How to Incorporate Fall Flavors Into Your Event

How to Incorporate Fall Flavors Into Your Event

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Planning on hosting an experiential event this fall? If so, then you may also want to serve up some fall-friendly snacks and treats to get your attendees immersed in the spirit of autumn. Whether you decide to set up food stands throughout your event space or simply pass out treat bags to your attendees, we've got some tasty and relatively simple fall snacks to consider serving up.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Apple cider and doughnuts go together perfectly, allowing you to bring the joy of a day at the apple orchard into your event space! These are super easy to make, especially if you buy the doughnut mix pre-made. And don't worry; you don't need to fry them. You can purchase a doughnut baking mold that will allow you to pop these in the oven for easy, mess-free baking.

Pumpkin Energy Bars

Treat your attendees to a fall flavor with an added energy boost by whipping up a batch of pumpkin energy bars. These are easier to make than you may realize, and the pumpkin flavor comes from adding some canned pumpkin puree. Honestly, these taste a lot like pumpkin bread, but have added nutritional benefits and will provide the energy your attendees need to power through the day.

S'mores Cookie Bars

Shy of setting up an actual s'mores station at your event (which we totally recommend, if you can pull it off), these s'mores cookie bars are probably the next best thing. You can make these pretty easily by starting with your "typical" chocolate chip cookie dough (buy some pre-made from the store, if you prefer) and adding chunks of Hershey bars and marshmallow. Spinkle in a little cinnamon and chunks of graham crackers before baking, and cut into small bars once cooled.

Marshmallow Pops

Marshmallow pops make for yet another delicious and fall-friendly snack, and they're especially fun if you're going to have any children at your event. These are pretty simple to make. Simply begin with large marshmallows (like the kind you'd use for roasting) and dip them in melted chocolate before rolling them in sprinkles. You can use a toothpick or small skewer to hold them. Pop them in the fridge for about an hour, which will give the chocolate time to harden. Then, enjoy! If you want to get really festive, you can even melt white chocolate and add food coloring (we're thinking fall colors, like reds and oranges) to really pull of that autumn theme.

Fall Friendly Trail Mix

Who doesn't love a bag of trail mix as an energizing and filling snack? Incorporate fall flavors into your trail mix by starting with a store-bought bag of traditional trail mix. Then, add some butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and pretzels. Season with a bit of salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Mix well and enjoy! You can serve these up in small bags to make them easy for your event attendees to grab and take with them. If you want to incorporate a little Halloween spirit (depending on when you're holding your event), you might consider adding some Halloween candy. Maybe stay clear of the candy corn, though. 

These are just a few ideas for snacks and treats you can easily prepare to bring some lovely fall flavors into your next experiential event. Your attendees will love these snacks, but don't be surprised if you get people stopping you to ask for the recipes. And of course, if you're still on the hunt for a great space to host your next event in the Miami area, be sure to check out Soho Studios!

How to Create a Sample Strategy for Your Experiential Event that Benefits You and Your Guests

How to Create a Sample Strategy for Your Experiential Event that Benefits You and Your Guests

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There is simply no better marketing strategy for consumer-packaged goods (CPG) than a unique, fun, and interactive experiential event. For those in the food and beverage industry, you know that nothing can better promote your unique product and introduce guests to the flavor and personality of your brand than letting potential customers try it!

Whether you are promoting a new tropical daiquiri flavor, a delicious artisan bread recipe, or a well-aged whiskey, planning a successful sampling strategy for your next experiential marketing event can increase consumer engagement and boost sales for your brand. Here are a few tips from the pros for creating a sample strategy for your next event.

