10 Experiential Marketing Campaign Examples You Can’t Miss
Experiential marketing is a refreshing way for brands to make a strong impression on consumers. To stand out from a digitalised landscape, experiential events are a powerful strategy that leverages physical elements and technology to immerse customers with interactive marketing.
From pop-up events to installations, experiential marketing is attention-grabbing. They create emotional connections with consumers, which increases brand awareness and drives word-of-mouth promotion. With cutting-edge technology from studios like CraveFX animation studio and AR and VR companies, brands can also leverage AR and VR simulations to create even more buzz and anticipation for experiential events.
For inspiration, here are some VR marketing examples you can incorporate in your experiential marketing. To show how versatile and creative you can get with experiential events, here’s 10 experiential marketing campaign examples you can’t miss! Spread across various industries and types of experiential marketing, you’ll be sure to find one that resonates with your brand!
10 Experiential Marketing Campaign Examples:
1. Esplanade Dancing with Light
Industry: Arts and Heritage
Year: 2022
To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the esplanade commissioned CraveFX to create their first-ever projection mapping show. Through special VFX, motion graphics and animation, we were able to coordinate the live action movements from dancers with the colourful lights.
As a result, spectators were treated to a stunning show of light and dance. Using visual tricks, the dancers appeared to interact with the live buildings, creating greater immersion for viewers. This large-scale event-promotion projection mapping was a one-of-a-kind experience for spectators and boosted Esplanade’s image as a world-class destination for the performing arts.
Takeaways:
- Elevate live events with animation and VFX to create a lasting impression through immersive sound and visuals.
2. Amnesty International
Industry: Nonprofit
Year: 2016
Amnesty International, a global human rights organisation, has long fought for better refugee conditions. To persuade the UK government to reunite refugee families via the Refugee Family Reunion Bill, Amnesty International launched a living installation as a form of experiential marketing.
Over the course of two days, 18 families each spent an hour in a transparent glass box. Furnished with a table, TV and a sofa, the glass box was assembled like any other living room – perfect for precious family time. The installation showcased family togetherness while exposing how strict UK criterions deprive refugees of family time by keeping them separated from loved ones.
By contrasting everyday comfort with refugee struggles, Amnesty International created a compelling narrative that distilled a complex issue into an emotional yet relatable scene.
Takeaways:
- Spark conversations with impactful installations that are interactive and set in real-time.
3. Gentle Monster: Jentle Salon
Industry: Eyewear Retailer
Year: 2024
Gentle Monster, a South Korean eyewear brand, is renowned for its sleek glasses and viral marketing tactics, including extravagant PR boxes and celebrity collaborations. Their latest partnership with Jennie Kim of BLACKPINK featured a special collection of feminine eyewear and charms.
Fully committing to the theme, the Gentle Salon pop-up is awash in pink and whimsy. With a giant unicorn and capybara, the pop-up resembles an art installation more than a regular eyewear store. Adding a touch of exclusivity, the Gentle Salon pop-up was only available in 13 cities, with Singapore being one of them.
Gentle Monster’s attention-grabbing pop-ups have not only revolutionised the retail experience but also cemented the brand’s reputation as a trendsetter. Their marketing efforts make them effortlessly cool, compelling consumers to align with the brand’s chic image by purchasing their eyewear.
Takeaways:
- On top of creating an immersive retail environment, incorporate elements that are aligned with your brand’s personality like Jentle Salon’s capybaras and unicorn for a cohesive experiential marketing tactic.
- Gentle Monster’s eye-catching and unconventional visual merchandising sets them apart. Differentiate your brand from competitors with innovative and creative displays.
4. Airbnb: Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse
Industry: Hospitality
Year: 2023
Partnering with Warner Brothers and Mattel in celebration of 2023’s hottest and pinkest movie, “Barbie”, Airbnb transformed one of their homes into Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse. This unique collaboration came with a special twist, as Ken has decorated Barbie’s DreamHouse with some much needed Kenergy.
This is arguably the best form of experiential marketing here—you get to live like Barbie for a day! Unsurprisingly, this Airbnb listing was sensational and was the most popular listing when it was available.
Since its announcement, the experiential marketing stunt has received 250 million social media impressions, over 600,000 media coverage and 13,000 press hits. Truly, it’s Barbie’s world and we’re all just living in it.
Takeaways:
- Tapping into a major pop culture event, like the release of the Barbie movie, can generate significant interest and engagement, trendjack widely anticipated events to boost your brand’s relevance.
- Allowing fans to live out their childhood dreams of being Barbie for a day creates a strong emotional connection. Craft experiences that resonate emotionally with consumers to foster brand loyalty!
5. GSK Migraine Simulator
Industry: Healthcare
Year: 2016
To raise awareness for migraine sufferers and market their migraine drug Exedrine, GlaxoKlineSmith (GSK) used a migraine stimulator to recreate how migraines feel. Virtual Reality (VR) was used to show the different visual symptoms accompanying migraines like disorientation, auras and sensitivity to light.
Although it was part of a marketing program, the campaign evoked sympathy for migraine sufferers and shed light on how disorienting the condition can feel. Clearly, the campaign struck a chord as it received over 19 million views on social media and over 285,000 social media engagements.
The campaign, awarded at the Cannes Lions Health show, is a great example of how experiential marketing and VR can help convey real patient experiences, to promote better understanding. GSK’s approach not only demonstrated VR’s potential in healthcare marketing but also showed how experiential marketing can be used for good.
