunt. in 1998, Burger King too tried to pull of stunt marketing in their own unique way as they sent out an ad in USA Today, stating that they'd re-engineered their most famous burger and were now serving Left-Handed Whopper. They offered details of how the burger had been designed to fit more comfortably in the left hand, including rotating the condiments and redistributing the weight of the toppings. This marketing stunt too proved to be of great help to the brand as millions rushed in to Burger King stores to try their hands on the Left-handed whopper. However, upon realizing that this was an April Fool prank consumers laughed it off as they relished in the usual whopper burgers adding money into the pockets for Burger King. So yes stunt marketing moves are a goldmine for marketers who are desperate to get their brands under the spotlight for the moment however stunt marketing like other marketing techniques has its own set of challenges and may backfire too. Brands like Vodafone and Snapple learned it the hard way. In June 2005, Snapple attempted to erect the world's largest popsicle, made of frozen Snapple juice which was twenty-five feet tall and weighing 17.5 tons. But much to their surprise as the crane pulled the frozen treat into an upright position in Times Square in New York City it began melting. Resulting in a flood of kiwi-strawberry-flavored fluid pouring onto the streets of downtown Manhattan and forcing innocent bystanders to flee from the sticky, sugary mess. Similarly, Vodafone in 2002 failed miserably while attempting to make its brand the center of attraction through stunt marketing. At a rugby match between New Zealand and Australia, two streakers interrupted the game, wearing the Vodafone logo. This intervention was not taken well by the teams, the players, the audiences and everyone else involved and as a result the police arrested the streakers before the game was over. The brand got a lot of the heat from the media over the issue and thus Grahame Maher, one of the CEOs of Vodafone,was forced to apologize for encouraging these two guys to streak through the game and breaking the law. The company also ended up donating $30,000 pounds to a nonprofit campaign aimed at reducing sports injuries. In the end it can be said that stunt marketing is definitely one of the sure shot ways to get your brand noticed by its TG but one has to be very careful while devising the perfect stunt to make sure the brand doesn't gets into any trouble.
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The much awaited Delhi cocktail week has kicked off on December 12th. The event is commenced with a press conference followed by the launch party at Hard Rock café, Gurgaon. Patrons experienced the finest bar tending session with the leading International Bartenders including Antonio Lai, Ulysses Vidal & Evgenya Prazdnik. The cocktail culture in India has always been vibrant and has evolved over the period of time. With the propensity towards the finest cocktail in India, Elixir Coterie, a platform which brings the alcohol connoisseurs together, hosts the Delhi cocktail week, Dec 12th-19th, 2015. The globally celebrated event is brought first time in India in association with the renowned bars & lounges. A week-long celebration of the cocktail craftsmanship which will be taking place at 150+ restaurants& bars across the city with a variety of tasting sessions, parties and master classes in the art of pouring the perfect concoction. Patrons can buy wrist band from these bars & lounges priced Rupees 599, 1099 & 5499 and avail unlimited cocktails each worth INR 200 &400 Inclusive of taxes from a pre-selected menu Signature Cocktails of your favorite participating restaurant/bar. It will cater the finest signature cocktail from the renowned international & Indian Mixologist including Hannah Van ongevalle(Belgium), Simone Caporale(London), Hannah Waters(Singapore), Antonio Lai(Hong Kong),Arijit Bose(Singapore),Hemant Pathak(New York), Andrea Fidora(Dubai), Karina Agarwal, EvgenyaPrazdnik &Aanchal Kaushal(India). The week is not just pocket friendly fun but also includes an array of activities including Cocktail Competition, Master Classes, Pub Crawls etc. Come and have a global experience at your city. Associate partners are Whats Hot, Primo Privilege, Dine out, Delhi Now, Spiritz, Quickli, Book my show, I love New Delhi.com, Monin&Elixir Coterie. Venue: – PCO, Smokeys, Lodi, Beer Café, Cafe Delhi Heights, Mamagoto, Bulldogs, Vault Café, GaramDharam, Hungry Monkey, Zerruco, Barcelos, Fork You, Westin, Le Meriden, Summerhouse Café, The Backyard, Raasta, Yes Minister,HardrockCafé and many more Date &Time:-12th December Saturday (as soon as the first bar opens!) until 19th December Saturday (when the last bar shuts!).