Tips for a Successful Experiential Sampling Strategy

• Show Your Versality to Reach a Bigger Market – Spotlight the versatility of your product by targeting a different demographic at your sampling event. Wholly Guacamole is a perfect example. They wanted to reach a slightly older crowd than they usually do, so they set up outside of a sporting event rather than a music festival. The new approach included the Guac Stop, where attendees could customize their guacamole sampling with 12 toppings. They also offered interactive events that appealed to their new consumer target like corn hole, giant Jenga, and even a Twitter vending machine that rewarded those who Tweeted about the event with prizes of brand swag.
• Go Where the Fans Are – If you want to reach a particular target audience, location is truly everything. Go where the fans are for an easy-peasy and successful event. Pepsi’s newest line, IZZE Fusions, wanted to make sure every teen around is aware of their new beverage. They made it a point to set up their summer sampling tour, which gave teenagers a taste of augmented reality, at popular teen events like music festivals, malls, and water parks. Giving teens a taste of the product and engaging with them on their level allowed Pepsi to get their attention and present a positive vibe to attract them with digital content and product.  The event included interactive play labs, refreshment zones, and immersive experiences like Camp IZZE.
• Keep it Simple and Spotlight Your Product – Sometimes you just have to keep it simple and show them what you’ve got to offer. That’s what High Brew Cold Brew Coffee did for their summer sampling event. Inspired by the brand’s travel/adventure messaging, they hit the road in a refurbished 1950’s coach bus to introduce and let millennials sample their ready-to-drink cold brew coffee. They made stops at trade shows, grocery stores, and festivals; offering a no-frills experience. Aside from a few bar stools and a sampling bar, the only other interactive option they had was an old-fashioned style post card station, where people could send a post card with a BOGO coupon to a friend.
• Change Your Brand’s Perception – If your brand is stuck in a rut and you want to change the way it is viewed by consumers, it’s time to change your brand’s perception. The Glenlivet Scotch had a reputation for being an “old school” drink best enjoyed in stuffy board rooms filled with old gents in leather chairs. To change this perception, their sampling strategy offered a sleek black and natural wood outdoor patio to drive their modern message about Scotch consumption. Popping up at food and wine festivals everywhere, this sampling showed that Scotch, especially when paired with the trending Scotch-inspired craft cocktails, is a good choice for all ages for all occasions.

To ensure your event is successful, be sure to do your research and be clear on the goals you wish to accomplish during your experiential marketing event. By spotlighting the taste and personality of your brand at a fun and interactive event with a clever sampling strategy, you will gain new customers who will help spread the word and help your brand grow, resulting in a win-win event for everyone!

Why Bumble Used a Food Truck for its Latest Experiential Event

Why Bumble Used a Food Truck for its Latest Experiential Event  

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As most Millennials know, mobile app dating is tough. “Catfishing,” or pretending to be someone you’re not, is a pretty big occurrence across Tinder and Bumble alike. Bumble is a dating app which requires women to message matched men first. Bumble, itself, recently released an anti-catfish mobile app feature. To promote itself, the Austin-based tech company created a New York airstream food truck.

It served fish tacos, promoting its new photo verification feature capable of weeding out phony Bumble accounts. The “catfish” slang term was created and popularized back in 2010 during a documentary. Now, it’s been implemented into the mobile app’s photo verification feature to screen out the prevalent fake accounts.

The feature makes users snap a selfie in highly specific poses, so as to make sure the user isn’t using another’s pre-existing photos from Facebook, Instagram or another visual-based website. Soon, Bumble will extend into the friend networking world—becoming much more than a dating app. Photo verification might not be the most alluring feature, but Bumble’s idea creators have sustained a positive marketing campaign pinned to the app’s classier approach to mobile dating.

As for the food truck, it existed to celebrate the app’s newest feature. After all, the photo verification feature was created in a playful way—giving users control of their identity verification without necessarily breaking down the app’s intrigue. Called “The Great Catch” promotion, Bumble’s food truck promotion handed out free catfish-centric dishes. Aside from the catfish tacos, the truck had catfish sliders, roasted squash salad and honey-sweetened Arnold Palmer which was popularized through “Top Chef’s” Sam Talbot—a Brooklyn contestant.

Marketing for a mobile app is tough, but Bumble’s Director of Marketing, Chelsea Maclin, reportedly created the campaign to invite newcomers with open arms while celebrating its current users. The app’s huge user base, stationed in New York, let various Bumble brand ambassadors verify their mobile devices while waiting for grub. These ambassadors could then explain how Bumble—and the offshoot, Bumble BFF—worked. They walked attendees through the app’s download, setup and use. Meanwhile, the app’s preexisting users were invited to learn more about the app’s features.

