In 2019, a resort property in the California desert was turned into “The Bell: A Taco Bell Hotel” an impressive experiential marketing campaign that allowed loyal fans of the fast-food giant to spend five nights at a themed lodge complete with gourmet versions of the menu items they love. Five years later, the brand launched “The Cantinas,” another pop-up marketing campaign, this time consisting of a two-day “early retirement community” in San Diego where superfans could lounge, dine, and get into golf, pickleball, yoga, dance lessons, and other recreational activities often associated with seniors.
The success of Taco Bell’s pop-up experiential marketing campaigns is undeniable; both sold out just a few hours after they were announced, and they became viral moments on many social networks. Each positive social media update, comment, and reach was a digital word-of-mouth endorsement helped Taco Bell succeed in grabbing a nice share of the American food delivery segment and remain a household name.
How Experiential Marketing Turns Into Organic Boosts of Sales
Understanding how the Taco Bell campaigns turned into organic word-of-mouth marketing, which is always good for any B2B or B2B brand, is easy. The campaigns were newsworthy in and of themselves, but how do they translate into more sales? Let’s start with the participants who experienced the undeniably clever and cool campaigns; they became instant brand advocates who encouraged positive reviews, testimonials, and social media discussions about the events further fueling interest and spreading positive word-of-mouth.
Then we have the “halo effect” on regular customers and those who weren’t lucky enough to snag a spot at the pop-up events. The buzz generated by participants creates a sense of excitement and curiosity. You learn about the fun and unique experiences on social media, so you want to be a part of the action to a certain extent. This translates into increased foot traffic, which for any brick-and-mortar business means higher sales.
Going Beyond the Trade Show Booths
Although being an exhibitor at an expo, trade show, convention, or festival is technically an example of experiential marketing, you have to kick things up a notch because not many of your competitors will do so. To boost your sales these days, particularly among prospects and customers in the Millennial and Generation Z age cohorts, you need events such as roadshows, mobile tours, pop-up stores, outdoor games, performances, and others that provide a nice level of interaction and participation.
What happens during experiential marketing campaigns is the shaping of brand perception. You want to spark a willingness to get closer to your brand; in the case of Taco Bell, the willingness to try new menu items or explore the brand more closely is fueled by the positive experience surrounding the hotel and rec center experiences. If your trade show booth has a fun game for attendees to play, you will be ahead of all the competing booths that are not offering games. More importantly, your participants will be more engaged and subconsciously appreciative of your brand pushing the boundaries of the booth.
Published by: Khy Talara
