Retail and community integration opportunities

Shoppers are receptive to activations as they are generally eye-catching and offer a range of activities and opportunities to engage and interact. Activations that serve a purpose have shoppers perform a specific action- creating, building, thinking or maybe perhaps even singing and dancing. These activations entice shoppers to increase their time spent in the Centre, adding dwell time to their shopping centre visits. They also give the shoppers a sense of belonging as they set the tone for further community integration. Most importantly, successful activations will increase consumer-spending opportunities.

Media opportunities

Shopping centres need to deliver and portray their brand message in a way that the audience can understand and respond accordingly. What’s good for the consumers and the community will most likely translate into what is good for the retailer. Being able to deliver key messages to shoppers has a positive impact on shopping centre activities and can directly translate to reaching targets and KPIs.

A well-designed activation is responsible for spreading the word and creating social media hype. Successful activations are newsworthy. Their purpose is to start conversations as well as increase and create engagement through other mediums and platforms.

Project Shine Activation

After the successful “13 Days of Christmas Campaign in December 2018” activation leading to increased engagement, the retailers from Northpoint were looking to pro-actively promote the Centre as a way of stimulating foot traffic and sales into 2019. Northpoint requested the ideation, development and delivery of a Campaign that would focus on sustainability and giving back to the community. There were also looking to address the objectives around:

• Increasing foot traffic and average spend in-store (volume and share of wallet)

• Creating engagement through positive experiences

• Promoting retailers through campaign integration

The Project Shine Activation branding was strong and cohesive and involved striking signage that spoke directly to the Northpoint colour palette and story. The custom-designed and built installation was a talking point and feature of the activation, standing tall and bright across the week. Retailers also reported a “buzz” around the Centre that was uplifting and positive, which elevated the Campaign message and encouraged dwell time.

After the Activation – What’s Next?

Activations must be result-driven, with data and reporting integral to life after activating. They must also align well with the shopping centre’s set of KPIs. More and more marketing managers are choosing to hold activations within their Centre. Stabilisation is the key to ensuring those great numbers continue post activation and into the customers’ “new every day”. By establishing a changing calendar of activations, customers will be encouraged to return to the Centre for new and interactive experiences. They need to be introduced (or re-introduced) to the Centre, and how they can make it a part of their weekly lives.

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Their enthusiasm was contagious. With their objectives driving the concept development, we set out to create a welcoming oasis for customers to feel comfortable and at ease, allowing conversation to flow and questions answered for those who may be eligible for WaterCare concessions. Experience tells us that customers’ interest needs to be piqued by the activation in order to get their attention, so the look and feel of the design was integral to the success of the campaign.

INFORMED DESIGN

The latest research into consumer behaviour indicates that an audience feels warm and fuzzy whenever they get a chance to share their thoughts, opinions, generally connect with another human being. We like feeling as though people are listening to us. With this in mind, we created a lush, green space that established a sense of calm and tranquillity, with high bar tables and chair settings casting a more casual tone to encourage customers to feel confident in approaching and discussing their water bill with YVW Brand Ambassadors.

Oversized signage told the story of YVW and their commitment to providing help to those who are experiencing financial vulnerability, and educating on how they can connect and access these programs.

Then we had the surprise and delight moment – three boldly branded vending machines not only provided a fun way to display the water saving items on offer , they also grabbed the attention when trying to engage passing shoppers.

To ensure the kids were included and parents had a moment to speak to a YVW Brand Ambassador, a fun activity was developed that highlighted water conservation. Kids were invited to decorate their very own rinse cups, with instructions on how to use these at home when brushing their teeth. It was an easy and accessible way for children to understand how they can make a small difference every day by not running the tap when they brush.

THE POWER OF CONNECTION

The overwhelming feedback from customers, including retailers and Centre Management was that the activation was welcoming, bright and engaging. With over 500 meaningful interactions, the activation gave YVW a public face and provided an opportunity for customers to not only engage in a fun, relaxed setting, but receive education and information that might have previously not been considered easy to access or of priority. Over 1000 giveaways were handed out across the 3 weeks of the campaign, with education provided around their use and how they can contribute to water conservation in the home.

Styling at the launch was built on the theory that everything should visually represent the brand experience and contribute to immediate brand recall. Weaving through furniture, signage, ambassador uniforms and collateral were the signature colours of the new development, resulting in a domination of fresh blues and greens across the entire site. Every available activation experience was curated for its ability to mimic the upbeat nature of the development, from the live musical duo to the costumed stilt walkers. Art blocks – oversized white cubes paired with coloured chalk – not only brightened the space but also created a living experience that changed and developed as the day wore on.

