EXPERIENCE makes a difference (Lesson 2)

After understanding the rationale for the practice of public relations, the second chapter delve into how the trends of public relations have changed over time, with significant developments that requires PR practitioners to embrace a different set of skills and scope of job. In chapter 2 'Trends and developments' of the readings, it is said that societal demands shape public relations, and this is because the most important stakeholder of an organization is society itself.

The most obvious change in the functions and behaviors of society would be in effect to the rise of new media.  PR practitioners need to be able to engage consumers through new media as they have become active participants instead of passively receiving information about two decades ago. Hence comes the idea of experiential marketing which was discussed through today's lecture. The main difference between this form of marketing and traditional marketing is that the former focuses on the consumer (their emotional attachment to the product) while the latter is leans towards being product-based (functional value of the product).

http://www.becauseexperiential.com/flash_home.php

The above is an experiential web site where experiential marketing is promoted. The homepage is an interactive flash website which being 'interactive' is the essence of experiential marketing. There is also a portfolio (backchat) of past branding and marketing experiences throughout UK which inspired me and constructed a more in depth understanding of experiential marketing through concrete examples.

The following will be few examples that I find pretty interesting and relevant to Singapore's context. (taken from http://blog.becausexm.com/.

#1 YAHOO BUS STOPS- interactive video games

This particular post caught my attention due it's similarity to recent news in the the Straits Times regarding the possibility of interactive billboards at bus stops instead of printed posters. It ties in with that is being taught in the lecture; print or TV advertisements is becoming increasingly ineffective as consumers can choose whether to view them or not. However, when advertisements and marketing are made interactive, it attracts consumers emotionally and hence has a greater impact although it may not seem to be able to spread the message on a massive scale.

#2 MACDONALDS Interactive Billboards

McDonald's Piccadilly Circus

Macdonald's has many creative experiential marketing ideas as shown in the two videos above which engages audiences and give them a memorable experience. It also creates a 'fun' image for McDonald, hence a favorable image for its brand.

#3 Guerrilla Marketing

Guerrilla marketing is a form of experiential marketing which is simply a form of unconventional marketing beyond simple print advertisements. Here are some creative examples! (all images taken from http://www.guerrillafreelancing.com/guerrilla-marketing-examples/)

Another point I would like to add is the influence of the word-of-mouth contagion. As mentioned before, experiential marketing may not seem to have impact on a large scale. However, it is actually a powerful effect on branding and in building consumer's trust. Hence giving consumers a positive experience will in turn create awareness of the product in which experiential marketing seeks to achieve.

On a last note, it is important to recognize that public relations is a global profession, therefore there is a need to understand the impact of varying cultural values and beliefs in order to create a positive experience for consumers.