Pull the parking brake, it’s a global pandemic.  Cancel events, outlaw large gatherings, and figure out how to market your goods and services in other ways.  How do brands with products that center around hands-on use engage with customers?  How do we continue to create experiences that stimulate the senses and create positive memories in unknown parameters?  We adjust, we prepare. we pop the brake, and we charge on.

Pop the Brake on Events

The parking brake was certainly pulled tight on any and all events and ‘back-up’ tactics where quickly put into play. Virtually everything virtual was ramped at warp speed and that helped fill the void…kinda.  ‘Virtual’ was the next best thing to an actual ‘event,’ and as good as technology is in replicating an experience it can not nor ever will truly replace a real, in-person experience.  The tickling of the senses causing infusion of emotions and that is what makes ‘being there’ so special. Being there is tangible, sensational, and memorable. There is no replacing a live event.

Events generate the timeline of your life.  Events create the most vivid and lasting memories. Birthday’s, weddings, vacations, first car, concerts, games, experiences.  Our client’s products greatest attribute is providing a memorable experience. A virtual experience simply isn’t enough to move you physically or emotionally, or even remember. With more knowledge and some fresh science our clients and LOOK popped the parking brake and activated Sport Mode on our event planning and production. Committed to curating real memories. Together we committed to offering brand promise delivering, experience events. With experiential event marketing being one of LOOK Marketing’s core services and passions we worked diligently with our spirited and driven, and incredibly safety conscious clients to create safe experiences.

A Clean Plan

The strategy was to be very grass roots; small, limited numbers, intimate, at a distance, and be super clean. Clean in every way. A reservation system was implemented with time in-between guest visits to sanitize EVERYTHING. Our staff was diligent about wearing branded n95 masks, gloves, and we had sanitizer kiosks everywhere you looked in the footprints. And everything was outdoors.

The events focussed on quality personal engagement. Start with personal concierge service preparing the guest for the experience prior to arrival via personal phone, text and e-mails. Customize the experience on-site to fit the guests’ expectations. Give them a well-designed, immersive experience on the product just long enough to fall involve with it. Follow the trial with answering every questions guests have and knocking down every purchase barrier that pops up.  We activated a dozen teams with tight, nimble event packages with a plan designed to maximize the experience while respecting and implementing every reasonable tactic to minimize contraction. Our 26 specialists (our Spark Plugs) on 12 different teams were ultra diligent at minimizing transmission risks.

What Really Happened

This event strategy worked. LOOK at the results. Our 52 on-water event activations saw a guest-to-sales conversion rate higher than any other comparable tour for the brand of the past 20 years. Our 186 on-road event activations saw total participation numbers fall short of the pre-tour goals. That’s okay. We crushed the most important KPI, sales.  The personable approach of our ultra engaging specialists and get-a-way designed on-product experiences led to direct sales of 43% ABOVE target.

As of this writing we are packing up to produce our final consumer event of the year at Biketoberfest in Daytona. After this weekend our 2021 experiential event production total will top 238.  Thousands of experiences curated with out one known contraction.  Crisis brings out the best in creative thinking and creates opportunity for those courageous enough and prepared to charge on.

Support events. Go to events. Do events. LOOK what can happen. . . a new memory. And remember, wash you hands.

#lookatus