JamVan

By: Manavjot Kaur, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

“They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.” —Carl W. Buehner

The possibilities are limitless when it comes to experiential marketing and creating unforgettable experiences. Brands are becoming increasingly creative with their promotional campaigns, utilizing innovative techniques to interact with consumers and reinforce brand message on the show floor and beyond. Is there a medium that continues to gain traction? Experiences with customized vending machines. Yes, you read it correctly: customized vending machine experiences!

In the experiential realm, vending machines are nothing new, but the interactive machines have been resurfacing in a range of activations, providing brands the opportunity to enhance their swag drops, educate their audience and offer personalized experiences. Not to mention that the range of things they are capable of dispensing, has expanded dramatically in recent times, with anything from bottles of wine and fresh pizza to make-up products and gadgets.

Due to its potential to deliver a hygienic, cashless, and contactless self-checkout experience, these savvy vending machines have been in great demand since COVID-19 emerged. Let’s look at 6 examples of such vending machine experiences that dispense inspirations for us-

1.) Orangina’s #ShakeTheDispenser

What if your brand’s one of the most successful marketing initiatives hinged on a vending machine failure? This is precisely what Orangina’s #ShakeTheDispenser campaign aimed to achieve. The iconic soft drink brand installed custom-built vending machines in France’s La Defense and Lille Europe. Consumers had to shake these devices in order to get their drink out, as they were designed to capture cans while they were being dispensed. They also encouraged consumers to shake even harder if they weren’t being aggressive enough. What’s the end result? Orangina gained awareness for their new brand signature, Shake the World, in under 48 hours. Consumers’ initial dissatisfaction turned into a viral opportunity.

2.) Maybelline- #PumpedUp

Maybelline created an interactive, product knowledge and data-based experience for consumers, for the launch of the new Maybelline Pumped Up Mascara, to drive awareness and product trial. This branded social media vending machine dispensed mascara after a consumer sent a tweet to @MaybellineCAN. They enriched the experience and deepened product education with on-the-spot applications by certified make-up artists. This campaign’s reach was further extended with post-makeover photos. The result? 1000s of target-right consumers reached over 4-day campaign, 775 live makeup applications delivered, 2,500 coupons to drive sales distributed and 2,000+ tweets for product drove reach beyond activation footprint.

3.) Walkers Crisps: Tweet to Eat

Walkers Crisps in London had a wonderful campaign called ‘Tweet to Eat,’ that turned bus shelter advertising panels into full-fledged vending machines, with a twist — the Walkers brand ambassador stuck inside virtually. It was an innovative approach to add newness to everyday life, with the added benefit of dispensing a physical product that customers can enjoy right away. What was the end result? Walkers witnessed a 22 percent improvement in favourable brand perception as a result of the campaign, which generated 5.7 million Twitter impressions. The virtual ambassador distributed more than 500 packets in response to direct tweets.

4.) Reese’s Halloween Candy Converter

The “Reese’s Halloween Candy Converter Machine” was a hit during the town’s Halloween parade in New York. The machine’s goal was to allow consumers to trade in their unwanted candy for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. After a survey revealed that 90% of Americans had exchanged or desire to swap candy on Halloween, Reese’s created the machine. The vending machine concept arose from a conversation about trick-or-treating, and how people really simply want to find the home with the good stuff—the Reese’s. That, plus the fact that children already like exchanging candy for something they want more. People usually have something in their bag that they wish to get rid of. This is a significant Halloween tradition. So Reese’s put themselves right in the center of it.

5.) The Short Story Dispenser

While many people have bemoaned the loss of the art of reading in our social media-driven world, only few have attempted to remedy the situation. The exception is Short Édition. Short Édition is a French publishing house of short literature: poetry, short stories, and flash fiction. They designed and constructed the Short Story Dispenser to merge the old with the modern in giving an ever-changing cache of short tales to provide people unexpected literary moments in their everyday lives, inspired to promote literature in an ever-faster, digital world of screens. The Dispensers, which are linked to their web platform, print free stories of 1, 3, or 5 minutes on paper for the public.