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Alchemist, a marketing and talent solutions company, is bringing global sitarist Anoushka Shankar for her much-anticipated “Home” India Tour this December. The artist is touring to support her latest album “Home”, which has freshly been nominated for a Grammy ahead of the tour. This is Anoushka Shankar’s 5th Grammy nomination, a rarity, and an extra-special recognition because it is for a classical album of pure Indian ragas. For past 7 years, Alchemist is the exclusive representative of Anoushka Shankar in South Asia and the Middle East, and has organized over 40 performances of the artist in the country. Alchemist, known as much as an ace talent solutions company as it is for its marketing services, is also the producer of the tour this year The 3-city tour has begun in Mumbai on December 12th, at Shanmukhananda Auditorium, before moving to Delhi for a performance on December 13th at the prestigious SiriFort Auditorium. In Bangalore, the artist will perform on December 18th at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. Says Manish Porwal, Managing Director of Alchemist, who is not only the curator of the tour, but also the producer, “In Bangalore, we sold out within a week of going live. The response was so tremendous that we are now organizing a 2nd show at 5.30pm on the very same day. This is unprecedented for an artist, and for this genre.” Recorded in her home studio in London, Home is Anoushka’s third release on Deutsche Grammophon. After several stunning non-classical albums, including the Grammy®-nominated recordings Rise, Traveller and Traces Of You, Anoushka returns to her solo roots, paying homage to the teachings of her father Pandit Ravi Shankar. “Home” features two ragas, one, Jogeshwari, written by her father. This album is aparadigm of classical Indian raga, and showcases Anoushka’s increasing maturity on her instrument. Says Anujita Jain, CEO of Alchemist, “We are thrilled with the success of the December concerts and the recently announced Grammy nomination for “Home”. While we start the new year with more shows in Muscat and Trivandrum, our eyes are now set on the tour next winter. We are excited about Anoushka’s next album after “Home”, that is slated for a global release early next year, and will tour India in December 2016." The album is considered to be an experimental album that will feature influences from various contemporary artists with a culturally and politically relevant theme that will touch upon concepts of feminism, asylum and migration.
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The Annual German Christmas Market, took place last weekend at the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi. Celebrating Christmas the German way has been the forté of the German Christmas Market and this year too this fun-filled Christmas market proved the same for the visitors. The two-day festivity which takes place under the aegis of the German Embassy and is supported by the German School & Federation of Indo-German Societies in India was inaugurated by Dr. Caroline Silva-Garbade, Economic Counsellor, Embassy of the Federal republic of Germany. The German Christmas Market was visited by more than 12,000 visitors. It is aimed at providing an insight into what Christmas shopping is like in Germany - a unique show in view for the seventeenth successive year. The highlights of the event this year were Christmas Carols, German Food & beverages, German Roof Top Restaurant & Coffee Shop, Traditional German Christmas Cakes, a stunningly decorated venue, a delicately lit up Christmas tree, live band, lucky draw with exciting prizes, a pulsating kids zone with a painting competition and magic shows. And to make the atmosphere all the more Christmas-like, there was `Santa Claus’ too distributing gifts to the little ones. Over 90 exhibitors presented an exclusive palate of interesting lifestyle products and unique gifting ideas for the festive season. Christmas trees, decorations, candles, cards, souvenirs, jewelry, home accessories, art, handicrafts, exquisite cutlery and silverware, innovative paper products, designer wear and much more! The major attractions were the pollution masks being sold at the exhibition. In the true festive spirit, German families and senior executives saw serving home- baked cakes, freshly baked waffles and other German specialities while the children from the German School participated in Christmas Choir. “This is the event where CEOs and senior representatives of International Corporations, Ambassadors and distinguished dignitaries from various foreign embassies and trade commissions meet over chilled German Beverages and Sausages, while their families shop exclusive lifestyle products and enjoys the excellent ambience”, states Mr. Guido Christ, Deputy Director General, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi. German Christmas Market is also a way to promote trade and cultural relations between the two countries, sums up Christ. The German Christmas Market has over the years proved to be a successful launch base for companies to test market their products and gain a hands on experience by interacting with their target clients. German Auto giants like Audi have exquisitely presented their state of the art cars, alongside many other well-known German companies participating at the event. Visitors included Beauty Expert Shahnaz Hussain, TV Personality Barkha Dutt, Designers Nikhil Mehra Nida Mahmood, Jatin Kochhar, Anand bhushan, Socialites Gunjan kochhar, astrologer & Vastu Expert Ridhi Bahl etc
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