Marketing is always changing. Chances are, a strategy that has worked for you in the past will not always bring the same success. To stay competitive in the dynamic marketing arena, it is important to stay on top of current marketing trends and learn how to use them to best promote your brand.

A new study released by the Event Marketing Institute presents some interesting data on Experiential Marketing. The study reveals that spending by companies on Experiential Marketing and Experiential Marketing events is growing; and with good reason. The figures show that this type of marketing is highly successful; with 58% of event attendees making a purchase following the event, and 86% of those who made a purchase turning into regular customers.

What exactly is Experiential Marketing? Experiential Marketing attempts to create a connection between potential customers and the brand using meaningful experiences. Experiential Marketing aims to entice customers to make a purchase by appealing to both rational and emotional behavior. Successful Experiential Marketing is highly impactful. Consumers need to come away with a positive feeling about the brand that they will remember and talk about. The idea behind Experiential Marketing is not to be an advertisement for the brand, but rather, a fun and memorable experience that consumers will connect with the brand that will encourage them to make a purchase.

Modern technology has made this type of marketing easier than ever. In order to host a successful event, consumers must be aware of it. The Internet, and, specifically, social networking sites are playing a large role here. Companies can get the word out about an event quickly and easily by using social networking. A buzz is created about the experience before it even takes place.

This past year, several large companies creatively reached out to consumers and promoted their brands using outdoor movies. In Bogota, Colombia, commuting is usually a pretty miserable event; with drivers spending about four hours per day in traffic. Coca-Cola decided to reach out to these commuters and transform the highway into an outdoor cinema- complete with a large movie screen, popcorn to snack on, and, of course, Coca-Cola to drink.

This move by Coca-Cola truly embodies what Experiential Marketing is about. Commuters stuck in miserable traffic who were then offered a cool drink (Coca-Cola), and entertainment (short movies), will almost definitely experience a positive emotional response they will connect with the Coca-Cola brand.

Best Buy made a comparable move in 2011 on Black Friday. Approximately 120 Best Buys across the country came to the rescue for Black Friday shoppers waiting in long lines, and offered a big screen outdoor movie event featuring the new Blockbuster film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2.

For the 25th Anniversary of the classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Groupon decided to host a screening of the film at Wrigley Field. The location was perfect since most of the movie was filmed in Chicago. Three huge screens were set up, and Groupon, a daily deal site, fittingly offered a deal on the tickets. $10 was all it took to get a bleacher seat for the event.

To promote the release of the new Fiat 500 and 500 Cabrio, the brand hosted a drive-in movie event in Times Square featuring free entertainment, food and drinks. The best part was that attendees could sign up and view the film from inside one of the Fiat’s. After the initial Times Square outdoor cinema event, it was taken on the road to other cities like Chicago and Los Angeles. Since the Fiat 500 and the 500 Cabrio are re-makes, the films chosen were also re-makes; selections included Ever After and Romeo and Juliet.

Experiential Marketing Events like these are enjoyable for those who attend and are meant to create a positive buzz about the company. When successful, the experience has an effect on not only those who attended, but all of the people the attendees tell about the event.

Hosting an outdoor movie event is one of many ways to promote your brand and create a positive buzz about your company. If you are trying to make a big impact, an outdoor movie event is certainly an Experiential Marketing approach worth considering.

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Southern Outdoor Cinema

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Southern Outdoor Cinema is the largest producer of PREMIUM outdoor movie events in the country. They are leading the industry with NEW & UNIQUE outdoor movie events. To begin planning your outdoor movie event contact Southern Outdoor Cinema at www.SouthernOutdoorCinema.com or visit their online photo gallery at www.facebook.com/SouthernOutdoorCinema for event ideas.

Have you considered a strategic business marketing idea such as marketing your business at an outdoor movie event? During this time of economic decline it is more important than ever for small businesses to think outside the usual box and take advantage of the pre-start time of movie in the park events to promote their goods or services.

During the summer months, hosting an outdoor movie event is reminiscent to the hey day of drive-in movies. Movie events held under the stars are typically hosted at a large public venue such as a city’s athletic fields. Movies are projected onto a large inflatable movie screen while guest watch from lawn chairs or blankets.

Now organizations can host not only an outdoor cinema event, but a mini-festival right before the movie begins. People waiting for the start of the anticipated flick can enjoy a variety of activities before the opening credits begin. Vendors or promoters setup booths for children to enjoy face painting, different games and balloons. Often food vendors or food trucks participate to offer food and beverage concessions during the event.

Many companies have participated in this concept, including at the Georgia Movies in the Park™ series in Atlanta, Georgia which gives small businesses and non-profits an opportunity to advertise their business to a large family audience. Organizations such as preschools operate booths offering games, and balloons for the public attending the outdoor movie event. They use it as an opportunity to raise awareness about their business within the community. Non-profit organization often take advantage of large outdoor movie events by collect either direct donations in the form of ticket sales, a silent action, concession sales or selling small items. Choosing a theme related to the movie that appeals to families with young and older children can lead to great sales opportunities.

Most of the marketing products of non-profit organizations include their brochures sharing information about the mission of the non-profit and services they provide to the community. Offering freebies at the open air cinema events in exchange for the visitor’s contact information is a great way to build up their mailing list for future donation requests and the chance to share the goals values of their organization on an on-going basis.

A business partnering with non-competing businesses to host outdoor film events is a great way to share the cost in promoting your service or businesses. It allows the business to introduce their product or service to a large number of people.

Southern Outdoor Cinema, LLC, is the LARGEST producer of outdoor movie events in the United States for professional sports teams, movie studios, film festivals, marketing agencies, Fortune 500 Companies and cities. Using cutting edge outdoor cinema equipment paired with a proprietary movie event planning system, Southern Outdoor Cinema helps clients create highly successful and highly entertaining outdoor movie events. To learn more about Southern Outdoor Cinema, visit http://www.SouthernOutdoorCinema.com

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With many advertising campaigns now getting lost in the noise of stagnant promotional and advertising trends, it’s crucial that agencies approach their marketing with a point of difference which make an effective and lasting impression with their target audience.

Screen on the Green in Downtown Atlanta
Outdoor Movie Events Draw …Crowds of over 10,000 attend a Screen on the Green event in a downtown park in Atlanta, Georgia. The screen that Southern Outdoor Cinema presented the films on was the Largest Inflatable Movie Screen in the South, which stands close to four stories tall and over 65 feet wide.

At the outdoor movie event, on screen advertising and commercials were displayed before the presentation of a block buster film. On site brand ambassadors distributed over 200,000 samples and premiums during the 5 movie event.

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