Bring your marketing to life

For the past decade, we’ve been talking about experiential marketing. It’s not enough to create an awareness of your product — you need to, when you can, connect with your consumers (B2B or B2C) in as tangible and memorable a way as possible.

So it shouldn’t really surprise us that TV spots are literally living the flat screen and moving into our 3D world.  And the TV spot component of this isn’t the mandatory part.  You could create this sort of experience off a trade show booth or product launch in lots of different ways.

A great example is what the folks at Axe have been up to.  They’re launching a new line of product called Apollo.

Yes, the did the obligatory TV spot, which you’ll see during the Superbowl (watch it below). But they also came alive in a couple ways.  First… Axe astronauts are showing up in crazy places, like Times Square and the subway.  They’re handing out products and a chance to win a trip to space. Yes… a real trip to space.  You can enter at by clicking here.  They even held a press conference with Buzz Aldrin to announce their Axe Apollo Space Academy.

Check out their TV spot:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjzGaSQX0iU&feature=share&list=SPDYVec6pytXsTnpXwWobMljnIxvnylh5c[/youtube]

What makes all of this so interesting is that — a TV commercial isn’t enough anymore.  Even a Superbowl TV spot.  You’ve got to be able to breathe life (literally) into your campaigns so they capture people’s attention, imagination and ultimately, interest.

So how can you, who probably don’t have Axe’s marketing budget, do the same thing?

Go where your customers go — and stand out:  Don’t just be at the tradeshow in your logo wear and expect them to notice you.  You’ve got to take the risk and be a little outrageous.  Gauge it to your audience but do what most people would call “a crazy idea.”

Extend the campaign into your prospect’s lives:  You need to hop off the webpage, printed page or TV screen and “come alive” in some way.  Do you need to don a space suit and walk around Time Square?  Hardly.  But figure out ways you can take some 3D form in their world.  Maybe it’s as simple as providing them with a tool they’ll use every day.

Know your audience: Axe knows their 15-25 year old male audience and plays to them perfectly. If your audience was female attorneys 40+, you probably wouldn’t be giving away a trip to space.  Experiential marketing is not a one size fits all deal.  You need to tailor fit your choices.

How might you bring your marketing “off the page”?