Last week I chatted a little about how hashtags and QR codes can be used on the actual surfaces of marketing vehicles, but where are they pushing consumers and why? In the mobile experiential world there are few programs that have the goal of only reaching consumers attending that event. There are exceptions to the rule, but for most it is to create public relations buzz and word-of-mouth sharing. The trouble is deciding which tools to use in moving a message forward. When a program like Coffee-Mate’s Ohio State University finals week campus invasion was being planned, the marketing team wanted a way to engage students who were outside the footprint of the event space. Not only were students using the designated hashtag given branded premiums but there was also a way to have coffee delivered around campus. By searching the hashtag on multiple social platforms, a branded coffee cart delivered to students in need. Participants were encouraged to try and talk about the flavored creamers. This program focused efforts on the message and not the platform; however Jack Daniel’s recently took a different approach. Instead of gathering impressions from multiple platforms they build the campaign from a single source and directed consumers to that platform. Like many tasting events there are a limited number of guests who will have the full experience but there is no limit to how far you can reach via the right channels. Jack Daniel’s created Instagram profile for different “characters” associated with the campaign, drawing users to the imagery even if they aren’t attending the tastings. These accounts each took on an aspect of brand attribute reinforcement.
Experiential marketing has the goal of creating an emotional response to brand attributes. Social media outreach that connects with these type of marketing activities isn’t necessarily seeking an emotional response but instead to convey those same selected attributes. When Lean Cruising added an experiential element to their “weight what matters” campaign their purpose to let consumer see themselves in the statements of others. These contributors were blogger who represented different members of the brand’s target segment.
There are many platforms and methods to social media marketing within an experiential campaign but what is going to work. What is going to have a lasting impact are those whose goal is focused on specific attributes.
**For my regular readers this post has a slightly different format, as it is part of my course work for SNHU.
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Kirkpatrick, R. (2016, January 7). Coffee-mate fires up finals with social media deliveries. Event Marketer Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.eventmarketer.com/article/coffee-mate-fires-up-finals-week-with-social-media-deliveries/
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The Roving Van Gelders 
What a great use of hashtags by the Coffee-Mate. It is pretty amazing by searching and/or using hashtags coffee was delivered to students. Many weddings that I go to now encourage the use of a specific hashtag in order to share the photos with others at the wedding. Hashtags are a great way to advertise and share information. Great post!
This was a very interesting post. I know that I have used an app at a wedding to gain access to wedding photos that were taken during the wedding and even upload my own to the album – but I have never experienced a hashtag for a wedding. That is an insightful idea especially for people who actively use Instagram. Nice job!
Hashtags are one of the most effective ways companies engage consumers on social media. My initial thoughts about hashtags when they were first introduced on Twitter, was that they were silly. It didn’t make sense to me why people were putting the pound sign in front of words. Today, I understand that hashtags are more powerful than they seem. Hashtags, when done correctly, can make tweets more meaningful and discoverable. They can be used to group discussions, events, and ideas. I personally always find myself conducting product research on Instagram or Twitter, just to see how other consumers feel about a certain product. Marketers can also use hashtags to conduct their own research to see how consumers feel about their products or services, and respond accordingly.