Event marketing is a powerful tool that can help businesses reach a larger audience, create brand recognition, and drive sales. It is an effective way to connect with potential customers and build strong relationships. Event marketing is also an excellent way to create an eventful atmosphere and provide an unforgettable experience for attendees.
In this article, we explore the best event marketing examples of 2022 and discuss the types of event marketing, digital technology use, and social media platforms' role in event marketing. We will also provide event marketing tips, strategies, and case studies to help event planners understand the most successful event marketing tactics.
Event marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on creating experiences that engage consumers and create a lasting impression of a brand. It promotes products, services, and brands through experiential events and activations. Event marketing can include promotional events, brand activations, trade shows, conferences, corporate events, social responsibility initiatives, festivals, live music events, networking events, and pop-up shops and stores.
Event marketing helps businesses create a positive brand image, increase customer loyalty, and build customer relationships. It also helps to generate leads, create new sales opportunities, and increase brand awareness. Event marketing can also increase customer engagement and satisfaction and allow customers to interact with the brand. Additionally, event marketing can increase traffic to a website or social media platforms and provide an opportunity to launch new products.
This article will provide an essential overview of the best event marketing trends and examples of 2022 and discuss the different types of event marketing, digital technology use, and social media platforms' role in event marketing. In addition, we will provide event marketing tips, strategies, and case studies that event planners can use to create successful event marketing campaigns.
Various types of event marketing can be used to create memorable experiences for attendees. Depending on your brand, target audience, and services, you may prefer one type of event marketing over another. To help you understand high-quality event marketing, below are some explanations and examples of the various types of event marketing in 2022.
Experiential events are designed to engage attendees and create an immersive experience. They can include interactive games, photo/video booths, and virtual/augmented reality experiences. These events often create a unique brand experience and build customer relationships.
The key to successful experiential event marketing is understanding customers' needs and creating an experience tailored to them. This starts with understanding the target audience, the desired outcome, as well as the objectives of the event. With this knowledge, you can create an experience that will engage and excite attendees, connecting them with the brand or product in a meaningful way.
Additionally, it's essential to measure the success of the event. This can be done by collecting feedback from attendees, tracking sales and engagement metrics, and analyzing social media conversations. By measuring the event's success, you can gain valuable insights that can improve future events and create even more engaging experiences.
An excellent example of a successful experiential marketing event in 2022 is Wendy’s launching its “Wendyverse” to provide customers with a unique, interactive virtual reality experience. Wendyverse is the brand’s virtual restaurant hosted on Meta’s Horizon World’s Platform, where users can play games with friends and interact with the brand in new and unexpected ways. By immersing audiences in a fun, exciting world and incorporating the latest fascinating technology into their marketing, Wendy’s provides marketing teams with one of the best experiential events of 2022.
Companies use promotional events to create a sense of urgency and excitement around products, services, and their brand. Promotional events can be used to introduce new products, reward existing customers, and attract potential customers. These occasions can be held in-store, online, or in combination.
Promotional events include highlighting price decreases, raffles for new products your brand is rolling out, or offering free promotional materials that mention your brand. However, promotional events extend beyond giveaways and discounts that excite your audience and can be used to market any number of strategies.
Take, for instance, Spotify’s 2022 global promotional marketing event, where the company incorporated popular memes into its advertising. Spotify showcased its versatility through physical billboards, and advertisements split into a “me, also me” meme model, with one side of the advertisement displaying a mood and the other correlating a Spotify song or playlist with that mood.
Brand activations are widespread in event marketing and are used by many big-name brands to promote their offerings and expand their presence. Brand activation encompasses any event, campaign, or strategy your brand uses to increase awareness and connect with an audience on a personal level to form lasting connections with customers.
Brand activations are typically most successful when they are interactive and allow the target audience to communicate and engage with the brand directly. This type of event marketing differs from other forms because it involves a specific strategy, effort, or event as an isolated occurrence, not an ongoing event marketing strategy.
Any successful brand activation aims to offer customers a unique experience, no matter how familiar they are with your brand. For example, San Diego Comic-Con in 2022 was full of unique brand activations that successfully advertised specific content and promoted television brands. A notable brand activation example from Comic-Con 2022 was HBO Max’s activation for its show House of the Dragon, represented by an immersive den, 18-minute walkthrough activity with a castle facade, decorations, fake dragon eggs, and over 40 cast members to give participants an immersive and unique experience.
