The ART of measuring Experiential

How do we measure Experiential activity? How do we judge its success in meaningful ways? And what are the metrics we can employ and how best do we interpret them?

When a marketing strategy for a brand is decided, and an Experiential activity is agreed as the solution, in part or whole to a marketing challenge; then a clear objective for the activity must be set. Without one, it is activity for activities sake, and will offer little more than ambient placement, or be simply 'Brand Theatre'.

The objective, or series of goals set out for the activity at the outset will be inform the metrics for measuring success or Return On Investment ( ROI) for the activity.

The Key Step Metrics (KSM) I use for measuring experiential activity are:

ACTIVITY - How did it engage?
RELEVANT - Why did the activity connect with the audience, was it in the way planned?
TARGET - Who were your audience, was it the target audience for the activity?

Experiential is an ART, and the science of it and understanding best how to measure it will come from understanding firstly why you chose to pursue an Experiential activity in the first instance - over more traditional Marketing. What is it you want to achieve?

CASE STUDY:
A leading detergent brand is looking to launch a new format for its leading brand, and the Brand team have decided the best way to demonstrate the brands effectiveness is to engage with their audience through experiential activity.

So, the team would work as follows

ACTIVITY: High street and Major shopping centre, washing machines set up and customers invited to dirty garments and witness these items being cleaned, with data collection and sampling.

RELEVANT: To connect with target groups, for them to experience the brand, and witness the power and effectiveness of the brand in action in the new easy to use format

TARGET: 5000 Young Mums and Single people 18-35 who are short on time and looking for fast wash results.

At the close of the activity - again look at the ART of the activity and from that you will be able to measure the success

I am sure you will agree, Experiential Marketing is an ART.