The art blocks were just one of the ways we brought people into the brand activation. The sales objective for the day was focused on driving visitors into display homes to interreact with builders. More than simply a ‘tick box’ situation, we sought to create personal interest in this objective by developing the House Hunter’s Challenge, which incentivised visitors with rewards to visit display homes. Beginning with registration at the entrance to the Display Village, House Hunters were provided with an entry card, which enabled them to collect the stamps from the builders once they had interacted with them at the various display homes. Upon gathering a limited number of stamps, visitors could hand over their entry card to receive free food vouchers. Those that visited all display homes were also eligible to enter the major prize draw to win a $1,000 Visa Card. The House Hunter’s Challenge was heavily promoted across social channels in the lead-up to the launch and formed one of the main talking points for the day as far as builders were concerned. It also created multiple opportunities for Welsh to put a face to their brand and collect valuable prospective data. Based on these positive outcomes, the House Hunter’s Challenge represented strong value for money.

500-plus interested home-buyers visited the launch on a hot and windy Melbourne day. Over 150 of those entered the House Hunter’s Challenge. Across the 13 builders, 179 new leads were taken for the day, with 55 follow-up meetings scheduled and 3 deposits taken. Whist overall attendance was slightly below expectation, the ratio of active participants to attendees was extremely positive. Based on client feedback and the large numbers of smiling faces at the event, the event design achieved the cut-through we were tasked with creating. Overall the day clearly hinted at the start of something new and exciting at Thornhill Park – a journey we were proud to be formative part of.

Check out this video to find out more

Our immediate response was to create a hub of activity, full of all the fun attractions you dream of finding on your lunch break, but, sadly, rarely do. We saw food and music, bright theming, places to sit and interact, entertainment to interact with, things to photograph and things that simply make you smile. And designed in a manner that is open enough to be inviting but contains a check-in to allow the client the opportunity to engage with the audience upon arrival.

But lead-time is always a consideration for the event designer, and in this case, it was a major consideration because we had just two weeks to develop the idea, book all operators, plan the activation on site, promote it and staff it. First up, lucky we know lots of people in the food truck business and could sort catering in a matter of days. We have also had significant experience managing high impact events designed to create immediate engagement, so we could assist the client with communications and strategy, including eye-catching poster and flyer design. We also contributed to discussion on tactics to engage local retailers to ensure they were promoting the Equiem platform and supporting the event despite the competing food vendors on the day. And, as the project was an event activation in Melbourne, we could raid our giant warehouse of props, furniture and other crazy things and provide the client with low cost plinths, display units and a giant eye-catching inflatable bunny that could be seen for miles, becoming a beacon for the activation throughout the precinct.

Once attendees had registered for the event and enjoyed a short conversation with one of the Equiem team about the benefits of the new platform, they were free to wander ‘The Hub’, select from the range of global cuisines while listening to the live music, playing ping pong or watching the slammin’ break dancing demos. The experience was shared, fresh and up-beat – much like the Equiem product itself. ‘The Hub’ was designed to be a place where people dwelled and interacted, and judging by the people hanging back to soak up the last of those urban vibes well after their allotted lunch break – even for a Friday! – it was a successful outing for everyone.

Equiem creates virtual communities, and they were completely satisfied that we had made a community at ‘The Hub’; one that will have an enduringly positive effect on their brand in the mind of their audience going forward. They signed-up two-thirds of their yearly target in one day, and food truck operators were happy with their takings. Colour and fun lifted the mood to the point that we were eagerly asked to confirm when the next iteration of ‘The Hub’ was coming to town. And all on a limited budget and with very limited time. Opportunities are everywhere – let us help you find the next one possibly hidden somewhere in your business.

Check out this video to find out more…

What happens when your brand is more like Bazza down the road, a simple man who really understands you? He doesn’t woo you over by bringing you freshly baked, salted-caramel cupcakes garnished with sweet popcorn and toasted marshmallows. No, he shows his affection by offering you a spare ticket to the footy, or brings over his Gerni and a cold beer to help you get the job done.

When Simply Energy, one of Australia’s fastest growing energy companies came to ENGAGE, a brand experience agency, we understood. Simply Energy are a simple, smart and affordable, no-fuss company. They are part of your footy club; they’re the type of company that offers you mate rates, or movie tickets, because they understand that life is all about the experience.

And just like old mate Bazza down the road, they are real, and they are relatable.

To create such a successful brand activation for Simply Energy, we had to hang up our feather bowers and put on our Blundstones. We had to be more like Barry.

We created an activation that absolutely represented the brand and which ticked all the boxes. We were minimalistic, smart and effective. We stripped back, and simplified, to allow ENGAGE’s friendly, social promotional staff to do the talking, and the gorgeous sunny Melbourne day at the MCG to do the walking.

