If you ask 5 different people to define experiential marketing, you’ll probably end up with 5 different answers (moreover, if you’re talking to the right people, all 5 answers will probably be on-target in one way or another).  Here’s a great piece by Erik Hauser from 2007 that comments on the “fluidity” of experiential marketing:

The definition of experiential marketing is fluid – as is the methodology itself. It was once little talked about, and is now being embraced as a silver bullet. I once posed the simple question of experiential marketing’s definition to the Experiential Marketing Forum (experientialforum.com), and received more than 200 definitions from more than 150 countries.

Given the wide range of views on what experiential marketing encompasses, it follows that literature on the subject abounds. Since many of these books rival college textbook prices, we thought we’d start a reading list challenge to lay down the definitive word on which titles are worth your time and money, and which ones are not.

We haven’t had time to read all of these experiential marketing books, so we turned to user reviews on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com to help sort through the mayhem.  We’ll ignore the reviews that read like the publisher wrote them for the back cover of the book, and focus on the brave souls who threw down their hard earned cash to discover if a book was a sleeper or a gem of marketing wisdom. The verdict will be a thumbs up, thumbs down, or when we can’t tell yet, thumbs sideways.

If you’ve read any of these books and have thoughts to share, please add your comments! If you add something particularly insightful, we’ll update the post with your thoughts and provide a link back to your site. Are you ready?

1. Experiential Marketing: How to Get Customers to Sense, Feel, Think, Act, Relate (1999),by Bernd Schmitt

The consensus on this book is that it treats old news (moving beyond features and benefits, marketing to consumer emotions, etc…) like it’s a revolution. Probably nothing you don’t already know.

2. Experiential Marketing: A Practical Guide to Interactive Brand Experiences (2009) by Shaz Smilansky

One 5-star positive review does not inspire supreme confidence but there’s no reason to believe there isn’t something worthwhile here. Jury’s out.

3. Experience the Message: How Experiential Marketing Is Changing the Brand World (2006) by Max Lenderman

Generally favorable reviews with a few thoughtful critiques. Lenderman hits the right notes with his analysis of the experience economy.

4. The Experience Economy: Work Is Theater & Every Business a Stage (1999) by B. Joseph Pine

This one seems to have withstood the test of time. However, it reads like a textbook (because it is one).

5. Customer Experience Management: A Revolutionary Approach to Connecting with Your Customers (2003) by Bernd H. Schmitt

Schmitt’s follow up to the 1999 release mentioned above received more positive feedback, but he still got knocked for his somewhat academic approach.

6. Managing the Customer Experience: Turning Customers Into Advocates (2002) by Shaun Smith

Positive reviews abound, but it sounds like a new edition is needed to take into account changes in mobile connectivity and the social web.

7. Critical Thinking in Consumer Behavior: Cases and Experiential Exercises (2009) by Judy Graham

No reviews to go on here. Have you read it?

8. Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses – As well as the Classes (2005) by Pamela N. Danziger

According to one reviewer, the book lacks the why and how of marketing to the masses versus particular classes. Another reviewer thought it sounded an awful lot like this book, Trading Up: Why Consumers Want New Luxury Goods and How Companies Create Them by Michael J. Silverstein.

9. Ageless Marketing: Strategies for Reaching the Hearts and Minds of the New Customer Majority (2003) by David B. Wolfe

Loads of favorable reviews.  However, I’m curious what Wolfe would have to say on marketing to the new customer majority in today’s economic climate.

10. There’s No Business That’s Not Show Business: Marketing in an Experience Culture (2003) by Bernd H. Schmitt, David L. Rogers, and Karen Vrotsos

Seems to be targeting those interested in learning about what it’s like to work with major brands and (relatively) large budgets, not those who already work with well-known brands.

11. Events Design and Experience (Events Management) (2007) by Graham Berridg

A different look at events than what you might find in the other books listed here. The focus is on design elements.