 

6.) The Cuterus by The Pill Club

The Pill Club, a direct-to-consumer women’s healthcare business, put a novel vending machine in New York City on September 26 in honour of World Contraception Day—and the public wouldn’t have been able to miss it because it was built like a giant uterus. Healthcare products that do not directly pertain to cisgender men continue to be a major barrier to access, such as birth control, which requires a prescription, despite the fact that millions of women use birth control. By placing this vending machine, The Pill Club hopes to break the social stigma around birth control and remind that access to these products should be as easy as getting a snack from a vending machine.

Brands are using vending machines as part of their marketing strategy in a variety of ways, with new themes added to each vending machine activation. There is no limit to the sort of experience brands may create utilizing vending machines in their experiential strategy, from philanthropy to sustainability to sheer fun.

When it comes to creating an experience that is memorable, distinctive, and can help drive your brand messaging home in a fun, engaging way, this a tactic you should absolutely consider. Get in contact with us to explore possibilities!

Jam Van is a leading experiential marketing agency that offers specialization in experiential marketing, mobile experiences and out-of-home media, thanks to our 20+ years of experience. If you want to get started, send us an email at info@jamvan.com.

 

As someone said, gamification and experiential are a match made in marketing heaven.  Incorporating a game aspect into your campaigns boosts interaction and allows you to engage with your target audience while boosting dwell time.

Even though gamification has been around for a while, it is still seen as a future marketing trend and, because of this, is gaining popularity as a wonderful way to engage a consumer audience. ​That’s because the idea of playing a game and winning a prize is something that appeals to almost everyone’s creative, fun, and competitive side. Gamification is fun, but it goes beyond reading text or watching a video.

Gamification is a method of incorporating the core of what makes games so fascinating and compelling into non-game experiences. It is a means for marketers to stand out and leverage the emotional high of winning to seal a transaction on a product or service. Gamification leaves a lasting impression on the user, who may feel compelled to tell their friends about the experience they had. This strategy has been shown to boost engagement, loyalty, the customer experience, and most importantly, product movement.

Gamification in marketing, in truth, opens up a plethora of creative opportunities. Let’s look at 5 inspiring examples-

1) Unlock your inner ‘007’

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Train station users were invited to unlock their inner Agent 007. This was done to market Coke Zero in Antwerp while also promoting the James Bond film Skyfall. They were allowed 70 seconds to reach Platform 6 after visiting a modified Coke machine. But first, they had to navigate a series of stumbling blocks. Finally, they had to perform the Bond theme song to receive their free movie tickets. This was a fantastic activation.

2) All eyes on S

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Players are given the opportunity to win a new generation smartphone by merely staring at it for an hour. As a throng forms around the contestant, they are pushed to dodge all kinds of absurd distractions including barking dogs, arguing couples, and motorcyclists. Samsung had built an experience that raises brand awareness on several levels. This includes not only the participants themselves but also the secondary audience of onlookers on the scene and online. This is an excellent demonstration of how gamification can be integrated to provide a social experience that is both amusing and immersive.

 

3) McDonald’s Monopoly

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Since 1987, McDonald’s has been running its world-famous McDonald’s Monopoly promotion. It currently operates in 23 countries throughout the world, attracting millions of customers each year. The campaign concept was developed after discovering that the majority of Mcdonald’s Customers value life experiences higher than material possessions. It was also discovered that people prefer to have a choice, which is something that was introduced at “every level of the prize pool”. McDonald’s Monopoly makes use of several different gamification mechanisms to create a fun, enticing experience for McDonald’s customers. McDonald’s Monopoly’s various mechanisms all work together to produce a one-of-a-kind, intriguing campaign that has demonstrated its success year after year.
4) Spin-the-wheel

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Spin-the-wheel marketing ideas date back to a time when few people considered them to be effective marketing strategies. They are a big hit for a reason. This is not only a favourite among our clients, but it is also incredibly effective in rewarding loyalty, engaging customers, and, of course, generating a spike in sales. It’s ideal for branding. The wheel can be customized to your plan, and your design/layout can be applied to the game, giving you the ability to customize the game and include your logo/product. This is ideal for Brand Activations, Product Launches, Trade Shows, Experiential Events, and Trade Shows. Have you seen our post on four reasons to use spin-the-wheel in your next campaign? Look here!

