Freshers Week – What’s new in XP Marketing?

A long, long time ago, when we were all freshers sitting wide eyed in Marketing 101, we learnt that brands have histories and personalities.

We were also told that this was fundamental to sparking a commitment between a customer and the brand they thought was ‘Phwooar!’ Then they lived happily ever after. Except the customer sometimes felt bored and trapped, and had a wandering eye. Some of them started having an affair with another brand. Noooo!

We all know that being successful in avoiding this tragic scenario is really no different to the effort we should put into all our relationships. So, all touch points should be laser-focused on keeping the relationship interesting and enigmatic, with a customer who walks away feeling like a fuzzed-up Furby.

We also know that one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through experiential marketing. In case you need a memory jog, an EventTrack survey revealed that an impressive 74 % of people felt more positive vibes for a brand after an event. Not only that, a cool 65% reached for their wallets and purchased the product or service, as well as 70% becoming regular customers. So, heading towards 2023, here’s a short list of what’s hot right now in XP:

Don’t fake it

The key to success is to keep on top of the trends in this sector, and to write in capital letters on the top of your project planner – ‘NO GIMMICKS!’ A relationship is inspired by authentic interaction and reaction, so don’t get too clever. Something goes viral because it’s new and ‘real’, and your customer will throw themselves over a bridge to avoid a brand if they feel they’ve been tricked.

Art installations

This is a biggie and should probably be number one. Everybody loves a good art installation – even football fans. Click here to see what Qatar has done in time for the World Cup 2022. This is the ultimate art installation campaign, and promotes a huge brand in Qatar itself. This fledgling tourist hotspot knows that people love to post on social media, and if there’s an unusual thing of beauty to take a selfie in front of, then it’s going to be on their feeds within seconds. This provides social media mileage with bells on. A giant bright blue cockerel by Katharina Fritsch can be found strutting outside the Doha Sheraton. Case closed. Qatar’s annual £1 billion art budget is large enough to purchase a piece by Jeff Koons, but don’t let that deflate you. Jeff was once an unknown, so be smart and collaborate with local artists, as well as fresh talent that’s bursting with gut-punch raw inspiration.

Live events

The pandemic kept us all locked in the house or social distancing on remote footpaths. But now the masks are
off. Music festivals are one of the most obvious forms of live event, giving brands the chance to connect with the in-crowd and the next gen of customers. Brands get a hefty dose of stardust rubbing off on them to boot, and yet again you’ve got all those social media photo-ops. Potential consumers will also associate your brand with a genuine feel-good factor (worth approx. £10 trillion – last estimate by nobody in particular).

AR and VR

Augmented and Virtual Reality are finding their way into some very interesting areas right now. We’ve all seen what the IKEA Place app can do, and it’s all about a meaningful customer experience. It’s useful, saves the customer time and helps them avoid costly mistakes. Above all, it’s easy to use and fun. The IKEA app is only one example of this rich and supremely capable technology – it’s being used in kitchen, interior and building design, to name but a few areas of interest. What would you want yours to do?

We hope this has helped to inspire a few ideas of your own, and if it has, we need to talk to you. Archie Harvey and his dedicated XP team are hanging on the end of a phone just waiting for your call. Speak soon!