Cutting through the noise of today’s media is tough. Having the public remember your PR campaign? Even tougher. But isn’t that why all of us got into the public relations game? To create successful campaigns that stick out from the clutter and communicate to our audience in a meaningful way. In the last year, what campaigns stick out to you? Was it the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, West Jet’s Christmas Miracle, Purina’s Pop Up Cat Café in New York or Jet Blue’s A Better Wingman. Almost all of Inc. magazine’s “10 PR Stunts that Won 2014” (article) were experiential campaigns.
In today’s society of immediate fulfillment and short attention spans, events that consumers can touch and feel make more of a lasting impact than a story they read online, an ad they see on TV or even an item they purchase. Touching consumers in real life can increase loyalty, brand affinity and purchase intent.
And lest we forget about the ever-important media. Inviting media to participate themselves – or watch experiential campaigns from behind-the-scenes – is much more enticing than reading a press release or attending a run-of-the-mill launch event. In a way, the industry is coming full circle and moving away from the Internet and faceless technology and towards individual, hands-on experiences. The public relations industry continues to evolve and invent new and exciting ways to communicate with the public and push through the chaos. Experiential campaigns may just become the next chapter in history of public relations.