12. Brandscapes: Architecture in the Experience Economy (2007) by Anna Klingmann

Another look at design in the experience economy. This one scales it up to the architecture of buildings and environments. Kudos to Klingmann for the portmanteau title too!

13. Place Branding: Glocal, Virtual and Physical Identities, Constructed, Imagined and Experienced (2009) by Robert Govers, et al.

While not directly applicable to experiential marketing, there are lessons here for any brand manager.

14. Trillion-Dollars Moms : Marketing to a New Generation of Mothers (2005) by Maria Bailey, Bonnie Ulman

Like Wolfe’s breakdown of the new customer majority, this title focuses on marketing to a specific demographic. Anonymous reviews don’t cut it though.

15. Brand Enigma : Decoding the Secrets of Your Brand (2009) by Duncan Bruce, David Harvey

A how-to guide for placing your brand at the center of your business… no reviews yet. Have you read it?

16. Life after the 30-Second Spot : Energize Your Brand with a Bold Mix of Alternatives to Traditional Advertising (2005) by Joseph Jaffe

Worth a look. Jaffe makes the case for mixing up your ad budget with new media. Another title where an updated edition might be needed.

17. Greentailing and Other Revolutions in Retail : Hot Ideas That Are Grabbing Customer’s Attention and Raising Profits (2008) by Neil Stern, Willard Ander

Interesting premise. No reviews though. Have you read it?

18. New PR : An Insider’s Guide to Changing the Face of Public Relations (2007) by Phil Hall

Looks at the role of experiential marketing strategies in public relations. No reviews yet. Have you read it?

19. Before the Brand : Creating the Unique DNA of an Enduring Brand Identity (2002) by Alycia Perry, David Wisnom, David Wisnom III

With this title, the emphasis is on brand identity. We’ll need to read it or hear your thoughts on it before we make up our minds though.

My first Event Marketer Summit was a blur of experiential marketing speakers, case studies and seminars, getting lost in the hotel, stealing sombreros, and eating my weight in Mrs. Fields cookies.  I was excited to take it all in until I noticed how out of place I was, standing in the registration line behind a lot of stuffy suits.  Fortunately, it soon became clear the line was for a biotech conference.  As soon as I found the right registration area the crowd around me was casual, lighthearted, and dressed in green ties, purple sneakers, feather skirts, etc.  You know…the usual marketing look.

The days were crammed with engaging speakers, “BeLinking” and conversation.  The highlights for me were HP, BlackBerry, AT&T, Yahoo, Sports Illustrated, Virgin Galactic, and several authors.  Impossible to ignore was the massive amount of branded swag from room drops and vendor exhibits, ranging from cheese to charcoal to notebooks.  It was nice to finally to put some faces with some of the names I’d been chatting with by email – and to check out all the latest technology on display.

The nights were full as well.  On Monday I attended The EX Award Gala, along with other Javelin folks, to represent Bacardi B-LIVE in the Best Nightlife Program category.  Cheering for ourselves and our competitors was equally fun, and we looked damn good doing it!

Donna Meier, Jen Novak, Erin Bagby, Meredith Goette - EX Awards 2010

Tuesday, after dinner with my colleague Meredith and some of her Chicago agency friends, we headed to MasterTent’s Cuatro de Mayo Party for free food, free booze and free sombreros.  Actually, I’m not absolutely sure the sombreros were free – but we took them anyway.

Reconnecting with friends

The best part was dragging our sombreros to all the morning seminars and then through the airport.  Not.  It was worth it, though – we had them for the real Cinco de Mayo.

Ole!

All in all, my first experiential marketing summit was a success.  I met tons of vendors, learned new ideas and ways of approaching projects, and my suitcase weighed about 10 extra pounds with all the swag I brought back!  I’m looking forward to many more in the future.

Event marketing aficionados know that in-your-face authenticity is hot

There is something alluring about in-your-face authenticity. It’s sensational yet attractive, like Arthur Fonzarelli, better known as The Fonz.  People liked Fonzie.  He got what he wanted seamlessly, without sacrificing his values. That is, until he literally jumped the shark.