The photo verification feature, of course, was at the centerfold. Bumble users were given branded giveaways, including pins, hats and t-shirts. Then, they were allowed to participate in the brand’s many on-site photo booth experiences. No experiential event is complete without a conference. Thus, Bumble invited its key influencers and press people to take part in The Great Catch. They were given yellow tackle boxes—branded, of course—each packed with anti-catfishing messages and swag.

Bumble is an engaging experience, and it was deserving of a campaign capable of touching the catfish topic lightly while also recognizing the app feature’s important use. Because Bumble’s goal is to help users create meaningful relationships, much of the experiential event was created to connect with the app’s users on a personal level. Online safety, accountability and freedom can be a touchy subject—but Bumble covered it with grace.

How Cheetos and Chef Anne Burrell Blew our Mind

How Cheetos and Chef Anne Burrell Blew our Mind

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Cheetos recently took both New York City and social media by storm with its pop-up Cheetos restaurant, the Spotted Cheetah. This installation featured recipes that included the brand's signature product that were devised and cooked by chef Anne Burrell. Seats sold out almost instantly, and over 1,000 people had tried to get tickets.

It's rare that a pop-up restaurant will gain such a huge response, but this one went viral almost immediately. It gained a prime spot as a Twitter Moment and was all over other sites as well. Many pictures were shared in all possible ways, and it even gained some TV coverage. By all accounts, it was a huge success for the Cheetos brand and its parent company.

For attendees, the experience started by walking up an orange carpet to get in through orange doors. Inside, they found a large HD screen with a smooth-talking Chester Cheetah, who greeted each guest by name. Once beyond him, they were treated not to a carnival-like outlet, but instead, an upscale dining experience that happened to include plenty of Cheetos and Chester Cheetah-themed accents. Orange cheetah-fur printed tablecloths, orange fabric hung from the ceiling, and even bright orange paw-printed toilet paper ensured that nobody forgot that this restaurant was, above all else, about Cheetos. Of course, it also served dishes that all included the product in some form.

A bar was also present, and many went to it to start their meals off with orange slushies which were described by the bartender as being like margaritas. The drink, however, was "just sweet enough to remind imbibers that the restaurant was … a temple of junk food" according to Forbes.

Unique Factors Surrounding the Spotted Cheetah Event

There were a few unique factors that made this event such a huge hit. One is that instead of trying to drive new interest, Cheetos waited until several brand-inspired recipes had already gone viral. This showed the brand that there was significant interest in the idea of using Cheetos as an ingredient, and therefore, that it would be easy to turn that interest into attention to recipes devised, made, and presented by a professional chef.

Another unique factor is the already-massive footprint the Cheetos brand enjoys. Even those who hadn't thought of using Cheetos in recipes immediately became curious about the idea, simply because everyone who hasn't been living in a cave knows what a Cheeto is and can imagine its flavor.

Finally, the idea of using Cheetos in the setting of recipes found in this sort of restaurant is inherently worth talking about. This made it very easy for the experience to go viral, complete with pictures taken on the spot by attendees. Of course, the brand distributed many professionally-taken photographs as well so that media outlets could show the event at its best.

Applying This Information to Your Event

While most brands don't enjoy a multi-billion dollar marketing budget, they can use at least some of the lessons offered by the Spotted Cheetah in their own efforts. One is that it's a great idea to piggyback on an existing related trend in order to draw more interest to your marketing idea. Another is to present your brand in a related, but unexpected, way. Also, make sure your presentation is unique enough to get people to share it without begging for likes or retweets. If what you do is cool enough, everyone will be talking about it.

Finally, be sure to choose a great city and venue for your experiential marketing effort. For an event in Miami, consider Soho Studios. We have plenty of both indoor and outdoor space that can be configured to meet your exact needs.

What Boozy and Sweet Culinary Creations are Trending in Experiential Events

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What Booze and Desserts are Trending in Experiential Events

If you love a great adult beverage and a yummy dessert, you will definitely be excited about the new trends and sweet treats marketers of experiential events are dishing up that include both! Lucky attendees are swooning over the new boozy event fare that tempts them to taste this magical fusion of their favorite desserts and cocktails.

