It’s the first quarter. You’ve hopefully had some time away from your desk for the holidays and are getting back to the grind. There’s no better time than now to start considering and exploring new marketing ideas and strategies. We’re firm believers in seriously cool ways to reach consumers through non-traditional marketing known as experiential marketing. We also believe that marketing is changing. Scratch that—marketing HAS changed. The principles remain the same: segment your market, identify your target, tailor a product, determine the price, distribute, and promote However, the dynamics have been evolving with technology, and it’s time to take the Apple approach and “Think different”.

The audiences you once reached through methods such as a 30 second commercial spot have already set their DVR to pre-record the Kardashians and fast-forward right through it. Pandora, SiriusXM, Spotify and iHeartRadio phone apps are rapidly replacing radio during drive time in the car. YouTube overall reaches more 18-34 year-olds than any cable network in the US with more than half of those views coming from mobile devices*. E-commerce is outpacing the in-store experience and to the demise of brick and mortar stores, consumers can get just about anything delivered to their doorstep…within an hour. Props to Amazon!

How can you take what you have to offer to the next level and engage with your target market in a way they prefer to be spoken and marketed to?

It comes down to finding your niche and focusing on it, creatively. PIADA did this successfully by putting their brand in motion—literally by engaging consumers where they played in real life. Check out how PIADA Italian Street Food capitalized on creativity through its on-brand experiential marketing campaign developed and executed by Event Marketing Strategies.