5) Contrex mineral water- ‘Contrexperience’

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Nestle had launched a new marketing campaign for their Contrex mineral water, which has a high calcium content and is said to help people lose weight by speeding up their metabolism and burning calories. The concept behind Contrex’s campaign in which ladies burn 2000 calories in just a few minutes of fun and playful cycling. A group of women burnt 2000 calories in just a few minutes of pedalling bicycles which then powers a neon sign male stripper. Gamifying marketing encourages people to collaborate as a team, even if they are total strangers. People that take part in these kinds of marketing efforts are a lot more receptive to follow-up emails, replying in much more detail, and their interaction with the brand is much stronger.

The utilization of gamified tactics is an effective strategy for brands to boost sales. The examples above show not just creative gamification, but also the outcomes of happy, engaged consumers who, in many cases, were eager to tell their social circle about their experience.

Feeling Inspired to integrate gamification in your next campaign? Let’s start exploring the possibilities together!
Jam Van is a leading experiential marketing agency that offers specialization in experiential marketing, mobile experiences and out-of-home media, thanks to our 20+ years of experience. If you want to get started, send us an email at info@jamvan.com.

By: Manav Kaur, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

When conventional methods are failing, the guerrillas are dispatched.
It’s difficult not to think of guerrilla warfare when we hear the word “guerrilla marketing,” which is understandable given that this form of marketing is named after it. Guerrilla tactics in warfare rely heavily on the element of surprise like ambushes.

But how does this apply to the job we do on a daily basis? Guerrilla marketing tactics rely heavily on the element of surprise. Its goal is to develop very unusual campaigns that catch people off guard in the course of their daily lives. These techniques are intended to elicit feelings of surprise, awe, or shock. Guerrilla marketing is primarily reliant on imagination. In comparison to traditional marketing and advertising, the goal is to leave a lasting impact on customers.

To be willing to do something distinctive that captures the attention of the audience may be considerably more beneficial and powerful than putting out a multi–million–dollar campaign that is likely to go unnoticed. This form of marketing is one-of-a-kind and that is the reason it works; it gets a company or brand recognized. It may range from a smart graphic on a bus station bench to carrying out prominent exhibits that pique audience‘s interest. Let’s have a look at the four benefits that Guerrilla marketing may deliver for your brand. 
 
1) Make the Brand Stand Out 
Guerrilla marketing can prove to be beneficial to your brand since it sets you apart from the competition. This strategy not only makes your company/ brand stand out, but it also conveys to the audience that you’re a “cool” company/ brand and aids in the development of a distinct brand image; this is particularly useful when marketing to a younger demographic. Because you developed something unique in comparison to a normal advertising, which is easier to overlook, consumers will remember your brand long after they have seen what you have done. 

2) Budget Friendly 
Guerrilla marketing has evolved to being a popular marketing strategy with both large and small brands/ companies, as a low-cost method to successfully reaching the target audience. Guerrilla marketers look for unique and innovative ways to convey message to the audience people in the real world rather than relying on one-way advertising. The approach is a low-cost way to raise brand awareness, as in this case creativity takes precedence over budget. 

3) Multiple Forms of Marketing Strategies  
Guerrilla marketing has several components that contribute to its effectiveness and influence as a marketing approach. It comes in a various sort that marketers might employ. Here are few sub categories of Guerrilla Marketing:

• Outdoor (Ambient) Marketing.  Adding something to a pre-existing urban setting, such as displaying temporary artwork on sidewalks and streets or affixing something detachable to a sculpture or statue.
• Indoor (Ambient) Marketing. Similar to outdoor guerrilla marketing, only it takes place in indoor locations like bus or train stations, shops, and buildings.
• Event Ambush Guerrilla Marketing. When a brand “ambushes” a campaign or event to compete for publicity/exposure with competing brands; to leverage the momentum generated by the original brand in order to enhance awareness of their own brand.
• Experiential Guerrilla Marketing. It may be some or all of the above, but it must be done in such a way that the audience is driven to interact with the brand. 

4) Memorable 
By their very nature, guerrilla marketing initiatives are unique and unexpected, and they have the capacity to make a lingering impact on audience. Customers are left astonished, pleased, and eager to learn more about the product and/or service after a successful campaign. Customers may capture a long – lasting impression and share it across their network via social media. Many believe word-of-mouth to be one of the most effective weapons in a marketer’s arsenal. Marketing campaigns may quickly go viral and receive exposure to millions of people, leading to growth through word-of-mouth. Nothing beats the audience talking about your campaign on their own. 

Guerrilla marketing can be a very efficient strategy for companies to build awareness for their products when implemented right. In the coming years, as digital marketing becomes more popular among young marketers, expect to see more innovative guerrilla marketing tactics implemented. It’s an excellent method to engage customers by piquing their interest and motivating them to learn more. 

Feeling Inspired to plan your next campaign using Guerrilla marketing? Let’s start exploring the possibilities together! 
Jam Van is a leading experiential marketing agency that offers specialization in experiential marketing, mobile experiences and out-of-home media, thanks to our 20+ years of experience. If you want to get started, send us an email at info@jamvan.com

By: Manav Kaur, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

In recent years, we’ve heard about traditional retail’s downfall and the growth of E-commerce. The yearning for retail experiences, on the other hand, is on the rise, with 52 % of millennials stating that experience-related purchases account for the majority of their spending. Brands can provide customers with entertaining, unique and in-person experiences that lift shopping to new heights by focusing on immersive retail experiences.

What exactly is a store’s purpose? Essentially, it’s to provide customers with products and, more significantly, to persuade them to purchase them. However, in recent times, the purpose of a store has been thrown into doubt as start-ups and conventional retailers alike explore experiential retail, which has become the apex of physical retail. Or, to be more specific, a successful experiential retail strategy. The retail sector is focusing on immersive shopping and customer experiences rather than features and advantages. Retailers must provide customers with a fun and engaging retail experience in order to generate sales. The sorts of goods and services that individuals buy online vs at a physical store appear to be becoming clearer.

While most items may now be purchased online, many service-based activities such as dining, fitness, and theatre need in-person interactions (experiences) and are hence better purchased or transacted in person. And, while people may and do buy things like furniture, sporting goods, clothes, and cosmetics online, they typically want to touch, try on, or engage with them before making a purchase. As a result, the word “experiential retail” has become a popular way to characterize the various types of physical retail locations that are thriving and growing in today’s omnichannel retail environment.

What is experiential retail?
The term “experiential retail” is frequently used, but what exactly does it imply? It’s a kind of retail marketing in which customers who visit a physical store are provided experiences that go beyond the norm. Art (often interactive art), live music, virtual reality, cafés and lounges, performances, activities, and video display walls are some of the amenities available.

What does experiential retail do differently than traditional retail?
1. Creates a unique and memorable experience that can be shared with others.
2. Focuses on customer engagement rather than sales.
3. It stimulates the senses of your consumers.
4. Goes above and beyond consumer expectations.
5. Makes use of in-store activities and services.
6. The retail experience caters to the demands of the customer.

Let’s look at few examples to understand and appreciate experiential retail better-

 

 

 

Importance and necessity of XM in retail especially in post-covid world

All indicators point to a strong comeback of physical retail after being severely interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers are eager to return to stores for more reasons than curbside pickup as stay-at-home orders come to an end; they want to explore and be engaged by distinctive shopping. Pandemic’s online shopping trend has highlighted what ecommerce cannot provide: deep, unforgettable brand experiences.

This is especially important for millennials, who would prefer to spend money on experiences than on products. Brand loyalty has become more difficult to achieve in such a competitive retail environment. It takes at least five transactions for 37% of customers to consider themselves brand loyal, and their prior experience is crucial; 93 % of customers say they will most likely purchase from a brand again if their previous experience was amazing. Consumers will be more likely to go into your store and spend time experiencing what your brand has to offer if you invest in experiential retail. It’s the first step in establishing a long-term relationship with your consumers.

Consumer expectations of retail establishments nowadays aren’t all that different from those of any live event, especially in the aftermath of a pandemic. During the pandemic’s isolation, we were all essentially “out of touch.” People want to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell things first-hand. When used effectively, the senses may completely immerse fans and imprint unforgettable memories that vastly outnumber those available online. People want to reconnect with other consumers who share their enthusiasm for the same brands. Successful, immersive retail experiences are mash-ups of a variety of activities that we all admire.

With so much online searching and shopping now, and so many eCommerce alternatives for customers, the real retail experience must find a balance between transaction and transformation. The idea is to place a greater emphasis on engaging experiences that convert casual visits into brand champions, and advocates into ambassadors, with the expectation that they will all become customers or encourage others in their network.

