Bringing your brand to life and making it memorable
The most successful events and brand activations don’t simply generate footfall. They create memorable experiences that drive engagement, strengthen brand recognition, and leave a lasting impression. For many brands, they’re a critical part of their marketing strategy.
This summer, our Events & Experiences team has been busy delivering a range of live events and experiential brand activations, so we thought we’d catch up with Laura Dukes, Head of Events and Experiences to find out what makes an activation work:
Experience is everything
“Whether it’s a branded stand at a festival, a product showcase, a pop-up installation or a hands-on demonstration at an industry exhibition, a well-executed event or activation brings a brand to life. It gives direct contact with customers and creates something that can be remembered.”
Building brand recognition
“One of the most important benefits of event marketing is its impact on brand recognition. Brand awareness isn’t simply about being seen, it’s about being remembered.”
“Through creative design, interactive experiences, compelling storytelling and memorable assets, a brand can create a distinctive physical presence at an event and an opportunity to stand out in a crowd.”
“It’s not every day we get to design and build a giant cricket ball, but that’s exactly what we did for Welsh Fire this summer to generate awareness ahead of their games at The Hundred. The ball sat outside Cardiff Central Station and, later, outside the Welsh Fire home at Sophia Gardens – impossible to miss or forget.”
Engagement is key
“Being seen matters but experiential marketing prioritises engagement. When someone spends five minutes interacting with a brand activation, speaking with the team or trying a product, it builds a far deeper relationship with a brand.”
“That relationship builds trust and impacts how the customer views the brand, and it can be particularly important for publicly funded organisations who need to engage with a wide range of customers.”
“The stand we designed, built and managed for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water at the Royal Welsh Show and National Eisteddfod this year prioritised exactly that kind of engagement. A welcoming open front encouraged visitors in where they could enjoy an interactive touchscreen, water ball game, a multi-option token ballot, and water re-fill stations, helping Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water engage directly with its customers at both events.”
Turning customers into advocates
“Face-to-face events also help brands gather feedback. Conversations that might otherwise only happen through a research programme can happen naturally within minutes at an event.”
“A creative or surprising activation can also encourage visitors to photograph and share online, extending its reach across digital channels.”
“Every visitor has the potential to become a content creator and brand advocate. When audiences share photos, videos and stories from an event, brands benefit from publicity that feels authentic.”
“Transport for Wales’s presence at the Swansea Airshow and its annual Summer Roadshow series this year turned exactly that kind of visitor interaction into ongoing advocacy.”
“We’ve worked with Transport for Wales on a range of events and campaigns, and each one builds recognition and creates a moment to be remembered.”
Start with strategy
“When creativity and strategy work together, activations become more than just an event.”
“It’s important to understand what you want your customers to experience, what you want them to do as a result, and how you’ll measure success to ensure your activation generates value.”