Jumping the shark is not

Jumping the shark, an idiom for when something well established begins a decline, originated when the writers of Happy Days had Fonzie literally jump a shark while on skis, wearing his trademark leather jacket and all.

Ride your Harley into the party

Losing your base can be pretty easy when you’re a big name with a known reputation like The Fonz or (insert your favorite brand name here).  A solid brand has already established where it fits, and has spent significantly to be there.  Any experiential marketing program, influencer event or otherwise, should be authentic to the soul of the brand, and honest to the expectations attendees have.  If you’re the Fonz, ride your Harley into the party. If you’re Grey Goose, showcase your signature cocktails in a super premium lounge. Event marketing is about more than just an attention grab.

Going over the top is not always better.  Simply slapping a well known name on something overly-sensational is unlikely to be good for a brand, even if it would get eyeballs.  You’ve probably already had an example or two come to mind, so I’ll politely refrain from naming any myself.

Cultivate an honest relationship

Experiential marketing — whether at a large event on in private — cultivates an honest, well-defined relationship. Isn’t that why we loved The Fonz?  He was edgy but he was true to the core.  Then…he jumped the shark.  So, aaay!  Learn from the Fonz.  Be cool. Authenticity is where it’s at.  Don’t be something you’re not, even if it promises to be a unique event marketing experience…or your brand may become the next symbol for jumping the shark.

At Javelin, once the big experiential marketing ideas have been approved, we get down to the business of making them real.  We plan meticulously and verify every detail.  Even when it comes to Superman.

One Javelin staffer volunteered to go to Superman’s boyhood home of Metropolis, IL, and do some investigation.

Just checking!

The verdict?  Yes…he’s definitely super!

The human mind is the ultimate experiential consumer.

Where can we find some intellectual street cred and big brain support for our beloved discipline, experiential marketing? It is with keen insights and modern truths we can see and prove that the human mind is the ultimate experiential consumer—that experience drives all perception and opinion forming.

It is with great thanks (and enduring apologies) to Jonah Lehrer that I have done a mash-up of his great work, Proust Was A Neuroscientist, and our beloved discipline, experiential marketing. Briefly:

Proust had already discovered what Lehrer was trying to find out. He knew that 1) smell and taste produce uniquely intense memories, and 2) memory is dependent on the moment and mood of the individual. Scientists didn’t establish these facts until a few years ago, yet Proust made the point in 1913.

Smell and taste are the most intense of remembered sensations.

As we continue to learn more and more about the brain’s complex chemistry, we should – as experiential marketers – help our clients understand the primacy of the impact consumers will experience when they are addressed head-on in a sensory capacity. In fact, this bit says it all:

Proust’s goal in Remembrance of Things Past is to anatomize memory. His literary examinations teach him that smell and taste are the most intense of remembered sensations. Fast forward some 90 years to 2002, when Rachel Herz, a psychologist at Brown, shows that smell and taste are indeed uniquely potent evokers of memory.

This power, she speculates, lies in the direct connection the gustatory and olfactory nerves have to the hippocampus, which Lehrer calls “the center of the brain’s long-term memory.”

Establish the memories, then we can tinker.

Memories are not immutable as Herz and others have found; rather, they change as we remember them. I believe the key in experiential marketing is to first ESTABLISH the memories. We can then tinker with the nuance via social media and ad campaigns, but without base-line experiences to “fiddle with” we cannot gain serious ground in the consumer’s mind.

To me these are enlightenments equal to – if not more powerful than – ROI models. The discoveries of modern neuroscience, combined with the insights of these great thinkers, show that demonstration is king…that stimulating the senses is the coin of the realm in creating real, lasting memories…resulting in converted customers.

Enjoy Proust Was A Neuroscientist if you are so inclined. It’s a nice visit with Woolf, Stein, Escoffier, Stravinsky and of course Proust…our experiential forefathers.

