The return of IRL: In-person experiences with impact

Meeting rooms are full again. Convention centers are swarming with attendees. Concerts are crammed. The data confirms what we already feel happening around us: In-person events are back.  

Research shows that demand for in-person events has recovered since the disruption of 2020, even beginning to exceed pre-pandemic levels. People are hungry for connection, community, and immersive “you-had-to-be-there” experiences. So let’s talk about what it means to help people reconnect – while strengthening our marketing. 

The delight of the tangible 

Virtual events and digital marketing are tremendously convenient for brands: lower production costs, more flexibility, and more data. However, consumers are hungry to ditch their screens and experience something more tangible. In the clutter and overwhelm of the digital world, a brand's physical touchpoints mean more than ever. 

Maybe it’s a memorable piece of mail that delights them while sorting through the bills. Or unique packaging that makes your customer stop and engage. It could be that your entire retail space becomes an enjoyable third space where people feel as if they’ve been taken on a journey. No matter what form it takes, these experiences matter because they make people feel. When done well, those feelings translate to the purchases, loyalty, and advocacy that every brand craves.  

Physical meets digital 

For so many brands, the physical manifestations of their marketing have been the most elusive to track. Direct mail and in-store experiences make sense, but haven’t always felt like initiatives that marketing leaders could justify with clear data about ROI. Luckily, recent years have seen the evolution of hybrid experiences that bring together the best of IRL and digital. 

• Personalized QR codes and URLs can bring your physical touchpoints into the digital world, and they can also help you track individual behavior 

• Augmented reality experiences can allow you to follow your audience through virtual experiences to understand what captures their attention 

• Connecting CRM data helps you keep profiles of your customers so you can tailor offers and content to them later (we have an entire podcast episode about how we did this with L’Oreal) 

When we work with clients on physical marketing, our number one priority is making it measurable so marketing leaders have the data they need to report on impact.  

Crafting meaning together 

Importantly, making physical marketing work isn’t as simple as making it trackable. It all comes back to the feelings that motivate action. That means your assets should inspire fun, curiosity, excitement, empowerment, or care. Everything that comes from your brand is an opportunity to co-create meaning with your audience.  

One of my favorite examples of this comes from our very own Seattle Kraken. In an effort to make the new NHL hockey team an instant hometown favorite, we collaborated with them to create an unforgettable and exclusive experience for the members of their fan club: The Depths. Each welcome box included branded merch to encourage fans to wear the team colors with pride, plus access to an augmented reality experience that added a new layer of fun to the game. 

Our team designed an animated Zamboni ride, face filters, and other awesome exclusives. Members got to root for their team while exploring a gamified virtual space. The Kraken got data that helped them understand the fans in the stands.  

These are the relationship-building moments that, although not directly encouraging audiences to add something to their shopping cart, make them feel appreciated and understood. It’s familiarity, and eventually trust, that forms the bedrock beneath a lifetime of fandom. 

Wondering how to inspire your audiences with more tangible marketing? Read up on our print services or contact us – we’d love to brainstorm with you.