Takeaways:
- Experiential marketing can also be a way to educate users and consumers. When used to foster empathy and understanding, it can create a strong emotional connection with your target audience.
6. In-N-Out Pop Up
Industry: Food and Beverage
Year: 2024
American burger chain In-N-Out is infamous for the snaking queues at their pop-ups. In their latest Singapore pop-up earlier in May 2024, their burgers sold out before the pop-up officially opened, despite the store preparing 500 burgers!
In-N-Out’s pop-up events also drew similar crowds in Sydney and Tokyo, with hundreds willing to wait in line for a taste of their burgers. Aside from burgers, the pop-up also sold various merchandise, allowing customers to engage with the brand in different ways.
Leveraging the solid reputation they’ve built in America, In-N-Out’s time-limited and exclusive pop-ups are often a much anticipated event for burger fans. With frequent coverage of the long queues and high demands, their pop-ups have also generated significant word-of-mouth, press coverage and social media buzz in foreign markets. All without owning a store!
Takeaways:
- Leverage your brand reputation to create buzz in new markets with experiential events that allows customers to interact with your brand.
- Make use of high-impact and limited-time events to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity, helping you to boost demand and footfall.
7. Netflix: Luke’s Diner
Industry: Entertainment
Year: 2016
To promote the premiere of the Gilmore Girls revival, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life”, Netflix revamped over 200 coffee houses in America into Luke’s Diners. As the local hot spot in Gilmore Girls, Luke’s Diner was often the place for the show’s main characters to hang out.
For greater immersion, these coffee houses were decorated with iconic props from the show like Luke’s signs, apron and coffee cups. Easter eggs were also sprinkled throughout with a cardboard cutout of Luke Danes and a sign that says “no cell phones”.
Capitalising on the show and revival’s nostalgic factor, Netflix’s experiential event allowed fans of the show to step into their beloved series. With its unique and visually appealing set-up, fans were often encouraged to take photos and share their experiences online, increasing word-of-mouth and social media coverage.
Takeaways:
- Nostalgia is a powerful emotion to tap on and with the physical immersion of experiential marketing, it’s a killer combination for customers to remember your brand.
8. Ikea: Bath Boats Drive
Industry: Furniture Retailer
Year: 2019
To promote their newly sustainable store along the river Thames in England, IKEA launched an experiential stunt using two large boats to collect plastic waste. The twist? These boats were modelled after IKEA’s popular bath toy, Smakryp.
The boats were remote-controlled and were capable of collecting 20 KG of plastic on every voyage. Not bad for a boat modelled after a toy! IKEA also invited spectators to control the boats via the remote, including them in the clean-up efforts.
Through this event, IKEA reinforced their position as a sustainability champion with a marketing strategy that is closely in line with their branding.
Takeaways: By modelling the waste-collecting boats after an iconic toy, IKEA cleverly connected the campaign to its product line. Integrating familiar products into new contexts to enhance brand recognition and engagement.
9. Lego: Inspiration Wonderland, Children’s Day
Industry: Children’s Entertainment
Year: 2023
To celebrate Children’s Day, LEGO created “Inspiration Wonderland”, a pop-up interactive play space in nine Chinese cities. The campaign blended technology and physical play, aiming to engage both children and parents in a fun and educational environment.
“Inspiration Wonderland” featured various quests and challenges to encourage imaginative play. Children interacted with LEGO bricks and digital screens, tracking their progress through the WeChat app and unlocking in-store rewards. The experience culminated in “The Star Square”, where visitors’ creations were digitally represented in a night sky display, adding a sense of achievement and wonder.
This experiential event drew 104,000 visitors, with 91% visiting LEGO stores afterward and 77% signing up as new LEGO members. For parents and children alike, the campaign demonstrated the developmental benefits of both structured and unstructured play. By involving parents directly and showcasing their children’s creativity, LEGO successfully reinforced its position as a leader in imaginative play.
Takeaways:
- Combining physical play with digital elements, such as the WeChat app and the Star Square digital display, creates a seamless and engaging experience. Consider incorporating digital elements along with physical touchpoints for an integrated experience.
- By designing activities that appealed to both children and parents, LEGO ensured that the experience was engaging for the entire family. Including secondary target audiences can make your campaign more impactful.
10. Refinery 29: 29 Rooms
Industry: Media and Entertainment
Year: 2023
Since its launch in 2015, 29 Rooms by Refinery 29 first appeared in Singapore in 2023. 29 Rooms is an immersive event designed to be highly immersive and engage visitors with a series of curated rooms, each offering unique, often Instagram-worthy installations that explore various themes related to art, culture, and identity.
For 2023, the theme was “Lost and Found” which was inspired by the pandemic. To localise the rooms, they featured rooms inspired by bamboo poles hanging at HDB flats, where visitors can screen print their personal goals onto a shirt and hang them up as part of the installation.
Takeaways:
- Localising your events can draw visitors closer to your brand by evoking familiarity.
- 29 Rooms frequently collaborates with a range of artists, influencers, and brands to create diverse and innovative installations. Consider working with these opinion leaders to help attract a wide audience and add variety to the experience.
Final thoughts
Pulling off an experiential marketing event takes time, resources and a whole lot of creativity. Work with an experienced VR and AR animation studio for immersive technologies to make your experiential event a cut above the rest! Contact us to bring your ideas to the next level.