While alcohol-infused desserts have been around for a while in classic desserts such as decadent Tiramisu and the ever-popular Bananas Foster, some new creations have been seen in trendy restaurants over the past couple of years in the form of cakes, puddings, ice cream and more. This fun combination is so popular, it is now making its way to experiential marketing events and attendees are eating it up!

If you are looking for an amazing way to get attention for your next 21 and up experiential marketing event, check out these new ideas centered around fun and trending boozy desserts that are stealing the show and creating quite a buzz (Pun intended!) at recent experiential marketing events. What a fun and unique way to get the party started and get the attention of some new customers in the process.

Trending Boozy and Sweet Culinary Creations for Experiential Events

• Liquor Infused Ice Cream - Everybody loves ice cream and this new alcohol infused ice cream has event- goers eating it faster than it can melt. There are a variety of new companies specializing in these spiked ice creams that offer it in many delicious flavors from Vanilla Bourbon and Coconut Rum to Irish Cream and Vodka Key Lime Pie.
• Drunken Cupcakes - Cupcakes have always been a staple for any kind of party or event. Alcohol infused cupcakes kick this favorite treat up a notch and get the immediate attention of attendees. Popular concoctions include Chocolate Hennessy, Margarita, Pina Colada, Lemon Drop, White Russian, and more!
• Wine Infused Fudge - Recent culinary trends show that nothing goes better together than wine and chocolate. Many wineries have started to merge the two amazing flavors into an extraordinary treat. Fudge infused wine is growing in popularity. In fact, Alto Vineyards in Illinois indicates that their port wine infused fudge is one of their top sellers.
• Boozy Milkshakes – The perfect combination of sweet and spiked, adult milkshakes are a huge hit at experiential events. The long-time favorite treat is a great way to create a buzz around a product or as a unique catering detail to wow crowds. 
• Spiked Cakes and Pies – Get the attention at your next event with a vodka infused cake or a whiskey laden pie that is sure to please. From golden rum cake to chocolate bourbon pecan pie to Irish coffee cheesecake, spiked cakes and pies speak to everyone! There is simply nothing like taking your favorite cocktail and making it into a delicious cake or pie to star in your event.
• WineSicles – Sure to be a crowd pleaser, frozen wine popsicle treats, known in the food world as ‘WineSicles’ are very popular, especially with wine connoisseurs who are always looking for something new.  These make a great marketing tool and will definitely get folks taking about your event.

How the Pros Do It

Patrón Tequila Goodies

As one would expect, the team at Patrón knows exactly how to throw an alcohol infused attention getting event. Recent marketing efforts include experiential events that add a little sweetness to their premium tequila by using it in a variety of delicious and intoxicating dessert offerings.

The Patrón team recently presented the crowds with incredible Patrón Tequila infused truffles and Mocha Patrón XO Café Macaroons. The folks at Patrón are taking this new tend to heart and have even teamed up with a chocolatier to invent creative new ways to combine their tequila with dessert options. They also offered Silver Patrón infused popsicles and new “Muddle Your Mojito” bars where attendees choose their favorite fruit and muddle (smash) them while a bartender helps them mix the fruit and liquor to create their own personal sweet and fruity concoction. As a take-away, guests were given the muddler, which they could have custom engraved to their liking.

How Wholly Guacamole Reached its Target Audience Through Pop Up Tours

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How Wholly Guacamole Reached its Target Audience Through Pop Up Tours

Wholly Guacamole is a big fan of the pop-up tour concept, and this year, it held yet another tour to draw people to its brand and experience. This year's tour moved away from last year's focus on music festivals and instead focused on the brand's core consumers, who are women in the 30-40 age range.

At each site in this year's tour, Wholly Guacamole offered dishes with a range of custom toppings available. The company also provided special "taste of" recipes that were customized to capture the local flavor of each city. This, however, was just the start of the experience for participants. Inside each pop-up location, attendees found updated versions of old games, such as a giant Jenga set, Connect Four, and other favorites chosen to appeal to the company's target audience.

