Why Interactive Experiences Matter for Brand Promotion

Traditional brand promotion asks people to watch. Interactive brand experiences ask them to do something, and in our view that is why they are worth the effort. People remember what they take part in, and they are more likely to talk about it.

Loyalty is largely emotional, and researchers have tried to measure that. In the Harvard Business Review article The New Science of Customer Emotions, Scott Magids and Alan Zorfas of the consumer intelligence firm Motista describe a lexicon of nearly 300 emotional motivators linked to profitable customer behavior. They report that after a major bank introduced a credit card designed to inspire emotional connection, use among Millennials rose 70% and new account growth rose 40%. Those are the authors’ reported case results, not a controlled study.

What is an interactive brand experience?

It is any campaign that gives people a new activity or environment to explore, instead of making them passive viewers. It can be an AR or VR experience, a physical space, a skincare quiz that points a customer to the right product, or something simpler, such as an app-based loyalty punch card or a downloadable guide. Our post on immersive experiences in sports shows how one industry is using them.

Why do brands need interactive experiences?

Consumers say they work. In an EventTrack survey by Event Marketer, 1,590 consumers in the U.S. and Canada who had recently taken part in branded events and experiences answered questions about them:

• 91% said participating made them more inclined to purchase, assuming the product interested them.
• 46% said they felt more positive about the brand afterward, and 41% said their opinion stayed the same.
• Over 40% said they become more loyal to brands after attending their events and experiences.

These are self-reported answers from people who already attend branded events, so we read them as a sign of interest, not proof of sales. Beyond the survey, the benefits we see in practice are these:

• Differentiation: An original experience helps a brand stand out in a crowded market.
• Stronger connection: People who take part form a memory of the brand, not just an impression.
• Better data: With analytics built in, you can see what people do and what they skip, and improve from there.
• Reach: Experiences people enjoy are experiences they share.
• A fair trade: You can offer a reward, such as a coupon, in return for taking part.

How do you build an interactive brand experience?

Plan carefully and keep the first version small. These four steps cover the work.

1. Understand your audience

Research your audience beyond demographics: what they care about, what frustrates them, and where they are in their customer journey. Look at your digital touchpoints, so the experience is easy to reach. The more you know about your customers, the easier it is to tell which ideas they will enjoy.

2. Design one small experience

Come up with a few ideas, then narrow them to one minimum viable experience that combines customer interests, your value proposition, and a clear story. Some options:

• Quizzes: They fit almost any topic, and people like sharing results.
• AR or VR: A scavenger hunt that rewards points, or a way to show a product in use.
• Interactive classes: Active learning teaches a complex product better than a lecture.
• Kiosks: A public screen that solves a real problem. At Hy-Vee’s innovation store, we built an in-store kiosk where shoppers search for a product, see its price, nutrition information, and aisle, and follow a store map to it.

Other ideas include live shows, virtual events, exhibit walls, interactive video, and user-generated content.

3. Test the idea

Try it with a few people before launch. Watch where they stall. If they do not finish a quiz, ask why: the questions may be too long, or something may be broken. Fix those problems before a large audience sees them.

4. Release it, measure it, and ask for feedback

Tell people it is coming and build toward the launch. Decide what success looks like and track it. On the Hy-Vee kiosk, we measured usage in sessions and successful searches, and an in-app survey asked shoppers how the kiosk helped. Feedback also gives you testimonials and a base for the next version.

Where should you start?

Interactive experiences work when they are about connecting with customers, not delivering a sales pitch. If you are planning one and are not sure where to start, our services page explains how we work with teams, and you can see past projects in our work. Contact us to talk through your idea.