Street Sampling Blog

[experiential marketing]

I’m a subscriber to AdvertisingAge, and while reading the November 3rd issue, I came across an article by Laurel Wentz titled, “Experiential Media No. 1 Way to Influence Latinos.” She’d subtitled it, “Word-of-Mouth, TV Much More Effective Than Print, Survey Finds.”

Wentz targets a lot of her advice at the Latino market, but easily that same advice can be applied over a wide range of demographics (what makes YouTube such a hit with everyone? A redundant question, yes, but proves my point.)

Since Laurel Wentz does such a fine job presenting surveyed details, I’m going to quote her entire writeup here. The only thing I have done is move the graphic to the top. Enjoy!

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Experiential marketing is the medium most likely to persuade Hispanic consumers to buy a product, according to a recent survey commissioned by experiential-marketing company Jack Morton Latino, but respondents had strong opinions about how events should be organized.

Respondents said they shun a hard sell, with people representing the sponsor brand and expect a live event to be complemented by social networking, blogs and mobile-phone activities.

The online survey of 500 respondents focused on acculturated Hispanics, typically U.S.-born and bilingual. Of those surveyed, 39% said they had participated in a live brand experience in the last year. Asked which medium would be mostly likely to drive their purchase of a product, respondents ranked experiential media first (30%); followed by word-of-mouth (24%); TV (23%); and the internet (14%). Print media, direct mail and radio all got responses of 4% or less.

Word-of-mouth is especially important in the Hispanic market; 68% of survey respondents said they interact with between three and 10 family members weekly.

Just 2% of respondents said they preferred hard-sell “active interaction” with people representing the brand; most preferred a softer sell and a more passive message at an event, conveyed through signage or video presentations. The main technologies respondents expected live events to be linked to were social-networking sites and blogs (25%) and mobile phones (18%).

Isabel Villegas, senior Latino-market specialist at Jack Morton Latino, said the live-concert series the agency created for client Alltel in key Hispanic markets in the Southwest also involves Facebook and MySpace pages, as well as pictures taken of attendees at the concerts to be put on “find yourself” screens during the events and posted later.

Whether you call it experiential marketing, guerilla marketing, word of mouth marketing, or just spreading the word through media, this powerful form of marketing and advertising is one you and your company should be exploring – now during the holiday season and into 2009.

[ambassadors of branding]

Street Sampling is, of course, an offline business. However, the interaction we like to create on this blog also strives to encompass online ways of using a street-sampling approach.

One of the key ingredients of successful experiential marketing is its brand ambassadors. Brand ambassadors are human beings interacting with the public and branding a particular product to that public.

Branding also is necessary online. Are you old enough to remember, “Where’s the beef?” This type of branding was one of the most successful taglines of a well-known fast food corporation. For years, people remembered that little old lady at the ordering counter.

And, along those lines, here is just a quote from an EzineArticle writer, Christine Macquire

Branding is a demanding and complex process that requires disciplined attention over an extended period of time. Undoubtedly, the logo is a strategically important part of the branding program. The company logo is the most visible and recognizable element of the corporate brand identity. A logo is a primary symbol that identifies organizations throughout the world. The logo is considered the corporate equivalent of a unique signature belonging to one individual. It establishes an initial, prominent corporate presence on every communication piece. It is very important that a company logo creates a greater visual impact and ensures audience recognition. – Excerpt From “Make Your Company Logo The Perfect Brand Ambassador”

With these thoughts in mind, don’t rush to create a website or a blog without giving extensive thought and planning first to that all important “brand ambassador” of your own… your website/blog title and tagline.

Another avenue that online entrepreneurs often overlook is using a street sampling approach offline to promote. It is a perfect complement to your efforts online.

In short, explore your options both online and off when it comes to branding your products.