Experiential marketing for Grey Goose takes place year-round in Austin.

Experiential marketing activations produced by Javelin for Grey Goose Vodka take place at luxury and influencer events throughout Austin year-round, but the one closest to my former-music-writer heart is South-by-Southwest.  Since not everyone has experienced it directly, allow me to share a slice of SXSW life.

Brands that can authentically participate in their consumers’ lifestyle events will achieve lasting results.

An irresistible draw to the movers, shakers, connoisseurs, and taste-makers of “what’s next”, SXSW is an extravaganza of music, film, and interactive goodies.  For ten days in March, Austin is home to thousands of national and international bands, agents, talent scouts, actors, producers, production companies, tech wizards, entrepreneurs and more who come to attend (and host) events promoting their work – plus the people who come to see them.  This convergence creates a perfect environment to for the right brands to authentically participate in their consumers’ lifestyles.   Enter Grey Goose and yours truly.

Grey Goose Vodka and SoBe Life Water sponsored premiere parties for the feature film Skateland, an official selection of SXSW, set in a 1980’s small town Texan skating rink.  First, guests crowded into Wet Salon for an afternoon of mingling and mixing Grey Goose cocktails.  The stars of the movie, Ashley Greene, Taylor Handley, Heath Freeman, and Shiloh Fernandez, mingled and occasionally gave interviews perched on a Love Sac.

Actor Taylor Handley (center) and friends, in Wet Salon’s hair washing stations

Brand personalization leads to ownership.

Experiential marketing thrives on tailored experiences. Cultivating brand ownership among consumers, bartenders invited guests to design their own custom cocktails using Grey Goose L’Original or one of the Grey Goose flavors: Le Citron, L’Orange, and La Poire. My personal favorite was the Grey Goose La Poire and SoBe Fuji Apple Pear, while not-so-sweet-drink-loving-fans preferred the Green Tea-ni, made with Grey Goose Le Citron and SoBe Green Tea.

Actor Heath Freeman analyzes his Grey Goose and SoBe concoction

Reinforcing the theme of the film, girls on roller skates zipped through the crowd snapping Polaroids of guests.

Girls on roller skates snap Polaroids to set the mood

The party migrated to the legendary Mohawk for ATX EMERGE 2010, an official SXSW celebration of Skateland’s premiere and showcase of Austin’s most adored musical acts.  Patrons queued around the block at dusk (in the rain) to see the twelve scheduled bands. Black Joe Lewis, an up-and-coming Austin phenomenon featured in Reversal Film’s new documentary Echotone, headlined the party.  Props to the production guys for pulling this all together and making it a branded entertainment success!

The stars of the day, Casey LaBow, Haley Ramm, and director Anthony Burns enjoyed the entertainment (not to mention the view) from the comfort of a 10’ tall roller skate atop the VIP rooftop lounge. Complementary Grey Goose cocktails flowed freely upstairs, while nearly 1,000 people downstairs enjoyed specially priced Grey Goose cocktails throughout the night. (Side note to all those in the liquor biz: sponsoring a VIP party in exchange for drink specials at the attached party is a great sales tool. Approximately 50 cases of Grey Goose Vodka were consumed that night, and only 15 were donated for the party above.)

Girls on roller skates walk out of a time machine onto the red carpet

Actor Heath Freeman and actress Kelly Monaco in the green room (literally)

Actress Ashley Greene and actor Shiloh Fernandez

The Grey Goose Vodka activations were a huge success as were a number of other experiential marketing programs I saw, including Bacardi USA’s Level 42 Vodka.  If only I could clone myself; then I could have experienced everything!    The sponsors and clients were equally pleased, and the SXSW action is never to be missed.

Like all good things, SXSW must eventually end.  It’s probably for the best; everywhere you look are exhausted Austinites. House guests crowd the airports. The city is littered with festival aftermath: band fliers, pasted movie posters, and hung over residents. There’s an audible murmur in the air as internal organs everywhere give thanks that nightlife is returning to normal.  It has been exhausting, but fabulous.

