After brainstorming loads of brand activation ideas, going through rounds of approvals and feasibility checks, your team finally has an activation idea they can run with. Perhaps the planning is being wrapped up and everything seems to be running smoothly. But is all in check for the big day?
Before you hit the ground running, it’s useful to consider a few key things. To help you along with your brand activation planning, we’ve created a last-minute checklist.
If you’re sitting there wondering “what is a brand activation anyway?”, don’t stress. You can get up to speed on all that by taking a browse through our previous post.
Ok, ready? Let’s do this.
THINK BACK TO YOUR ACTIVATION GOALS
Sometimes when bringing a brand activation idea to life, the project can tend to change ever so slightly and in doing so, it can move into different directions. Along the way, it’s important to take a small step back and ask, “are you meeting the original objectives that the activation set out to achieve?” If not, make the time to make the tweaks that are needed to set it back on course.
KEEP IT CONSISTENT
Throughout the course of any brand activation campaign, it’s likely that you’ll be planning on including a number of different mediums. Whilst your main focus might be pulling together the activation, it’s important to look at the event holistically and make sure the brand idea is consistent in all areas. Apply this online and offline. That means having consistent messages, tone, look and feel, visual solutions and colours schemes or application of corporate identity.
According to Bizzabo, 41% of marketers believe that activations and events are the single-most effective marketing channel over digital advertising, email marketing and content marketing. So, that goes to show the potential of a great brand activation idea. Get your event right first, and make sure the other elements flow from it. If you’re working with other suppliers or other marketing teams, it’s also worth checking in with them to make sure things make sense all round.
CLEAR AND CONCISE BRAND ACTIVATION MESSAGING
Speaking of sense, no matter what your brand activation idea is, it’s crucial to ensure your activation displays have a single, consistent and clear message. Keep it simple.
Who are you speaking to and what do you want to say?
The human brain remembers imagery well so if you’re presenting a blurry or confusing display it’s not something they’ll be drawn to, or remember well. If you can get your one message right, they’ll remember it, especially if it’s of high quality. Perhaps you could consider how to create high impact with something “bigger than usual”. Abnormally big, and intriguing displays are sure to land a message loud and clear.
MAKE SURE THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF ENGAGEMENT
Sure, your brand activation event ideas are solid. But do they encourage engagement and interaction? Brand activations that do so experience much more success.
In fact, a report by Event Track found that 80% of polled event attendants mentioned that live demonstrations and free samples drastically helped solidify their purchase decision.
Allowing someone to touch, hold, smell or taste something triggers feelings of connection — exactly what you’re aiming for with your brand activation. Create elements of engagement and interaction in your activation that will leave lasting imprints.
CHECK YOUR CHANNELS
If your activation is enjoyed by your audience, it’s likely they’ll want to share it. And that means going online to their social profiles to post about it. Have you made it easy for them to share it on social media? You can encourage social media sharing by creating a campaign hashtag, or adding a competition element. Even simply rewarding those who attend with an incentive for sharing pics or using a hashtag is a good way to create some online buzz.
To get this right, it may mean hiring a dedicated community manager that can track and reply to all the mentions, pictures and posts in a timely manner.
Another great way to encourage social media engagement is to have a dedicated photographer or videographer for the duration of the event. This way, images can be uploaded on the day and used after the activation is over to create more shareable content.
WAYS TO KEEP YOUR BRAND ACTIVATION TOP OF MIND
Have you given thought to how a brand activation might stay alive when it’s over? Think about what giveaways your audience could take home to keep the brand and experience top-of-mind. Samples and giveaways are a great way to turn a hot lead into a customer.
In fact, according to DesignHill, 85% of people are likely to do business with the advertiser after receiving a promotional item.
CHOOSE AN EVENTS COMPANY THAT CAN DO IT ALL
The best and final piece of advice we can give is to have multiple back-up plans and always give your activation elements a little test run before to make sure all is working. Remember, great event planning means checking off a list pre, mid, and post-event.
If you looking for brand activation services in South Africa, we’d be happy to help. Choose the right event management company that can run your activation from head to toe. Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can create a memorable experience for your brand in 2020.