On top of these details, HBO’s brand activation in 2022 allowed guests to interact with different sensory elements to bring life to the activation, such as faux fire and smoke, a model of the Throne Room from the show with a 13-foot tall throne for photos, and custom merchandise only available at the activation. This complex and carefully planned activation is one of the most effective of the year and is a perfect framework for your future brand activation strategies.
Trade shows and conferences are essential marketing events companies use to increase brand awareness and generate leads. These events create a face-to-face opportunity for businesses to meet potential customers and other businesses, allowing them to discuss their products and services. Trade shows are excellent ways for companies to demonstrate their products or services to the public. They are usually held in large convention centers with several companies in the same industry.
During a trade show, businesses present their products to attendees, and attendees can learn about the products and services offered by each company. Trade shows often feature seminars and workshops where attendees can learn more about the products and services.
Conferences are similar to trade shows but often focus more on networking and education. Conferences are organized around a specific topic or industry and feature several speakers. Attendees learn about the latest developments in their industry, as well as network with other professionals. Conferences are also great opportunities for companies to share their expertise and demonstrate their products or services to potential customers.
An example of a successful trade show event marketing campaign from 2022 is CNET’s Computex trade show, where various companies involved in technology could showcase products and services. Organizations like Intel were offered the chance to demonstrate their latest innovations, services, and products while learning about the current trends in the technology industry.
Corporate events and social responsibility initiatives promote a company’s values, build customer relationships, and create a positive brand image. These events can include fundraising events, corporate sustainability initiatives, and customer appreciation events.
Also known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) events, these campaigns help organizations commit to their obligations to their customers and the global community. These initiatives often aid social, economic, or environmental causes. Your brand might consider fundraisers, raising money for charity, or working with non-profit organizations on a campaign.
An example of a successful corporate social responsibility campaign ongoing in 2022 is Johnson & Johnson’s Renewal Innovation commitment. Johnson & Johnson takes corporate and social responsibility to the next level by taking actions to implement wind power, provide safe water to global communities, reduce pollution, and offer economical alternatives to electricity.
Johnson & Johnson continuously promotes its renewable economic initiatives and aims to have 100% renewable energy sources by 2025. This commitment allows Johnson & Johnson to stand out as a trustworthy source in its industry and fosters a transparent relationship between the brand and consumer.
Festivals and live events are incredibly effective options for brands looking to improve their event marketing strategy. Live music events and festivals can be small- or large-scale, and brands that attach themselves to big-name festivals and live music events can reach new audiences and improve their sales through advertising at the event. For instance, organizations like Apple have helped sponsor live music events and festivals in exchange for valuable, wide-reaching advertising.
Brands also have the option to launch their products and services at a festival or live event, which can make for a memorable and successful event if executed correctly. Many festivals attract hundreds or even thousands of people, making them a unique opportunity to reach potential customers.
A successful example of live music event marketing in 2022 is found in numerous displays at the famous music festival Coachella. For instance, YouTube held a successful event marketing display at the festival by engaging in one-on-one interviews with artists, creators, and performers at Coachella in its activation “Artist Lounge” display. This display was packed with unique, eye-catching decorations and art to fit Coachella’s theme and tie in with YouTube to advertise exclusive interviews and tidbits available through the platform. By taking a chance to advertise at a massive event, YouTube ensured that people at the festival knew about their presence and would flock to the site to watch videos of the experience.
Networking events create professional relationships and increase brand awareness. They can include meetups, industry conferences, and seminars. These events are used to connect with potential customers, create brand recognition, and drive sales.
Networking event marketing involves attending and participating in events to share information about your brand with other professionals. It’s all about making connections and establishing relationships, and it’s an effective way to reach your target audience. Knowing how to use networking event marketing can help you build your brand and expand your reach.
Before attending any networking event, it’s essential to do your research. Look into the event’s target audience, the event’s theme, the type of activities it offers, and the type of people attending to determine which events are most likely beneficial for your brand. Make sure to bring business cards and other materials that showcase your brand.
At the event, it’s essential to be social and engage in conversations with other people. Make sure to listen to what others say, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Discuss what makes your brand unique and why someone should choose your product or service.
Networking events can help you market to a massive audience and connect with professionals that will help you grow your brand. For instance, the 2022 Dreamforce networking event–packed with a yearly average of 170,000 business attendees–is among the best opportunities for brands to benefit from networking events and expand their influence.