Brands benefit from experiential retail initiatives because they give a significant point of differentiation. Instead of being solely transactional, the in-store experience adds value by providing customers with inspiration and information about what a retailer can do to assist them accomplish their goals as a customer. If there’s one thing you should take away from this post, it’s that experiential retail isn’t simply a trend; it’s the way retail will be in the future. The need to wow consumers is increasing as more businesses invest in unique retail experiences.

Are you ready to amaze your customers with experiential retail?

Jam Van is a leading experiential marketing agency that offers specialization in experiential marketing, mobile experiences and out-of-home media, thanks to our 20+ years of experience. If you want to get started, send us an email at info@jamvan.com

By: Alison Chiu, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, consumers have slowly moved towards a preference for online commerce. Statistics show that the Gen Z – those between the ages of 16 and 26 – now makes up for 40% of consumers that spend about three hours daily utilizing social media (Kastenholz, 2021). As a result, it shows how digital and online social media platforms have become mainstream for the past year and are a big part of our daily lives. This has also led influencer marketing to make a great impact in the overall social media and marketing strategy for brands. The Influencer Marketing Hub states that the influencer marketing industry will grow to about $13.8 billion this year. It’s expected to continue to grow and reach $15 billion in 2022 (Richel, 2021), which means many more collaborations between brands and influencers will occur in marketing campaigns.

First of all, what is Influencer Marketing? 

It’s when brands collaborate with influencers to promote the brand’s product or service with the goal to increase brand awareness and better target their audience. Influencers have the power to impact their following base’s purchasing decisions, which is why influencer marketing is a great option for brands to consider. Brands are constantly leveraging influencers not limited to only celebrities with a high following count, but also many other types including micro- and nano-influencers, virtual, and gaming influencers. This type of marketing leads to increased brand awareness, increased trust, and increased engagement from the target market.

Generate Brand Awareness

As the digital market becomes increasingly competitive, brands have found a different way to compete for consumer attention and generate brand awareness. The production of creative, engaging, and entertaining content greatly helps to reach the brand’s target market. With a memorable and effective marketing campaign, it will help to easily grab their consumers attention. This is where influencer marketing becomes a great part of a marketing strategy as it overcomes the challenges of traditional advertising. Through popular social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it has become one of the main sources of advertising to consumers as they can choose which influencer they want to listen to and trust. When an influencer advertises and promotes a brand to their followers, it helps increase brand awareness as their followers learn about the brand through their trusted source. Through their trust with the influencer they follow, it helps to increase brand awareness as consumers will remember the brand and potentially buy something from them in the near future.

Increased Trust

When an influencer promotes and advertises your brand to their followers, this greatly helps their following base develop trust in your brand. This results in increased trust and credibility, which is crucial as brands with increased credibility tend to develop better relationships with their customers. The challenges posed by COVID-19 have brought many people, including influencers to move on from the days of a maintained social media feed and nice photos. As influencers continue to share their more authentic moments and photos through social media, this helps to establish the trust of their followers. People tend to follow certain influencers that they feel like they can relate to, which is why authenticity is important. This helps increase brand awareness the influencer can easily encourage their followers to remember the brand they are advertising for. For instance, when an influencer provides their honest opinion and feedback on the brand’s products, their followers will very likely have more trust in the brand. As a result, it will also help increase the brand’s engagement as the influencer’s followers will likely visit the brand’s social media platforms and engage with their posts.

Increased Engagement

Depending on the type of content that the influencers post, it helps to increase the interaction and engagement between the influencer and their following base. Those followers are very likely to visit your brand’s social media accounts and engage with your brand as well. For instance, if your brand were to have a giveaway and have the influencer advertise it, this type of engagement and content will help your brand not only gain interaction, but can later result in greater recognition and revenue. Also, giving the influencer a discount code to advertise to their followers will also help increase brand awareness, engagement, and generated revenue.

As social media continues to become one of the main ways to connect with customers, there are many methods to promote your brand online. Out of numerous ways, influencer marketing is a critical component of a brand’s marketing campaign and strategy. Through their strong influence over their following base, they can conveniently and effectively deliver the message to help them better understand your brand. Overall, the influencer marketing industry will continue to grow and evolve over the years to better send the message across to potential consumers.  

Interested in learning how influencer marketing can be an integral part of your marketing strategy? Contact us today info@jamvan.com