Games of this nature emphasize guacamole's prominent presence at parties among 30-40-year-old women. By having them at the pop-up locations, Wholly Guacamole cements this connection and helps to ensure that people will remember their brand in particular when it comes time to buy some for a gathering.

While the games that were chosen are all of the physical variety, Wholly Guacamole certainly didn't forget about the modern wonder that is social media. It set up vending machines that dispensed giveaways when people entered a code. These giveaways were better than the average, and included water bottles, bandannas, and socks. The code to use was obtained by tweeting special hashtags along with a comment about the event. This gave people a direct incentive to spread the company's message.

Some activities were used only in particular markets. This allowed the company to really "wow" each market instead of giving everyone a totally generic experience. Some customizations included the availability of avocado facials, jewelry making, screen-printed T-shirts, and more. The company says that these offerings were unified by an underlying theme of health, beauty, and working out.

This year's kiosks, or "activations" as the company called them, were also meant to tie into the "guac bar scene" that has been on the rise in recent years. By doing so, the company positions itself as keeping up with the times even as it calls to mind the less-hip imagery of playing analogue games with groups of women in their 30s and 40s. This is important because it allows Wholly Guacamole to aim for this target audience without turning off younger people in the process.

One of the keys to a successful pop-up tour is choosing the right cities and venues for your event. Miami is always a good place to have a stop – its hip, multicultural environment spans several generations and includes a wide variety of interests. Once there, make sure to choose Soho Studios as your venue. We have two outdoor pavilions, and the weather here is suitable for using them all year round.

We also have up to 70,000 square feet of indoor space available for your event. It can be customized to meet your needs, not only for size, but for decorations and sets as well. This ensures that you can create the exact experience needed to promote your brand's image as well as your products. Just give us a call to reserve space indoors, outside, or a combination of the two.

Why Thomas Created the Rolling Toaster Tour

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Why Thomas Created the Rolling Toaster Tour

The best way to engage your customers is to interact with them live and in-person because this encourages them to participate with you and your brand in whatever you are offering. This type of marketing is often called experiential marketing, engagement marketing, event marketing, ground marketing, or live marketing. Experiential marketing helps create a closer bond between you and your customers, which is a great way to build brand loyalty and a lifelong following.

How Thomas' Developed a Unique Interactive Breakfast Campaign Unlike Anything Before

Thomas', makers of some of the most popular bagels, English muffins and other fine products, came up with a unique way to get up close and personal with as many people as possible.  And they did this by hitting the streets with a truck and trailer, but not just any truck and trailer, a rolling toaster truck and trailer to be exact.

The Thomas' Rolling Toaster Tour Cross Country Marketing Campaign

Talk about experiential marketing at its best. Thomas' has taken this interactive marketing technique to new heights. They fully customized a trailer that was designed to look like a toaster with a huge bagel and English muffin sticking out of the top. So there was no question about who this was or what they were offering.

Thomas' called this event their "Breakfast Like No Other" tour and it was an instant phenomenon. People all over the country flocked to their trailer when it rolled into town. But then Thomas' took their marketing a few steps further which added a viral element to their efforts.  

What Thomas' Did to Create Excitement, Encourage Engagement and Cause Their Efforts to Go Viral

Obviously, Thomas' Rolling Toaster Tour was a live event that stretched across the country. But how they engaged their customers at each stop was really what skyrocketed their efforts into a marketing sensation.

• Customers were able to order freshly made breakfast sandwiches created by the resident chef.
• While waiting for their order, customers were invited to walk into the giant toaster to take selfies in front of a seven-foot tall English muffin statue. Which was a great tactic for getting their message to go viral.
• Then they were offered a turn at a toaster-themed game that awarded prizes to the winners who then again took selfies of their winnings.
• Once receiving their freshly made breakfast sandwiches, customers were encouraged to eat at one of Thomas' custom designed tables that were built to look like stacks of English muffins and bagels.
• After the meal, Thomas' provided some fun outdoor games such as a Ring Toss, some Cornhole, and KanJam for their customers to enjoy.

