With events shifting back to in-person affairs, many brands are seeking to create engaging brand activations. While hosting a brand activation can seem daunting at first, by considering these three points, anyone can host a successful activation.
Who Do You Want To Reach?
When organizing your brand activation, the first thing should be “who is the audience”. Deciding on your target audience will then help you guide all other decisions for the event such as the venue, topics of conversation, and if this activation will have any special activities tied to it. For example, if hosting an activation aimed at budtenders, one should be prepared to discuss all the finer details of their product offerings while still maintaining a fun, lighthearted approach to ensure budtenders do not feel as if they are simply being marketed towards. If aiming to attract the consumer audience, this then opens up the possibility of partnering with a retailer and hosting the event in-store while being ready to distribute swag and discussing more simplified selling points of the product.
Engaging Beyond Conversation
Simply setting up a booth isn’t enough to catch the attention of most budtenders or consumers anymore. When planning your activation, think of what will not only catch the eye of your target audience but draw them to your booth. One way brands have done this is by creating enticing games or finding out what the audience wants. For instance, at the first Bud Bash, games such as giant Jenga and a basketball hoop were utilized by brands not only to draw attention but to hold that attention once their audience approached their booth. Another example is how at the most recent Bud Bash, BOAZ utilized Keurig machines to provide live tastings of their new Wake & Bake coffee pods. While a game or activity may seem trivial to some, the vast majority of those being targeted will have it capture and hold their attention, giving organizers the ability to have impactful conversations during the activity.
What Are You Leaving Behind?
When it comes to leaving something behind at an activation, many minds instantly jump to swag & samples. While swag and samples are an extremely impactful tool for pop-ups, those organizing a brand activation can leave much more behind. While swag & samples will keep a brand top of mind afterward, if the activation is aimed at budtenders, leaving behind proper tools for educating customers long after the organizers have left will be much more impactful. Many LP’s are creating their own education modules, which, paired with a sample, can give budtenders a much better understanding of the products in their store. While samples will give budtenders the experience to sell to their consumers, leaving behind samples meant to be utilized as a display gives them the opportunity to allow their customers to truly see and get a realistic expectation of the product, often leading to a sale. Posters aiming at educating consumers can be utilized by budtenders infinitely after the organizer leaves the space. When deciding what will be brought, asking those in attendance will ensure that everyone leaves your activation happy.
Want to Learn More About how Cannabis Brands can use Marketing Activations?
We’ve got more information about marketing activations for cannabis brands in the Cannabis Brand Marketing Guide we’re releasing at the end of the summer. We’ll be sharing some best practices and types of marketing activations for cannabis brands to use. The guide will be full of useful tips and tricks for navigating this highly-regulated and difficult-to-navigate industry.
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Last Updated on July 25, 2022 by ADCANN
