Is Experiential Marketing Retail’s Ticket to a Resurgence?

Melissa Gonzalez on Apr 13, 2021

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Designed for retail leaders and lovers alike, Retail Refined explores the in-store technology of the future, challenges the industry’s preconceived notions, and brings together retail’s biggest names to understand the brand strategies that will define the next decade in retail.

Everything in life is an experience. They have just become more sophisticated and calculated, especially in retail, which is driving experiential marketing. Breaking down what it is, its evolution, and more, Retail Refined host Melissa Gonzalez chatted with David Title, Partner at Bravo Media.

Title offered an overview of Bravo’s history. “We started in the early 2000s when every company needed quality video and animation content. When that became commoditized, we moved into events and interactivity. We then saw opportunities in applying what we knew to more permanent spaces with experiential marketing.”

The company’s team includes designers, developers, and engineers. Their objective is to surprise and delight consumers, something Title says isn’t happening when you shop at Amazon. “With brick and mortar, there’s the chance to have an experience that impacts your day,” Title added.

What he considers to be experiential is connecting and sparking emotion. The company has carried that vision to many big-name projects. Title spoke about the redesign of the Krispy Kreme flagship store in Times Square. “We wanted it to feel like a show because you’re literally on Broadway. It’s multi-media 90-second stories capturing how it’s made and why it’s special, creating a fantasy land.”

“With brick and mortar, there’s the chance to have an experience that impacts your day” – David Title

In determining the “success” of such projects, Title mentioned ROX or return on experience. It’s a soft metric but one measurable by social media mentions and overall impact on shoppers.

In looking to what’s going to ignite experiential marketing, AR is a buzzword. “There are some applications, but there’s a way to go. We should use technology to enhance something, not just show it off. When technology solves a problem in an elegant and effective manner, it’s a wonderful thing.”