The Secret Sauce Thomas' Used to Kickoff Their Tour

To kickoff the tour Thomas' held a special free sampling event at Santa Monica Place to celebrate National Bagel Day. This allowed their customers to be among the first to try their new limited edition Lemon Blueberry flavor that was only offered for six weeks. Then they donated over 2,000 packages of bagels to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

What Thomas' Did That Made This Campaign So Successful

Thomas' made this a memorable interactive experience that no one is likely to forget. And they did this by thinking outside the box, so to speak. They came up with a unique idea for their marketing campaign. Then they continued to drill down their ideas to further ensure its success, as well as turn it into a viral sensation which is ultimately free advertising and unlimited brand exposure. And so much more!

This is the beauty of hosting a live event, one that allows you to get up close and personal with your customers. This is also what helps create loyal, lifetime followers of your brand. It is all about the experience and making your customer feel special and appreciated. If you haven't tried hosting a live event to build your brand and your customer base, you are definitely leaving money on the table. 

How and Why Taste of Home Upgraded its Tour

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How and Why Taste of Home Upgraded its Tour

Taste of Home, a multi-platform producer of food-related information, has launched a new series of cooking events this year. This version has expanded greatly from prior iterations, and is going by the name Taste of Home LIVE. It began with a tour of 10 major markets, including Chicago and Atlanta, and by the end of the year, will travel through 40 different cities. Next year, it is slated to expand to 80 cities.

For the new model of events, Taste of Home has expanded to include more experiential marketing aspects, more sponsors, and a charitable experience. Many of the changes are geared for engagement with Millennial moms and other younger people, but is also working to please its core audience. To meet this and other objectives, it has made specific changes:

• On-stage experiences and social media sharing are now being prioritized. Millennials are more likely to be comfortable with getting up on stage – and sharing their experiences across multiple platforms. Therefore, the shows are offering plenty of on-stage experiences. To have a chance to participate in these, attendees must first post to Facebook or Twitter about the event.
• The show has partnered with Fusion Marketing, an experiential marketing agency, for "creative event activations." The companies will work together to provide a cohesive and powerful branding experience to the effort. Fusion will plan and execute each city's event.
• Taste of Home will support local charities. Ten percent of the proceeds from merchandise sales will be going to Feeding America, a hunger-fighting charity that operates in all of the markets where events will be held. Each event will also include a food drive. By choosing Feeding America as its beneficiary, Taste of Home can provide local support while dealing with just one main office.
• The events will still teach kitchen tips and food hacks to participants. It will also have advice from expert chefs. This will please long-time fans and make it easier for new cooks to get up to speed.
• Expert chefs will still prepare great meals at each event. This aspect is another one that is sure to be a winner with both long-time and new attendees. Everyone loves to see an expert at work!

By expanding its show to include more sponsored equipment and other features, Taste of Home will make its shows more interesting while sticking to its theme of creating great food. This tight adherence to its theme will make the branding aspect of the events more powerful, while the expansion and modernization of the presentation will bring in younger people and improve the event's word-of-mouth marketing. Taste of Home's new event style is sure to gain the brand many new fans.

If you're looking for a venue to hold a Miami stop for your company's event tour, consider Soho Studios. We have up to 70,000 square feet of indoor space that can be configured to your specifications. We also have two outdoor pavilions if you would rather have your expo in the open air. Our concierge service offers all of the help you want or need, so you won't have to search for local companies to assist you. Just give us a call for more information.

How High Brew Samples its Coffee with Style

How High Brew Gets Consumers to Sample its Coffee in Style

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Not every brew is a type of beer. For High Brew, it's all about coffee – and adventure. The company recently sent a refurbished 1952 GMC bus on a nationwide tour to reach millennials with its cold-brew coffee, old-fashioned great taste, and to reinforce its branding. Since this branding is all about travel and adventure, the company figured that sending a big Coach bus, once a favorite of tour operators, would create an image that was a perfect fit.

The High Brew Tour is expected to cover a total of over 16,000 miles, with plenty of stops in key places. At each stop, it sets up a sampling bar inside the bus complete with stools so that those who come over can enjoy tasting their coffees in comfort. When the bus is on the road, the bar folds into what was once the luggage compartment. This makes it easy to set it up and take it down, and the innovative system adds to the attention-getting qualities of the stops.

Unlike many branded experiential marketing efforts, High Brew has chosen to keep things simple and fairly low key. The bus itself isn't completely plastered with its imagery, and inside, the only experience besides the coffee is a station for sending out postcards so attendees can share the news. These postcards include coupons to buy one and get one free.

One of the reasons for the choice of communication medium is that the company is hoping those who partake will tell older people about the brand. Assuming it works, it will get the message across the generations without losing the "cool factor" that helps to sell High Brew to younger people.

The bus will be stopping at some obvious places, such as key retail accounts, but it will also hit areas where it can associate the brand with those on the go. These areas include college towns and city areas that have plenty of professionals. Once the bus leaves, field marketing personnel will continue promotional efforts.

This is just the latest news from the experiential marketing world. Companies all over the world are using new and innovative ways to draw regular people into their brand experiences. A successful campaign doesn't just entertain people; it cements the brand image and gets those who partake to interact with, taste, or otherwise get personal with the products being promoted. This icebreaker can be enough to earn repeat customers for years, and sometimes, for life.

You don't need a bus to set up an experiential marketing event for your company. All you need is a great venue in a thriving city, an innovative idea, a target market, and a solid goal for your brand's image. Here at Soho Studios in Miami, we can provide the venue and the city. Our 70,000 square feet of indoor space can be configured to your needs, and we also have two outdoor pavilions. We can also help with the rest of your needs. Our full-service package includes design, sound, and other support services for your event. Just give us a call to learn more and to get started on producing a memorable experience for your current and potential customers.

Why Strongbow Teamed up to Become More Sustainable

Why Strongbow Teamed up to Become More Sustainable

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Recently, Strongbow wanted to come up with an experiential marketing effort that would get people in NYC to interact with its alcoholic cider brand. What better way to get people interested in a major city than to create a nature experience? This is what Strongbow did with its surprising and innovative floating fruit orchard from April to May 2017 within its broader Nature Remix campaign.

Strongbow's Experiential Campaign

The brand experience featured a garden and orchard on a barge that floated on the Hudson River, stopping at various piers to connect with area residents and tourists. When the barge was stopped, people were able to pick their own apples and other produce. In the process, they would learn a thing or two about the nature they were interacting with, which was planted in a sustainable way, and about the Strongbow cider, which is free of artificial flavors and colors. And of course, participants got to try a few of Strongbow’s ciders, which is what the event was designed to promote. This floating orchard was the North American campaign for the brand, which also carried out campaigns throughout the globe as part of the Nature Remix program. 

This event was a great idea to introduce people to Strongbow ciders and to provide a connection to nature that is lacking in such a large city. Even when the barge was on the move from stop to stop, it had the potential to build excitement when people would spot it and wonder what it is. The brand also created excitement through press releases, a YouTube campaign video showing work on the barge, a media cocktail party and various social media efforts. And the brand also began a program to send coasters with seeds in them to nationwide customers who can use them for their cider and then to start their own gardens. Strongbow found ways to share its natural roots and to promote the positive message of caring about the environment.

Takeaways From Strongbow’s Floating Orchard

If your brand is interested in creating an experiential event, you can gain some takeaways from Strongbow. Even if your brand has nothing to do with food or nature, there are some universal points here.

Strongbow didn’t have the know-how to create a garden on a barge, so the brand partnered with Swale, a New York City food forest on a barge. Swale helped it figure out the practical side of a floating orchard so the marketing team could focus on its specialty. In return, Strongbow’s sponsorship is helping support the Swale initiative for the rest of the year. Strongbow also gained marketing insight from PR agency Current Marketing. 

Further, Strongbow really stuck to the mission of experiential marketing by creating an event that directly tied into its product. Orchards are used to create the cider, so it gave people a chance to experience an orchard. You could try the same method by creating an event that connects to your product in some way, whether it shares a piece of the creation process like Strongbow did, ties into a culture surrounding your product or makes some other connection.