Experiential Marketing Delivers Engaged Consumers

Experiential marketing employs an arsenal of effective tactics ranging from nightlife marketing to campus activations, custom vehicle marketing to guerilla street teams, mall tours to word of mouth programs, and luxury marketing to publicity stunts.  Regardless of the tactic selected, there is one deliverable both client and agency agree is crucial — the engaged customer.

Without discounting the importance of acquiring new customers or re-engaging past customers (both essential), we believe experiential marketing can deliver results in the most sustained fashion by way of the long tail.   Be it the digital long tail of sustained content that feeds search, or the long tail of sales – all can be positively affected by events, experiences, and brand engagements that generate trial, consideration, adoration and conversation.

The Long Tail (image by Anup Shah)

Experiential Marketing Delivers Long Term ROI

The Advertising Research Foundation states in a recent study on experiential marketing that brand experiences “improve profitability by increasing both short-term sales and long-run brand demand… The tendency is to think they only have short-term impacts. On the contrary, the power of experiential marketing is shown in this study to go beyond short-term effects to generate a longer-term brand value.”

There isn’t a brand manager or CMO alive that would NOT want to get – and keep – 10-15% of their consumers “wagging.”  The lifetime consumers.  The new consumers interested in base, mainstay products.  The consumers interested in a company’s aggregate smaller product lines; and there’s good reason…Netflix being a great example.

Search engine optimization, word of mouth, and social media in general “wag” the Long Tail online with a constant supply of Flickr pics, blog comments, YouTube videos and comments, tweets and Facebook fan activity.  Brand generated content can get things started, but the real dividend of an experiential investment is consumer generated activity and its impact.

Experiential Marketing Delivers Lasting Relationships

Relationships begin with conversation, and at our shop that’s exactly what we sell.  We are conversant in sight, sound, scent, taste, touch, and the persuasive arts.

The Art of Conversation (image via tendaysontheisland.com)

It is in these conversations that brand advocacy is fostered, adopters become adorers, and new customers are won.  It is in these conversations that the prospects for a tail to grow long are greatly enhanced.  Brands can achieve both short-term and long-term goals with experiential marketing; it is a force multiplier in terms of real ROI…and that’s something to wag about.

As I sift through volumes of recent data and insight regarding social media (SM) and ROI, I am transported back in time. Long before Twitter and other SM platforms existed, we in the experiential marketing space faced the same brand team doubts and ROI questions:

• “How in the world can this expense be justified?”
• “How do we know if we got our money’s worth?”
• “Can you compare it to TV? We understand TV!”

A decade later, experiential marketing is an accepted entity while the “new kid on the block,” social media, is taking the brunt of industry skepticism. We experiential marketers must push for (and facilitate) the understanding of ROI in social media because we are inextricably linked by our disciplines’ abilities to significantly affect consumer mindset and – subsequently – consumer behavior. Our best practices bring out the best ROI in each other.

Experiential marketing is the epicenter, the nexus, the place where groupthink – or whatever you want to name it – happens. It’s where shared experience drives the sharing of the experience. It’s where the brand connects with the consumer, and the consumer becomes the conduit to their social network.

Because of social media, the energy of the brand experience is more easily broadcast to like-minded consumers. Engaged consumers at an event like Bacardi B-LIVE will share the experience with simpaticos in person and via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, etc. The digital ripple that emanates from the event is mighty, and it is measurable.

One tangible outcome of a powerful engagement such as B-LIVE is enhanced search engine optimization (SEO). A brand can climb the list in organic search by virtue of consumers blogging and driving traffic through comments on Twitter, Facebook, etc.. Give consumers a rich, sustained experiential and social media campaign experience to talk about, and they will do so. The more they mention the brand, the better the search results ultimately become.

It’s a finely knit garment, this blend of experiential marketing, social media, and SEO…but it’s real, it’s tangible, and it can be measured. It creates profound brand affinity and likelihood-to-purchase shifts in the consumer mindset.

