Theatrical brand experiences

Joss Davidge, business director of brand experience agency BEcause, continues his weekly search for great marketing ideas.

This week he looks at how Jim Beam’s founder was brought back to life to for an event in LA and how Hendrick’s Gin took people on a “voyage into the unusual”.
 
Creating a theatrical experience to drive home key brand messages and excite people about a product is a fun, imaginative and effective way to get noticed. Creative marketers are wise to take advantage of events to create something memorable that is true to the brand. Creating theatrical experiences for alcohol brands has been in vogue for a while and recently I have spotted two carefully orchestrated and brilliantly creative brand experiences that have got people talking.
 
Jim Beam’s founder is brought back to life

 
The old magician’s trick of smoke and mirrors received an update recently at the hands of whisky brand Jim Beam. To promote the brand’s newest addition to its portfolio, Jacob’s Ghost White Whisky, Jim Beam created a launch event in LA where guests were treated to an appearance from the ghostly figure of Jacob Beam, its founder. To heighten the spooky experience, the event kicked off at the stroke of midnight and by blending technology with theatre guests were able interact with Jacob. This is a simple, but unique event that sparked hundreds of conversations.   
 
Hendrick’s Gin voyages into the unusual

 
Here is a great series of brand experience events that took guests on a 'voyage into the unusual' to immerse them in the world of Hendrick’s Gin. Setting itself up as a brand that’s 'undeniably peculiar', the events, which have toured Austin, LA, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia, featured a host of unusual characters who lead guests on a memorable journey. Hendrick’s fitted each event space out as a 'Shoppe of Curiosities' and blended this with an explorer theme and 'prohibition flair'. The experience offered guests strange cocktail concoctions and unexpected tipples. Brilliant work from a brand trying to stand out from the crowd.

Read more from Joss Davidge in our Clubhouse.