Over the last decade Goa has clearly transformed from a laid back coastal city to possibly the most popular party destinations in India. Once a hippie congregation, Goa has gradually become a melting-pot for people with varied interests- families, honeymooners, students alike, but in each case the one common factor that remains is the love to party!
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Heineken as an alcohol brand takes experiential very seriously and the same has been proven time and again through their varied marketing initiatives. From creating VIP lounges during Football seasons to launching its very own football league, from innovative installations at Coachella to initiatives at Submerge Goa projects and from pop up lounges at the London design festival to the most admired Holland Heineken house; the brand has always succeeded in creating experiences for its customers. This time at EE, we celebrate some of the best experiential initiatives by the brand as we list down 5 momentswhen Heineken amazed everyone through their experiential campaigns. 1- Heineken’s Departure roulette This one will always be remembered as one of the craziest and wackiest experiential campaigns by any brand ever. Through this campaign travelers at the New York’s Kennedy airport became a part of a roulette wherein they could change their flight to a more exotic destination at the push of a button. Those taking part in the adventurous campaign had to agree to drop their existing travel plans without knowing the new destination and immediately board a flight to the new place. Heineken booked hotels for these travelers and provided cash to cover expenses. It promoted the message of ‘drop everything’ and ‘go anywhere’ through this initiative. Many travelers agreed to take up the challenge and give up on their planned trips to be a part of this experiential campaign. This one was guaranteed to provide the travelers an experience that they will never forget. 2-Pop-up City Lounge at London Design Festival Heineken in this experiential initiative created a Pop-up City Lounge concept at London Design Festival as part of the brand’s Open Design Exploration series. The activation was crafted after Heineken responded to suggestions of what the ultimate lounge bar should look like, after tens of thousands of consumers shared their thoughts on social media platforms like Instagram and Tumblr. Twenty young designers from across the globe created the ultimate nightlife experience for this Heineken initiative. And the pop-up city lounge then became the ultimate party destination for the attendees of the London Design Festival. Indeed, no one parties like Heineken. 3-Heineken Star Cabs activation Heineken launched its Star Cabs experiential initiative in August 2014 and this initiative was designed to encourage Londoners to break their usual weekend drinking routines.Conceptualized as part of the company’s ‘Open your city’ campaign with agency RPM, the activation was executed in 30 bars across London wherein consumers who purchase a Heineken will receive a complimentary branded wallet to encourage them to take part in the experience. Participants were then asked to fill in their details and location on the activations digital web app for a chance to win a drive in a branded ‘star cab’ across the capital. The taxi will drop winners in another participating venue across town, along with a map of the surrounding area to explore. They will be welcomed by a host, served a Heineken and guided through the bar. The campaign became a raging success instantly with the success stories being circulated across all social media platforms. 4- Heineken Carol Karaoke This one is another famous experiential campaign by the brand based on the fun festive-themed karaoke booth. The brand through this campaign invited people to sing in its Carol Karaoke booth and then dared them to let tens and thousands of people enjoy their melodious and not so melodious voices with a direct live feed at various locations, including billboards at Times Square, in NYC cabs and big screens at a NBA basketball game. Karaoke anyone? 5- John Smith’s creates beer-shaped star constellation The last example in the list is not by Heineken directly but a brand under its umbrella. Heineken brand John Smith’s has recently created a constellation in the sky comprising 100 stars, and it is shaped in a pint of beer.The constellation is located next to Capella, the sixth brightest star in the sky, and it can be viewed by looking to the north. Well for those who think that this is indeed the best experiential marketing example by any brand ever, wait, there is more to it. The beer brand is also offering members of the public a chance to own a slice of the constellation, so long as they fulfill a particular set of criteria. Those with an ordinary name, who impress the John Smith’s team by showcasing a special talent, could be granted ownership of a star, and have it named after them. Now this is indeed experiential at its best.
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The beverage brand Paperboat has always been known to have developed its own unique style, when it comes to the strategies they use to market its products. From ads depicting the earthiness of the summers we spent as kids, to the most recent ‘Hope floats’ experiential CSR campaign that is drenched in nostalgia. It is without a doubt an established fact that the brand loves throwback into the memories of the past and also thrives on the same to sell its products. But at a time when its competing beverage brands are using means of technological advancements and experiential initiatives with Bollywood superstars to better market itself it makes one stand and wonder why is Paperboat still hung up on nostalgia? ParveshDebuka, Head Marketing, Paperboat answers this question by saying, “Our marketing strategies are only a reflection of the product that we are selling. If you look at our products be it flavors of AamPanna or Jamunkaras or even others; you will realize that these are the flavors that were accessible to you only at your homes. Also as per the societal shift which has occurred in the last 15 years, wherein people who are looking for opportunities have to move out from their homes and come to metro cities, have completely lost touch with their childhood memories and the flavors. Paperboat as a product offers you the same flavors that are bound to remind you of your childhood memories, the past and your homes and hence are marketing strategies of the brand are bent that ways.” So is nostalgia the sole driving force behind Paper boat’s marketing strategies? To this ParveshDebuka replies by saying, “Contrary to other popular brands today, Paper boat started its marketing through experiential. This is the first year we have gone the ATL way but before this year our marketing initiatives were limited to making our prospective customers experience our products first and then on the basis of the reactions that we received we tweaked our marketing efforts accordingly. Our customers felt the product reminded them of their childhood and homes and hence we have marketed our products accordingly. But if tomorrow an X number of consumers come to us and say that the product also gives them a different experience now we are ready to change our marketing strategies accordingly.”
