The term "Experiential Marketing" refers to actual customer engagements and experiences with a brand, product or service that quickly, on–the-spot, builds awareness, consideration, and in some cases preference for products and services. It's the difference between telling people about features and benefits of a product or service, and letting them experience, first-hand, the benefits and features for themselves. Huge difference.

As a marketing tactic, experiential marketing moves beyond the traditional "features-and-benefits" advertising. Experiential marketing is the quintessential marketing tool… it presents an all-inclusive, hands-on experience that individuals choose to attend and participate in after identifying the relevance of a brand or product to their needs. And the key term is “individuals choose to attend and participate in”, which provides you the opportunity to talk to, rather than talk at your targets.

In Consumer Behavorists’ lingo… experiential marketing reflects a right-brain bias in that it aims to fulfill consumers' aspirations to experience certain feelings. It involves a perceived one-to-one interaction between a brand and an individual consumer. Simply stated… experiential marketing creates a stronger relationship with the consumer by delivering a message that has a deep connected meaning and relevance to the consumer and the brand delivering the message.

So why do consumers give us their time to be immersed in experiential marketing? Its simple… these personal experiences help them connect to a brand so they can make intelligent and informed purchasing decisions.

This is not to say that experiential marketing is and should be a stand alone, single tool in any company’s communications tactical plans. However, we do consider it the “Holy Grail” of marketing tools. When done right, it's the most powerful instrument out there to win brand loyalty. In short, it increases brand image and drives sales.

Experiential marketing is so essential you know you’d find it in Felix the Cat’s little black bag.