Experiential x Destination Marketing
Beyond The Postcard: Creating Destination Experiences
You don’t have to work hard to convince the average consumer they need a vacation; but with a plethora of options, convincing them to choose your destination may not be as easy. That’s where experiential marketing can help.
Experiential marketing replicates the sensory experience of travel, giving consumers a taste of your destination they won’t soon forget. Here’s why it should be a key part of your destination marketing strategy and how to implement it effectively.
Traditional marketing tactics such as out-of-home (OOH) ads and media placements are largely one-dimensional. The static format fosters awareness, but not real-time engagement. The ability to foster a deeper emotional connection is limited.
On the other hand, experiential marketing engages all the senses and allows for self-guided exploration. Consumers actively participate, choose where to focus their attention, and create a personal connection with your destination. It’s an interactive approach that elevates your marketing into a truly memorable experience– just like a vacation.
We’ve created a number of successful campaigns for destination marketing organizations, and while no two campaigns are the same, they all share some common ingredients for success. Here’s what makes them stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape.
1. Make it Memorable
Since memorable experiences inspire word-of-mouth marketing, consider how you can give passersby an unexpected delight they’ll be excited to share. For client Visit Seattle, we brought the rain to the perpetually sunny locales of Venice, CA and Scottsdale, AZ by designing a fully enclosed, sustainable rain booth to fuel digital content. Visitors were invited to share a kiss in the rain in our pop-up Seattle-inspired environment and get a photo to share on social media.
Media and PR agencies played up the novelty and romance, which spurred additional visits. Curious residents walked away with both a customized photo to remember the experience and a wealth of Seattle vacation inspiration.
2. Showcase Authenticity.
Every destination has its own flavor. Experiential marketing is the perfect opportunity to showcase unique characteristics of the culture, music, food and lifestyle that differentiate your destination from competitors.
For our client Visit Memphis, we focused on Elvis Presley’s connection to the vibrant town and home of Graceland by recreating his famous Jungle Room. This pop-up installation gave guests in the northeast and Los Angeles a rare behind-the-scenes immersion.
3. Know Your Audience
It’s important to understand where your audience is coming from– literally– to get the most return on your investment. Take into consideration:
- Access – What is the driving time? Are there direct flights?
- Occasion – Are there occasions when visitors might come – spring break, sporting events etc.?
- Timing – Do visitors come for a quick weekend or a week or two?
- Audience – Are they families? Or maybe DINKYs? What are their motivating factors?
4. Create Shareable Activities Onsite
Selfies, photo moments and social posts are a big part of any vacation. As such, these features should be a prominent part of your experiential marketing. When visitors share their experiences on social media or other platforms, it amplifies the reach of your campaign. User-generated content, or UGC, serves as a powerful tool for marketing, as it’s perceived as more genuine and trustworthy.
5. Combine Physical & Digital
Physical space restrictions can limit what can be experienced onsite. However by leveraging interactive technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR), destinations can expand on what would otherwise be possible onsite.
While not replacing the need for physical engagement, these technologies provide immersive experiences that allow potential visitors to virtually explore your destination. For example, to promote tourism and direct flights to Nevada, we created a larger than life campsite in the middle of Chicago. We utilized VR headsets to feature breathtaking 360-degree video content we directed and shot in the deserts of Nevada.
Experiential marketing is a powerful tool for destinations to go beyond traditional advertising to create lasting impressions on potential visitors. By focusing on immersive and authentic experiences, destinations can build strong emotional connections, foster word-of-mouth marketing, and ultimately attract and retain travelers.