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When Chuo Senko started out in Tokyo in 1953, little did they know that we would someday become one of the longest thriving advertising agencies in Asia. There Bangkok office, listed on the Thai Stock Exchange, celebrated its 50th Anniversary already two years ago. They now have offices across the region in Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippians, Myanmar, Cambodia, as well of ctherese, India. In Thailand, Chuo Senko have been working with Honda Motorcycles developing their mainline and below-the-line advertising including theirretail development for over the last 50 years now. When Honda Motorcycles first entered the market in Thailand in the 1960s, their market share was understandably minimal, however, through their hard work and innovative products and there help in expanding and developing their dealer network, expanding the brand throughout the country and promoting it successfully to their core audience, we are proud to say that Honda Motorcycles enjoys a 79% market share in Thailand today. This what can happen when brands and agencies partner for the long-term and is one of theirfinest case studies. However, Honda isn’t the only brand Chuo Senko have been working with for a long time. Ajinomoto, a Japanese food conglomerate with annual sales of close to USD 10 billion, Mandom, the maker of Gatsby personal care products, and Hitachi are just a few names we have been working with for over 10 years each. There strategy in each market is to be a “Glocal” company – one globally minded but which acts locally. In that sense, the people element, the unique team we staff each office with brings with them a wealth of expertise and understanding of each market and it is there job to find the right mix of international expertise with country/region specific on-ground know-how. In India Chuo Senkois gradually finding that mix, the right combination to make magic happen. Chuo Senko Advertising India started in India in the first half of 2013 as a full-service advertising agency, partnering with the DDB Mudra Group and getting their bearings in India. From mid-year 2014 we started hiring for their team and things really started kicking off from the last quarter of 2014 with some big wins for us including work for Daikin Air-conditioningIndia, Panasonic India, Triumph Motorbikes, Woolmark and the Korean Cultural Centre India (part of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea). Earlier this year, the Chuo Senko Group and the DDB Mudra Group mutually decided to part ways in the joint venture they setup in 2013. However, in recognition of the growth opportunities and potential the India market offers, Chuo Senko is now investing aggressively in expanding capabilities and additional capacity in Chuo Senko Advertising India. Chuo Senko expects 2015 to be there best year yet and 2016 to be many times better. It takes time to find the right mix of people, product and place, and it is a very exciting time for Chuo Senko as they get closer to that sweet spot each day.
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One of India’s premier music venues opens its doors to electronic music with Insanium Club Nights, an exciting new dance music property by Hard Rock Cafe (HRC). Insanium aims to introduce Hard Rock Cafe patrons to the best of the electronic and dance music space. The first edition of Insanium kicks off on Saturday, July 18, with some of the country’s freshest and most popular DJs playing simultaneous club night in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. The first edition includeS progressive house sensation Anish Sood, The monthly property – which will be spread across Hard Rock Cafes in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Bangalore – will allow EDM and dance music enthusiasts to enjoy some of the most exciting and futuristic DJs in the country, along with amazing cocktails and delicious food. Jay Singh, co-founder of Hard rock Cafe Indiaspeaking on the new initiative says: Insanium club night looks to highlight the vibrant, eclectic nature of the house and electroinca music scene by bringing the Dance Music fan base an experience of concert like setting where people can bond over music. You should expect nothing less than crazy night at our venues. As always, we aim to bring together music fans in Hard Rock’s liberal setting to enjoy the fantastic line-up of their favorite DJ’s.”
