The experiential excellence collection: the power of technology

Cutting-edge technology like VR and AR can add a whole new level to experiential marketing. Used intelligently, creative technologies can result in extraordinary live experiences and highly shareable content.

But it’s not just the highly-immersive medium of virtual reality that can have a big impact. Existing platforms that consumers are already very familiar with, such as billboards and vending machines, can be enhanced to deliver memorable and remarkable experiences.

This month’s experiential excellence collection looks at two brands who have used VR to bring to life a key brand message. Also featured are two experiential campaigns that used interactive technology in a simple but hugely effective way. Take a look and be inspired…

Old Irish: An unexpected trip
We admire any brand that takes a bold and daring approach to winning new fans and creating long-lasting memories. And when it comes to moments that are unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon, Old Irish has it nailed.

The beer brand invited the people of Tbilisi, Georgia to discover the Irish culture and its people via the power of virtual reality. Standing out in the open air, participants donned a VR headset and were captivated by stunning virtual scenes of Irish countryside. They then ‘virtually’ entered a traditional Irish pub, much to the irritation of the locals.

As one of the drinkers menacingly walked towards the camera and issued the instruction to remove the headset, participants were shocked to discover that this was no virtual world – the experience had just got very, very real.

Homegate: Virtual dream home
Next up is another excellent example of how VR can be used to create a personalised and engaging brand experience.

Swiss real estate website Homegate.ch recently used VR to bring home their marketing message in a powerful way. The brand invited a group of youngsters to draw pictures of their dream house and, after carefully selecting the three most eccentric designs, brought them to life in virtual reality.

The delight on the children’s faces as they virtually explore their creation is an absolute joy to watch.

Gatorade: Sweat it to get it
Branded and interactive vending machines can be experiential marketing gold.

To promote the benefits of its drinks for replenishing the electrolytes lost during exercise, sports drink brand Gatorade set up a ‘talking’ vending machine where sweat was the only accepted currency!

The machine scanned the person standing in front of it and measured their temperature. If it was too low, the participant was judged to have not been working hard enough and their drink request was rejected. The cheeky machine offered exercise suggestions and only those who were judged to have worked up enough of a sweat were rewarded with a chilled Gatorade drink.

Tel Aviv City: A towering game of Tetris
When the government of Tel Aviv, Israel wanted to drive visitors to the Tel Aviv Innovation Festival, they gave the classic arcade game Tetris a clever modern twist.

The organisation transformed the facade of the Tel Aviv City Hall building into a giant, playable game of Tetris. An enormous screen on the building projected the Tetris shapes whilst two five-foot-tall joysticks enabled members of the public to compete against each other in the biggest game of Tetris ever. And yes, it was as brilliant as it sounds!

The stunt combined innovative technology with the key experiential elements of surprise and delight to create a fun and engaging experience for everyone involved.

Joss Davidge is Director of the Unexpected at BEcause Experiential Marketing, the award-winning agency dedicated to enhancing Brand Love. Sign up to Joss’ next complimentary masterclass to learn about the most effective experiential marketing strategies.