For additional information about the ROI of social media, you may find the articles below helpful:

• HOW TO: Measure Social Media ROI
• 8 Predictions for SEO in 2010
• The Only Social Media Metric that Matters

As a veteran experiential marketer at Javelin, I find the Nike Women’s Marathon an impressive example of a premiere proprietary event, complete with exceptional consumer experience and holistic brand integration.  In October 2009 more than 20,000 runners took to the streets of San Francisco for the annual event.  It has become so popular that in 2008 Nike took the cue of well-established NYC Marathon and instituted a lottery process for entering the marathon.

Nike Women’s Marathon Lottery Process

Targeting women 25 – 32, the Nike Women’s Marathon begins with “Expotique”, a three-day exposition where participants sample wine and appetizers, indulge in manicures and Ghirardelli chocolate, and of course check out all of the latest Nike gear.  Now in its sixth year, the Nike marathon draws runners from around the world while helping raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Nike Women's Marathon - tent

Experiential highlights of the proprietary event include:
•    Coat Checks
•    Foot Care Stations with new socks
•    DJ Stations
•    Family Cheering Sections
•    Little Sister Lane, where  hundreds of middle school girls cheer for the runners
•    15 Live Music Stations
•    Scenic Photo Station by the Golden Gate Bridge

Determined To Win

Elated to Finish

At the finish line, an 80-foot Nike-branded tunnel with digital wall panels and music educated consumers about Nike +, which are shoe sensors connected to an iPod, that track time and mileage.  To top it all off, tuxedo-clad San Francisco firefighters gave each runner crossing the finish line a robin’s egg blue Tiffany & Co. box. Inside each box lay a silver Tiffany & Co. necklace engraved with the words “Run like a girl.”

San Francisco's Finest and Tiffany & Co. Jewelry

Additional Finisher Perks:
•    Healthy Snacks
•    Heat Sheets
•    A Powder Room
•    Massages
•    Yoga Stretch Sessions
•    Mini Facials

The San Francisco event has reached maximum capacity but via Nike + technology and Nike retail stores, thousands of additional consumers are able to participate in simultaneous virtual marathons.

Overall, the Nike Women’s Marathon does an outstanding job of driving consumer awareness of new product lines (Nike +, shoes, apparel, etc.) while providing an exceptional brand experience.

Nike Women's Marathon

Organic social media presence kick-started the WeLikeBike42 experiential brand activation. 42BELOW Vodka’s native New Zealand is known for its sense of adventure and environmental conscience.  In that spirit, the brand selected 42 cyclists to ride from NYC to LA in a massive celebration of biking culture.  After training, a kickoff party, and an appearance on The Today Show, the riders parted ways to conquer a northern route and a southern route.

This video features photos taken by a variety of the riders as well as a couple by Javelin crew members. It’s a stunning display of appreciation for beauty in nature, adventure, and the sheer joy of living.

In major markets along the way, consumers cheered the riders on at parties hosted by 42BELOW Vodka, complete with the brand’s signature Caipiroska 42. Fans could join the journey by reading the individual riders’ blogs and Twitter accounts, and by following the tour at @WeLikeBike42.

Over 58 days riders witnessed some of the most beautiful scenery the country has to offer, pedaled a combined 8,549 miles, and exceeded their goal of getting 20,000 followers on Twitter.  In turn, 42BELOW made a $42K donation to the Alliance for Biking & Walking at the finish line event.

With more than 125K WeLikeBike42.com page views, 4.9 million blog views, radio reach of 2 million, 1.45 million over-the-road impressions, and more, 42 Below’s We Like Bike had an experiential program reach of more than 72 million. This extensive reach would not have been possible without the robust social media presence the riders brought to the experience through their blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr accounts.  Cycling enthusiasts, adventure devotees, and lovers of the vast beauty found across the United States all found something compelling to participate in, over and over.