Spiro recently sat down with brand activation events EVP Jennifer Shankman & SVP sales Julie Haferkamp for the tea on all things hyper experiential, cultivating a no-ego culture & the quest to move brands from like-like to like-love.
Check out their insights below:
Jen> Well, you have to look at the brand to see what disruption looks like. It could just be trying something different.
Where possible, I like to ask, 鈥淗ow can you embed your brand in culture?鈥 So it鈥檚 an experience where people can interact with your brand.
Julie> Yeah, absolutely. You need to honour the brand itself before you can disrupt anything. Risk tolerance varies.
The brands that do it best understand that experiential doesn鈥檛 live in a silo. Like when Coors Light changed its cans within 48 hours after its billboard was broken. That campaign extended to its supply chain.
Jen> For me, strategy comes first. Without it, even the most creative ideas won鈥檛 deliver the desired results.
The strategic framework is the foundation. It guides the creative process & ensures an impact. That鈥檚 how you make sure your events drive measurable results.
Julie> Exactly. Creativity & strategy must work together. It鈥檚 not just about throwing an event鈥攊t鈥檚 about ensuring the experience aligns with both your brand鈥檚 & your consumer鈥檚 needs.
Jen> It really goes back to strategy & doing your homework. Then you can understand what audiences are looking for & how to cater solutions to your specific industry.
A human way of saying 鈥渋nnovation鈥 is to be curious. Go explore. Do research. Ask questions.
Julie> Related to that鈥攁nd this is so important鈥攚e never look at an event as rip & repeat. Look at what you can do that鈥檚 different.
Even if it鈥檚 just 10% that鈥檚 new, that element of risk is critical to test & learn. Ask yourself, 鈥淎re you even in the game of change?鈥
Julie> Start by diving deep into your brand鈥檚 micro-communities鈥攖hose customers who already love your brand.
If they love it, they鈥檒l talk about it for you. It鈥檚 about unleashing the power of your brand community. A great example is Taco Bell's cantinas. They鈥檝e managed to create a space that resonates with their loyal fans.
Jen> She just nailed it鈥攁dvocacy is key. When you can tap into & unleash the power of your brand community, you turn your customers into your best marketers.
Jen> Brand Gravity is all about brand love. It鈥檚 that sticky factor that makes consumers choose your brand over countless other options.
Experiential marketing is incredible at creating this connection through meaningful brand activations. But to do it right, you need a high threshold for what resonates. Through our industry evaluations, we have a good sense of what will hit that mark.
Julie> I can鈥檛 say it better than that. We always aim for brand love.
And we鈥檙e excited to join an experiential agency with a proprietary methodology to help brands measure & increase their Brand Gravity. That enables us to work with brand-side & event marketers to move their customers from simply liking the brand to loving it. Or from not even trying their brand to becoming loyal advocates.
Jen> Well, having a strong partnership between brand & agency is critical to getting impactful results.
To do that, honesty & transparency are crucial. That鈥檚 how you build trust & long-term relationships. Often the best ideas come from tension & healthy debates.
We鈥檙e not afraid to have an unpopular opinion & express it in a diplomatic way. It鈥檚 about being real & finding the best path forward together.
Julie> Exactly. To that point, we have to listen first. Agencies need to hear what brands are trying to do & THEIR business imperatives before offering ideas. After all, the magic happens when everyone pushes together.
Pressure is a privilege, and if you鈥檙e in the right space, you鈥檒l end up making diamonds.
Jen> Absolutely. We want to be a strategic partner, so first we have to understand what our clients are trying to achieve.
We鈥檒l do whatever it takes to find the right solution for our clients. Part of expanding our capabilities means helping event marketers understand & envision just how much they can achieve with us through all of our service offerings.
Jen> For us, we believe in taking a human approach to leadership. It鈥檚 about ensuring that everyone鈥檚 voice is heard & that people have the time & space to grow.
We鈥檙e not the type to manage from an ivory tower鈥攚e get in there beside our teams, working with them & supporting them every step of the way.
Julie> Exactly鈥攅veryone should feel like they can bring their authentic self to work. Especially in a remote environment. Inclusion means ensuring every voice at the table is heard.
We鈥檙e not perfect, and we鈥檒l make mistakes, but what matters is the effort to collaborate & grow together.
That鈥檚 the kind of culture we strive to cultivate鈥攁 no-ego approach where the focus is on being good humans & even better colleagues.
Jen> Consumer demand for integration is pushing the industry to new limits. Consumers expect a seamless experience across all channels.
The blurred lines from the shopping experience are just the beginning. When people attend an event, they expect the brand experience to come to life in a seamless way.
And remember, marketers have channels; consumers don鈥檛. Expectations are only going to increase, and we need to meet them.
Julie> I鈥檒l add: While AI & technology will continue to evolve, humans will always be humans.
They鈥檒l still crave connection & want to align with brands they love. This core ethos will always be there, and it鈥檚 what we鈥檒l always focus on.