Selling your products and services in a pop-up shop is a fun, exciting, and fast-paced way to engage with your target audience and generate new sales for your brand. Pop-up shops and stores are temporary shops where brands can sell their products, conduct promotional launches and events, and host experiential events.
A pop-up shop remains active for a short period before moving to a different location. The short-lived nature of these shops can encourage locals to check out your brand before it's too late while saving you from risks associated with long-term store commitments.
An example of a successful pop-up shop you might have heard of in 2022 is Adidas and Gucci's Los Angeles and South Coast pop-up shops, which are now closed. These two pop-up shops offered beautiful, exclusive boutique options only available to consumers through the pop-up shop. This strategy is highly effective in generating sales, testing new products for success, and reaching a wider audience.
The event industry is constantly evolving, and creating unique event experiences is becoming increasingly important. Event planners, marketing agencies, and destination management companies are all looking for ways to create memorable experiences that engage attendees and help meet their goals. One of the most effective and innovative ways to create these experiences is using QR codes.
QR codes can launch a variety of experiences for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. For in-person events, QR codes can be used to launch interactive experiences such as photo and video booths with OutSnapped’s unique virtual photo booth and QR code displayed on-site at your event for a fun, interactive, and accessible experience.
It’s important to create experiences tailored to the event’s target audience when using QR codes in your event marketing. You must understand the audience’s interests, needs, and goals to create an experience that resonates with them. When using QR codes to launch event experiences, there are essential event marketing tips and strategies to keep in mind, such as the following.
A high-quality example of QR codes used in event marketing case studies in 2022 is Nike’s QR code marketing campaign. Nike frequently implements QR code marketing to add fun, personalized elements to a customer’s experience. For instance, consumers hoping to find customized Nike shoes can scan a QR code to follow the brand on social media. This option allows access to a screen for the consumer to select a color for the brand to personalize their shoes.
Digital technology is revolutionizing event marketing in 2022, allowing event planners, marketing agencies, and destination management companies to create powerful customer experiences. Below are two major impacts digital technology had on event marketing in 2022.
Virtual events and online activations are becoming increasingly popular in event marketing in 2022. These experiences offer a variety of benefits for event marketers and are cost-effective, as they eliminate the need for expensive physical venues. They also allow for greater reach, as anyone with an internet connection can attend virtual events.
Online activations are experiences that are designed to engage and entertain audiences, such as virtual scavenger hunts, interactive quizzes, and virtual tours. Online activations can build brand loyalty, reach new customers, or boost engagement with existing customers. The use of virtual events and online activations can help event marketers create powerful experiences for their audiences. By leveraging the power of digital technology, event marketers can create customized experiences tailored to their specific audience.
Virtual events and online activations have become increasingly important in the current pandemic era. They are essential to help brands sustain their audience and reach people without the ability to travel due to specific restrictions or health conditions. For instance, during the pandemic era, virtual events like the 2022 Digital Olympus Online Edition have allowed professionals across various digital marketing fields to stay connected.
Social media platforms, websites, and mobile applications are essential to event marketing in 2022 and beyond. Event marketers leverage these digital tools to increase engagement and reach more people. Social media platforms are great tools for event marketers to use to promote their events, and they allow event marketers to reach their target audience quickly and efficiently and can be used to create buzz around an event.
Event marketers can also use social media platforms to build relationships with potential attendees, providing updates on the event and engaging with them. Event marketers can use websites to provide information about their events. They can also use them to collect registrations, sell tickets, or create an interactive experience for attendees, allowing them to explore the event and get to know the organizers.
Mobile applications can provide event attendees with updates, directions, and real-time notifications. They can also collect attendees' feedback, allowing event marketers to understand their audience better. Digital technologies for event marketing are more critical than ever, with 74% of event planners claiming that social media is the best tool they have for effective event marketing.
Event marketing is a powerful tool that can be used to create memorable experiences for attendees and build relationships with customers. In this article, we have explored the best event marketing examples of 2022 and discussed the different types of event marketing, digital technology use, and social media platforms' role in event marketing. However, planning your next event goes beyond these considerations with the exciting photo booth event marketing option from OutSnapped.
Anyone hoping to up their marketing game in 2022 can look to the highly unique video booth event marketing options from OutSnapped. OutSnapped offers unique experiences and event photo booth ideas ranging from 360-degree video booths to QR-enabled photo booths. Contact OutSnapped today or check out our glowing customer testimonials to find out how OutSnapped can help you create the best event marketing experience.
