Four Insights for Show Organizers from the Latest Brand Experience Research

August 31, 2017

Katherine Zimoulis

As Vice President of Content Marketing for Freeman, Katherine Zimoulis helps tell the stories of the incredible work being accomplished at Freeman and shares the deep insights and thought leadership found within the organization. 

Every audience touchpoint gives show organizers an opportunity to engage, educate and build lasting, meaningful relationships between brands and consumers. But what was considered “meaningful” yesterday has been forever altered, thanks to intense competition, evolving demographics and emerging technology.

To better understand the ways in which event marketers are responding to these change drivers, Freeman commissioned research firm SSI to conduct an independent, global study of more than 1,000 marketers in a range of roles across North America, Asia and Western Europe.

This research yielded numerous insights into the decisions event marketers are making given this shifting environment. For show organizers and associations seeking to attract these event marketers, this information could be worth its weight in gold.

  1. Marketers Use Brand Experience to Achieve Key Goals

More than nine out of ten marketers agreed: Brand experience delivers stronger face-to-face interaction and more compelling brand engagement. And more than half agreed brand experience is an effective way to reach these key goals:

  • Build relationships
  • Generate leads
  • Grow brand advocacy
  • Make customers feel valued
  • Increase sales

Show organizers can help marketers and exhibitors amp up these results by providing opportunities to treat their audiences to experiences they couldn’t find anywhere else, whether that’s through the trade show floor, sponsorships, education or beyond.

  1. Marketers Are Spending More on Brand Experience

Marketers are shifting their spending: over the next three to five years, marketers will allocate up to half of their budgets on brand experience.

Interestingly, B2B marketers are more likely than B2C marketers to grow their budgets. And although marketers in Asia currently maintain the lowest average budgets (as compared to marketers in Europe and North America), they’re ready to start closing that gap and spending more.

Show organizers can help marketers spend their budgets wisely by providing advance access to audience insights to enable more strategic exhibit booth planning and post-show access to event data to enable ROI analysis.

  1. Marketers Leverage Technology to Personalize Experiences

Harnessing all the senses helps brands form stronger connections and boost both loyalty and sales.

Surprisingly, only 25 percent of marketers embrace multi-sensory experiences.

However, some organizations are truly crushing it. These marketers that are involved in 20-plus events per year typically leverage multiple tools to create “wow” moments for their audiences:

  • 29 percent use interactive touch screen technology
  • 21 percent take advantage of location mapping and beacons
  • 16 percent use virtual reality
  • 15 percent add gamification elements to their events

Show organizers – particularly those that operate in Asian markets – may want to tap into this technology-fueled approach by providing a wider array of digital enhancement options for exhibitors.

  1. Marketers Value Different Aspects of Brand Experience

The survey was unanimous in one aspect: brand experience adds a high degree of value. But respondents differed in their perception of where that value comes from.

  • Increase advocacy:
    • Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs): 58%
    • Brand Managers: 45%
    • Event Planners: 40%
  • Showcase thought leadership:
    • CMOs: 48%
    • Brand Managers: 33%
    • Event Planners: 28%
  • Generate content:
    • CMOs: 21%
    • Brand Managers: 33%
    • Event planners: 33%

This suggests show organizers may want to adapt their messaging to fit each of these roles, stressing brand advocacy and thought leadership when talking to CMOs, for instance, and the ability to create content that can be shared with key stakeholders when talking to brand managers and event planners.

Ultimately, the best way for any brand to be remembered is to be memorable. The more show organizers can help marketers create opportunities to engage in new and meaningful ways, the more their events will capitalize on the power and the promise of brand experience.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact