Right now, you’re reading an article on our blog. You may also switch browser tabs to check for an email you're expecting or glance at your phone to see a new notification from LinkedIn. Maybe you’re doing it in your car with the radio on or from a cozy chair in your favorite café. Without realizing it, you’ve just spent time in what we call “the liminal space” in marketing—the overlap between multiple types of experience.
It’s a far cry from a time, only 25 years ago, when we experienced most marketing channels one at a time. Now, our daily lives are an increasingly sophisticated integration of the physical and the digital. So why, then, are channel strategies still so segregated?
That’s a problem we’re passionate about correcting. We believe that in the future, leading brands will be able to create personalized and connected experiences at every touchpoint. They’ll merge the physical and digital into effortless hybrid experiences that remove friction, earn trust, and build loyalty. So, let’s explore what it means to play in this liminal space and see how brands are already doing it today.
Thinking in Journeys
When we talk about marketing strategy, brands so often think in terms of channels. Even when launching cross-channel campaigns or brand-level messaging that shapes every touchpoint, the execution is like a shipment going out to various destinations.
Instead, a more hybrid future requires us to think in terms of journeys, or the connective tissue between all these destinations. Every channel, every stage in the buying journey is in conversation with each other—not in a predictable linear process, and not in a relay-race style handoff, but in an iterative and simultaneous unfolding. It’s not one thing or the other. It’s the overlap of these experiences that works hardest to build connection.
When brands can tap into those “in-between” moments, they can turn dead ends and overthinking into a clear path forward. When your brand’s physical and digital experiences connect, you create a more high-fidelity relationship with your customer. That means more engagement, more paths to purchase, and a better reputation, all at greater scale.
Brands Getting Liminal
Already, many of our clients are embracing the power of a more liminal marketing strategy. From entertainment to travel to retail, these real-world applications are giving brands more useful customer data and clear results.
At Columbia Sportswear, we piloted a program where NFC technology was embedded into their retail signage, allowing customers to instantly learn about their newest products and breeze through the purchase process. Instead of scanning a QR code with their phone, the customer could tap to play videos instantly. This tactic has a lot of potential to reduce showrooming, improve attribution for online purchases made in-store, and turn transactional moments into brand touchstones.
When the Seattle Kraken launched their official fan club, we helped welcome them to the arena with a branded welcome kit and a completely original augmented reality experience. Fans got to enjoy exclusive access to animated Zamboni rides, face filters, and views of the arena. And the trackable AR experience gave the brand major insights into fan behavior—all while they doubled their user interactions.
Although Tauck Travel recognized that direct mail was an essential channel for them, adding personalized QR codes and pre-filled digital forms doubled their response rate. Instead of simply directing people to their website, they took control of the liminal moment between the mailbox and the browser. Based on their numbers, their customers were thankful for it.
The DCG ONE Advantage
When it’s time to start thinking about how to knit together the experiences across your brand, we’re uniquely positioned to help. We see how all the layers fit together because we actually operate in all of them.
Having all the necessary disciplines—from digital strategy and design, to engineering and development, to commercial printing and fulfillment—under one roof means you can work with a single, cross-functional partner that helps you execute faster. We help you see the creative opportunities that might go unnoticed with a patchwork of siloed vendors. Our multi-disciplinary collaboration is your secret ingredient!
So don’t let your marketing wither in isolated channels. Contact us to see how we can help you bring the liminal to life.
For more ideas on how to bring together your physical and digital assets, tune into our podcast, The Whole Idea. Our episodes on integrating your direct mail and exploring the world of extended reality can help you start imagining the possibilities.
