Entertainment for Brand Activations: How to Engage More Customers

Even though nowadays almost everything can be purchased online, most consumers prefer live shopping at malls from a brand with local presence. Digital marketplaces are saturated with brightly marketed offers and tempting discounts but they still can not offer something that shopping malls have: in-person human value and unmissable experiences linked with it.

Brands represented in retail centres can engage even more clients in case they use entertainment options for brand activations. Today we will give a spotlight on some activities that can boost your profit. Interested? Keep on reading.

We have successfully worked with the biggest retail centres in Dubai to maximise their potential, helping them to attract crowds of shoppers and ensuring their spaces are packed with customers who remain in the space, delighted and happy, for as long as possible. All this could not be done without providing targeted entertainment.

Here are some advice on how to engage audiences:

1.Offer Something to Encourage Interaction

One of the easiest ways to draw people's attention so that they would feel interested to linger is to offer free entertanment with easily won prizes or provide shows that create festive and welcoming atmosphere.

Why prizes help? Is is easy to explain: we, humans, all like arriving at a goal, because it gives us the easy dopamine that makes us feel alive and happy. If the prize is a discount to a certain shop, the customer will be inspired to buy from that brand even if his intention was to purchase somewhere else or he just headed to the mall in order to hang out with his family or friends.

So, your customers might be interested to play some game with a robot, winning discount tokens or voucher prizes for specific stores. Providing for your audience opportunity to participate in a treasure hunt hosted by roaming acts characters could be a great idea for families.

Some companies use interactive scavenger hunt for brand activations. During the scavenger hunt attendees may learn, say, about the unique history of the brand while completing fun tasks. As a bonus, photos taken during the event will be posted to social media, giving extra value.

Marching bands , such as, for example, this one, walking near a brand's corner at the shopping centre, will lift the spirits, capture the attention of passers and inspire them to follow the sound of music to see what’s going on. Live music can be used simply to create atmosphere of excitement or even to form a procession leading the customers to a specific place.

2.Let the Customers Feel Special

Some brands have recently tried hiring professional painters to picture their customers on branded paper, alone or with their family, if there is some special occasion (say, Mother's day). This is, of course, a pleasant surprise for a client, a recognition that the customer is special.

Breakthrough Xclusive was once co-creator for a Lenovo brand activation. When the company launched their Ipad, in Lenovo corners of some malls in Dubai there was a caricaturist who made customers’ portraits that were later to be sent to people's emails. Such activities can really help to boost sales in certain campaigns and also to increase loyalty to the brand.

Try the idea if you appreciate your clients in a way that you want to express your gratitude for their existence.

3.Surprise the Customers

One of the sure ways to surprise your customers and to promote your brand or product is booking a celebrity. Look for a celebrity or an influencer with a complementary audience to yours. Then strike up a mutually beneficial arrangement.

You can also surprise your audience with the beauty of installations. Our artists can offer mind-bending art installations on the floors of malls that can be personalised to reflect specific brand. Such act can help to create positive and long-lasting association with the brand.

Recently many companies organize drone shows for product launches. To see an incredible picture of a product in the air has a guaranteed wow-effect on passers.

Technological shows with a storyline from the brand are also very popular for product launches and brand activations. Light projection shows, sand animation or artists' performances with storytelling based on the ideas important for the brand are good ways to deliver the brand's messages, to tell about its values or history, to build trust and loyalty.

4.Make the Audience Feel They Are Creative

The pleasure of creating something can not be surpassed by anything else. There are numerous options for workshops giving the shoppers of all ages the opportunity to create a piece of art that they will be able to take home. Having a reminder for your clients that they are capable of more than something they do every day — what could be a better way to lift their spirits and leave them with the impression that your brand was once a partner of something pleasant that happened to them?

5.Offer an Experience That Will Get to Social Media

One of the easiest ways to get people posting news about your event is to book photo booths that can be adapted to display any brand along with offering bespoke props that fit the brand concept. Shoppers will love the opportunity to download images or to physically take them home afterwards.
 

All this ideas offer complimentary fun to the experience of shopping, which is the key to successful sales and a great way to please the customers and inspire them.

Hope that with these game-changing entertainment tools your business will be a success. Get in touch today to plan together with us special experiences for your target customers.