The world of experiential marketing never stops moving forward. With technology advancing at a rate that would’ve been unthinkable just a few years ago, brands now have a world of opportunities right at their fingertips to build brand love.
But to make an impact, you need to look to the future and have your finger firmly on the pulse. This helpful round-up of essential marketing statistics serves as a great starting point as you begin to plan your next experiential campaign.
1. 500 million virtual reality headsets could be sold worldwide by 2025 (source)
Virtual reality is big business. No longer a fantastical idea, VR has well and truly exploded into the mainstream and is being used by a whole host of forward-thinking brands to reach consumers in unforgettable fashion: cheese brand Boursin used VR to bring indulgence and sophistication to life while The Dali Museum’s VR experience took art appreciation to a whole new level.
VR’s possibilities are endless, and with 10m+ downloads and counting for Google’s Cardboard app, demand for VR is only set to soar from here.
2. 66% of us believe VR has the potential to change our lives for the better (source)
VR can also be a powerful force for good. This powerful technology is the perfect story-telling platform, capable of making hard messages accessible and getting across issues in a way that’s simply impossible for other channels to achieve.
Charities are now starting to recognise its power: conservation organisation WWF-UK used VR to highlight the plight of wild tigers, while not-for-profit shoe company Toms took customers on a virtual journey to Peru. VR’s total immersion can deliver a long-lasting impression.
3. 78% of milennials are more inclined to become part of a brand if they have face-to-face interaction with it (source)
Life for millennials may look easy, but it’s anything but. For a generation raised on online communities, experiencing the world by scrolling and swiping through timelines and feeds, it can feel pretty lonely being so connected.
Which is why face-to-face brand experiences are so warmly received by many in this age bracket. Offering up some much-needed actual facetime and adding the human touch is, rather ironically, the key to thriving within today’s ‘experience economy’.
4. Engaged consumers buy 90% more frequently and are five times mroe likely to purchase the same brand in the future (source)
Overlook the value of true engagement at your peril. With so many brands vying day in and day out for customers’ attention and loyalty, it’s those that go above and beyond the call of duty to deliver real memories and satisfying experiences that reap the biggest rewards.
There’s a good reason why Apple, Google and LEGO are Europe’s best loved brands: each has shown a commitment to building legions of fans, not just customers. When it comes to boosting engagement, experiential is unbeatable. It’s the ultimate way to get people to try, buy and recommend your product, service or cause, and it’s a proven investment.
5. 96% of consumers that tell a friend or family member about their experience mention the company or brand running the event (source)
Word-of-mouth recommendations remain absolutely essential to the bottom line of many brands, with 74% of consumers identifying word-of-mouth as a key influencer in their purchasing decision. Inventive and creative experiential campaigns provides great reasons for people to speak positively about your brand, and are also perfectly suited to high levels of social amplification and promotion from fans taking part. Make sure you deliver an experience that won’t be forgotten.
Want even more?
That’s good, because we’re not finished yet. As VR and AR continue to revolutionise the marketing of products and services, we’ve rounded up even more marketing stats to give you the full picture of these technologies’ future impact. Be sure to take a look.