Is it just me, or are there new events and festivals popping up every year? From music festivals to cultural celebrations, to tech conventions…not to mention physical challenge events like Tough Mudder, it seems there truly is something for everyone. As our lives have increasingly retreated into the digital realm (online shopping, social media, online gaming, etc.), it’s no surprise that consumers are hungry for real life opportunities to connect with like-minded people.
The sheer volume of events that are popping up present a dreamlike opportunity for brands to target very specific demographics. For this reason, CPG, apparel, automotive, and technology marketers are already jumping on these opportunities, but there’s a great window for fresh produce brands too!
We’ve done several event based brand activations for clients this year, and the results have been pretty amazing. Because fresh produce companies have for the most part, not entered this arena yet, consumers are surprised to find fresh food being given away. That surprise quickly turns to delight. In a sea of sports drinks and protein bars, fresh produce is a godsend. If executed correctly, these events can be a huge opportunity to create not only engaged, brand-loyal consumers, but also brand evangelists.
This year, most of our brand activations have centered around active lifestyle events – specifically targeting on several different audiences. Here are just some key events where our clients have had great results:
Boston Marathon
At the Boston Marathon, we executed a brand activation for a client, and partnered with key stakeholders to place branded product samples, cheer stations and signage in strategic locations for marathon events. A major factor in outdoor events is weather, and unfortunately this year the weather wasn’t super cooperative.
If you attended the marathon or watched from home, you know what I mean. However, weather didn’t make the event a loss—the client still got some great mileage (no pun intended) from the partnerships, social media and PR surrounding their involvement at the event.
Wanderlust
We’ve also executed brand activations at Wanderlust festivals all over the country. With yoga and wellness culture growing among one client’s target audience, these events are a slam-dunk. Attendees are genuinely excited and appreciative of the product samples. The client’s booth is always the busiest, and sometimes even has a line stretching across the field with people anxious to sign up for giveaways and snag fresh produce samples.
Kids Obstacle Challenge
Recently, we organized a brand activation at the Kids Obstacle Challenge, an event geared toward kids (basically a running course with obstacles placed throughout). Many kids run the course with their parents, but the event is all about empowering kids. Afterward, the whole family is looking for a healthy snack. Kids saw the booth and were literally running across the field yelling “veggieeeees!” I’ve never seen anything like it.
Consumer events can be a wonderful way to connect with your target audience in a meaningful way. People attend these events because they want to be there, and leave with emotions soaring after a great experience. The doors are wide open for fresh produce companies to be part of that great experience. You may just need a Sherpa to help you find the events that fit your brand and navigate the logistics of a successful brand activation. That’s where we come in.
Contact us to learn more about how consumer events can help your brand grow!
