Brand Activation, driving consumer action through interaction and experiences. CEEK has a team dedicated to Influencer Marketing, including viral events that utlise various methods to drive engagement with brands online. In short, the key purpose of these campaigns is to get consumers to take action, that could be joining an online community or even making a purchase! CEEK brings brands to life via viral experiences and look to form long-term emotional connections online and offline.
When planning your event remember being the relevance of the people attending and the content produced is more important than the overall reach of the campaign.
BRAND ACTIVATION & INFLUENCER EVENTS TOP 3:
VENUE & VIRALITY:
Where you host your event is crucial to ensure you maximise the space logistically as well as generate the content/ interactions needed to amplify the targeted stories/ message online. Check the venue as enough space to add “viral” areas for photos that have sufficient lighting. Consider the use of natural light for events held in the day, in contrast, for evening events ensure the venue has areas that can be artificially lit and do not have shiny/ reflective surfaces that may interfere with flash photography.
WHO & WHY:
When formulating a guestlist for your event should consider the quality of the content the individuals will produce, the type/ style of content they usually post and the demographics of the audience that is already interacting with their content.
Start with building avatars of your target audience and see who they follow/ interact with online. Gauge what content resonates with the audience you are targeting and ensure you list:
Where the target audience is What language they speak Age Gender Which channels suit the message of the product or service you are looking to amplify
CONTENT & COVERAGE:
To maximise the value of the event you should consider how the story will be told before, during and after the event.
Before: Hashtags established Invites send that are able to be re-posted and shared Create a buzz by interacting with the guests before the event Specific briefs sent to influencers specifying how and what they can/ should post
During: Live coverage on various platforms (e.g. Instagram/ facebook live) Reposting content as it happens to maximise reach Encourage the use of the company @handle and create photo opportunities actively Engage with target customers that aren’t attending the event
After: Cascade content across other platforms, re-position the best photos/ videos for use in newsletters, blogs and for future event previews Repost and engage with images to increase their organic reach Consider paid targeting using content from the event Create conversations with the audience of the attendees
CLIENT CASE STUDIES:
1: L’Oreal @ Treves & Hyde
A group of health and beauty influencers invited to attend an event with L’Oreal, hosted at city artisan restaurant Treves & Hyde. L’Oreal collaborated with the venue as part of launch campaign for a new product. This collaboration was key in the success of the evening as Treves & Hyde is a beautifully aesthetic, viral location that made for the best backdrop and perfectly complimented the beauty event. The use of viral backdrops, strong colours and bright lighting encouraged the attendees to create and share content with their targeted audiences.
The attendees enjoyed a meal and cocktails, whilst hearing all there was to know about L’oreal’s new products via a presentation by the team. They were then shown and enjoyed samples and demonstrations.
2: Eden Mill @ Smoke & Grill
Premium Scottish gin brand Eden Mill collaborated with Smoke & Grill, a local South London bar and restaurant. The brief included a gin tasting event with local individuals with a diverse follower-base that live or work closeby.
The choice of venue worked particularly well as the family-run gin company could utilise the rustic aesthetic of Smoke & Grill’s bare wooden flooring and tables with vibrant lighting to add character and depth to the content produced. The event took place in the spacious private dining room, the perfect size for a group of 30 local influencers to enjoy a tasting of various Eden Mill gins and share their experience online.
Brand activation and influencer events should form part of a balanced, strategic marketing calendar. These specific dates can be utilised to generate content outside of your core planning, adding variety and tapping into the holy grail of peer to peer online advocacy, also know as: Influencer Marketing.
Interesting stats: 74% of people turn to social networks for guidance on purchase decisions. (Ogilvy Cannes, 2014) Twitter users report a 5.2X increase in purchase intent when exposed to promotional content from influencers. (Twitter and Annalect, 2016) 40% of people say they’ve purchased an item online after seeing it used by an influencer on Instagram, Twitter, Vine, or YouTube (Twitter and Annalect, 2016)