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The key to successful event marketing lies in the innovative and engaging ways your message is conveyed to the audience. Marketers today are desperately looking for new strategies to attract and engage client’s attention to build long term relationships. However, with all other methods tested and tried already, experiments with technology seem to be the only correct option worth investing upon. The latest technological buzzword to meet the needs of marketers and event organizers in this category is Virtual Reality (VR) which allows event marketers to tell their stories in ways that are far more immersive and intuitive than what’s possible with just a flat screen. Hence, we at EE share with you 4 innovative ways on how to integrate virtual reality at your event. 1-Play with time, space and history Virtual reality can be used to bring animated, digital, objects and characters to life within a “real world” space. It can be used to create a new world altogether to manifest the explorative nature of attendees at events. If there is a product you wish to promote at your event, a virtual reality experience can be fabricated surrounding that product. A small treasure hunt game can be designed, or walk your attendees into the history of your product through VR, the list of possibilities is endless and only depends on the budget. 2-Live streaming centers At every event there are bound to be a bunch of people who could not make it due to unforeseen contingencies. Also in a few cases, event marketers may want to bring the event experience to out of the event venue and virtual reality completely fits the purpose here. Through VR, live experience stations can be set up at designated spaces and even those who could not attend the event in person can really feel like they are part of the event. 3-VR as thankyou gifts Giving you attendees a small thank you gift for attending the event is a common tradition in the country. Now, thanks to inexpensive headsets from Google Cardboard, users’ own mobile devices, and a custom-built app, you can inexpensively send attendees home with fully branded VR headsets. The attendees can hook them into the mobile app and let the amazing experience continue. 4-Live Hangout sessions VR can also be used to create an emotional connect at events as it leads to an unforgettable experience for its users. Through virtual reality event marketers can stir positive emotions and organize hangout sessions with one’s distant or lost relative. Anyone absent at the event can also be roped in and made a part of the event through live hangout sessions with the help of virtual reality. Hangout sessions can also be used as an alternative to live streaming of your event across the globe.
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GroupM ESP, the Sports & Entertainment arm of GroupM Media and IIM Ahmedabad have collaborated to provide a comprehensive analysis of factors that contribute to the success of sports leagues in an emerging market like India. The report which examines the parameters and latest trends that are shaping and impacting the sports industry worldwide also drives many inferences on sports IP’s in India. This time at EE, we list down 4 takeways from GroupM ESP-IIM Ahmedabad Sports League White Paper 2015. 1-The sports industry in both emerging and mature market is growing faster than GDP Over the years the format of the sporting leagues have changed and they are being marketed more aggressively than before. Research indicates that a better infrastructure and better governmental support has led to this change and their popularity is only expected to increase in the upcoming times. As of 2011 the size of the sporting industry was termed to be of 620 million us $ and is growing at a rate of 6%. The registered growth in India is 17% which will further lead to the rise of many more sporting leagues and IP’s 2- Spending by average household on education and recreation to go up The report also suggests that the upcoming times will be beneficial for sports marketing and entertainment as the average spending by households on education and recreation are expected to grow from 5% to 9% between 2005-2025. An added bonus to the figures is the expected average salary increase for every household which is expected to increase from 4%-41% between 2005-2025. Thus, the more entertainment served will be leading to the more profits earned. 3-Sports business growth to be driven through digital and social engagement The report also states that the latest trends in the sports business will be that their growth will be determined through digital and social engagement. As a result we will see more of technological driven initiatives and engagements and social media will also play a key role in the overall marketing and success of sporting leagues. This finding also illustrates the fact that the consumers will be more tech savvy in the future and the entertainment from television is most likely to be moving to other mobile platforms. 4-Fan acceptability of leagues to be the success measure Rather than drawing conclusions from the revenues earned in the first few editions the success measurement of a sporting league should be determined by fan acceptability instead, says the report. This finding underlines the fact that sporting leagues are going to take times to develop from their nascent stage and should not aim and expect profit chunks from the get go. With acceptability of fans attainted first, more success and revenue are likely to follow.
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Following a multi-agency competitive pitch process, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has appointed the Cheil Network to handle its global digital and social marketing activities. Cheil is now responsible for Etihad Airways’ strategy and creative across all Digital and Social channels. The agency will also support Etihad Airways with performance-based marketing, analytics and reporting. Etihad Airways will be served by Cheil’s global network of specialisms, with its digital specialists, The Barbarian Group, taking primary responsibility for driving best-in-class digital and social marketing for the airline Shane O’Hare, Etihad Airways’ Senior Vice President Marketing, said: “Digital is at the core of our marketing and Cheil’s strong global team demonstrated a perfect blend of creative ambition and strategic thinking, with ideas that reflected our brand values and personality. They will also bring a high level of sophistication to our performance marketing through their analytical skills and understanding of the latest industry technology. That makes them the right agency partner for the next phase of Etihad Airways’ growth.” Lotta Malm Hallqvist, Cheil’s Global Vice President, said: “We want to work with innovative brands that are poised for global growth in the next decade. Etihad Airways is one of those brands. We look forward to elevating the airline to be the top digital and social brand in its category by delivering strategically informed, inspirational creative work.”
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