As an experiential agency, the focus was to interact with the attendees, lift their spirits, give them hope and ultimately, create lasting hype and interest for Simply Energy and their upcoming campaign. To achieve this, ENGAGE designed promotional material that was informative yet interactive. This promotional material created curiosity and suspense for the attendees. It gave them something to talk about and want to take back home with them. We didn’t lure them with razzle and dazzle and neon signs (not that there’s anything wrong with neon, if that’s what you’re after!) We gave them an opportunity to explore for themselves and unveil an exciting mystery! We created awareness, but most importantly we gave them an experience.

Consumers today don’t want promotional flyers. These flyers, “little starling” (as Hannibal Lecter would put it) will do just that, “fly fly fly”, straight into landfill, with rarely a glance from the consumers your targeting. As a brand events agency, and experts in experiential marketing, our mission is to get your information across to the consumers. The tricky part, is to achieve this without bombarding consumers with flyers, and allowing your brand to come across as forceful, and if we can be frank….a little bit scary (let’s be more like Barry, not Hannibal Lecter.) It is a delicate balance, and for the Simply Energy activation, ENGAGE created this with a fine concoction of interaction, excitement and experience.

This fine concoction, which we just divulged, is our (not so secret) secret recipe for a successful brand activation. Interaction, excitement and experience are always the key elements we focus on as a brand activations agency. These key elements, in conjunction with an exceptional team of organised event creatives and a little sprinkle of pixie dust is what makes ENGAGE, a brand experience agency so…well, so ENGAGING.

For a brand trying to promote a campaign, it’s essential to let the experts in brand events in charge. For the Simply Energy activation, we maximised exposure with the high foot traffic of like-minded consumers at the MCG. We let the excitement and atmosphere of the game be the bells and whistles of the event. We brought the light-hearted spirit of Simply Energy to the event with their mascots Edwin, Elli and Earl. We were there, representing the brand, with a smile on our face and a helping hand, just as Barry would (or in this case, Edwin, Elli and Earl would!)

At ENGAGE we are the chameleons in the event world. We can change our stipes but our spots always remain the same. Regardless of the type of brand we are activating, we can morph into the mind of the brand to ensure the brand activation remains on point. Our standard of execution, quality and excitement always remains the same. These are our points of difference and why it is important to get the event chameleons, a brand events agency like ENGAGE to run your next activation.

I now understand why these modern wave experiences and product immersions also known as Experimental Marketing are rapidly becoming the norm for many brands. For a brand such as Salta who own the Nexus Industrial Park there business is construction they develop and build both residential and commercial properties. Although gone are the days where you can build it and they will come, people are much more savvy these days and are yearning for something more in everything they do which is why there has been a huge need to create not only buildings but communities.

So the Nexus Industrial Park activation was shaped around the consumer and their needs and wants, and it was our job to fulfil their desires.. in a carpark, yes you heard that right the activation took place in a carpark. And may I just say that everything our Event Designer touches turns to gold – or multi coloured in this instance.  The carpark was unrecognisable once our work was done (one eighth of the job done). Who would have thought that a carpark could be turned into something so bright, bold and lively… the consumer defiantly didn’t. It was decked out with some super WOW custom designed ENGAGE props which included huge building blocks in colours and patterns. Chairs, tables, shapes of all sizes and colours but my description is not giving it the justice it deserves, but believe me it looked AMAZING! And to top it off there where food trucks, table tennis and a DJ to give the brand activation the fun, party vibe we were striving for. Oh and a massive balloon installation, how could I forget that, it was enormous and made for a super fun and engaging entrance.

Was the set up was successful? TICK! At this point we dusted our hands off (literally) and it was time for the consumers to roll in. All the anticipation came down to this moment. At this point I was very confident that the consumers would have a fantastic experience, but I must admit in the beginning I really didn’t know what to expect however after seeing the ENGAGE team in action I had nothing but confidence. But let me tell you, this is something I found exciting- its defiantly not for the faint hearted though. A couple of hours to transform a space and there is no turning back, or no being late – the activation starts when it starts!

Experimental marketing is certainly not the traditional way of marketing a product, it allows the consumer to shape and produce the content. We had created what in my eyes was a perfect lunch break party, but did the consumer take it this way and understand the underlying meaning of this brand activation? TICK! People of all demographics there together creating what I would call a community! Witnessing an event come to life was fulfilling, and most importantly by the consumer’s body language and feedback they were enjoying themselves and creating their own authentic experiences

This day left me feeling nothing less than inspired. Seeing the plans on paper and putting it in to action was such an experience and I have a greater appreciation for Brand Activation Events. Although the Event Designers and Event Planners fool you into thinking it is all glitz and glamor it is much more than that and allows perfectionist like myself to work in full force.

Thinking outside the box is an understatement to making a Brand Activation Event a success and the team at ENGAGE have shown me this. Gone are the days of handing out flyers and leaflets nowadays it takes a lot of hard work to speak to the audience’s heart. ENGAGE took the brief under their creative and strategic wing and produced something spectacular bringing the brand story to life.