Oreo’s brilliant response to the 2013 Super Bowl blackout sparked a new obsession over real-time marketing. Real-time marketing is when a brand puts something out, typically via social media channels, on the fly during or response to a particular event with the goal to create buzz and generate a conversation bit to further engage with consumers. Some have had some success, like Old Spice’s viral YouTube campaign, while others have faced widespread backlash.
Recently, Coca Cola took real-time marketing to a new level by integrating live tweets into a television ad to encourage people to enjoy meals together. Not only did social media following increase, but also people wanted to actually watch the ad to see if their tweet would be featured. Coca Cola was able to have its messaging be noticed without being lost in the advertising clutter because it gave its consumers a reason to interact with the brand. The cool factor of having your tweet displayed alongside an ad was really only a bonus incentive; instead, the thought of reconnecting and engaging with human interaction had a much more profound impact.
This hot trend of featuring real-time messaging in traditional and digital media channels has also been incorporated in experiential campaigns with unlimited possibilities of integration including RFID, interactive digital walls, or street projections. Here at Beyond Traditional, we identified the benefits of capturing a larger audience by featuring live updates from an activation a few years back. As part of our campaign to promote Yahoo!’s sponsorship at New York Internet Week, the Yahoo! Studios Sweets Treats Truck featured instantaneous Facebook photo uploads of participants proudly displaying their delectable treat at the activation and connected the activation to the digital world. Followers of Yahoo! Studios social media channels viewed photos of the brand experience as it was happening, expanding the event footprint to the digital realm and resulting in over tens of thousands impressions.
Integration can range in complexity and still encourage consumer participation that matches your campaign objectives. One of the biggest advantages of incorporating real-time marketing into your experiential marketing plan is that by allowing for consumers not present at the activation to involve themselves and witness what is happening, you increase your campaign impact and reach. Even more importantly, you engage in developing deeper relationships with your customer base.
