Competitive trends for brand experiences H2 2022
Core recommendations for brand expression strategies
Ensure that all experiential activations from the brand are aligned with the needs of the market, and are meeting a brand-approved look and tone. Deliver experiences that can be uniquely owned by the brand and are exciting to their core and adjacent audiences.
Competitive trends for 2022
Crowded House
The brand expression space has gotten even more crowded than ever during the post-pandemic era. Entering such a busy space means leapfrogging others by showcasing your (alluring) differences.
Snowballing Expectations
With such a busy year and the boom of virtual experiences, attendees are expecting more. Launching an experience also means anticipating raising expectations set by other brands’ virtual engagements.
Love You for You
Authenticity is even more important than it ever was in the past; brands need permission. Ensure any stance is genuine, authentic and true to the brand and core to the brand’s purpose.
Findings
Finding 1
Establish event priorities and objectives: Be clear about the purpose of events, the expectations
and the goals.
Finding 2
Consider all roles, nuances, and opportunities in the industry: Across roles and topics, as well as geographic realities to drive the event strategy.
Finding 3
Determine what is ‘only you…’ about your events: What makes an event your event? Align with the experiences but be true to your brand first and foremost.
Finding 4
Establish a portfolio and sphere of influence: Determine how involved headquarters will be in delivering events versus Business Groups and regions.
Finding 5
Get inside your audiences’ mind and beat their expectations: Technologists are not a homogeneous group. They are architects, implementors, decision makers, developers, and so much more.
How you win: Leapfrog
Breakthrough a crowded space and build, support and promote your platform.
Leapfrog—success in category means jumping ahead with unexpected experiences
Push off category: When the category zigs, you should zag; be different, defiant
Solve a problem: The experiential portfolio should seek to solve a problem issue a challenge
Shoot for the moon: BIG thinking nets big results
