In our 24/7 digital world, one of the best way for a brand to stand out IRL and solidify its relationship with a consumer or supplier is by investing in experiential marketing.
Kicking Cow joined with Purina to use this critical marketing tool to build an interactive brand takeover of the Chewy.com HQ. Instead of stepping into the office for an average day of tasks, we brought Chewy employees on a journey. The innovation event was dubbed Purina Passport to Training, Tips, and Travel.
Here are some key takeaways that have helped us successfully implement brand takeovers:
Know your audience
For the specialized experience of a brand takeover to succeed, the brand first needs to pinpoint the exact audience, either a customer or retail base, that would best benefit from this direct activation.
By researching the Chewy.com HQ thoroughly prior to the takeover, the engaging activation we worked on with Purina, provided Purina brands an opportunity to build loyalty and brand awareness with the top online retailer of pet food in the nation.
Engage from the get-go
From the moment the targeted audience reaches the venue, they should be immersed in the culture of the brand and experience of the activation.
We captured the attention of Chewy.com HQ employees from the moment they parked their cars at their company parking lot. They boarded the company shuttle which we had transformed into the Purina Cash Cab- doling out Purina trivia with a heaping dose of giveaway prizes along the ride. Once they arrived at the HQ, we broke through the clutter of their daily workflow with Purina’s travel concept. “Purina Passports” were distributed to the employees and they were able to begin their journey through the takeover.
Amplify the buzz
Find as many angles for a brand share as appropriate for the venue. This takes finesse to ensure the takeover uses the physical location to optimally deliver an experience that showcases the unique perks the brand has to offer.
For Purina Passport to Training, Tips and Travel, we presented the brand in a way the leveraged multiple areas within the Chewy.com HQ and created a fully engaging experience and learning environment for the employees. The journey through the brand takeover was immersive, educational and fun for Chewy.com employees.
Measure success
For the takeover’s KPIs to matter, gather real-time date to track engagements and dwell time amongst the brand experience. Bio-tracking is a strong tool that can provide accurate and quantifiable data to a physically interactive campaign. This also allows for the ability to track data that can be valuable input when planning repeat brand takeovers.