Experiential Marketing on the move.

From the Blog / Submitted by Elizabeth_Toledo on Thu, 01/17/2008 - 17:20.

Yesterday I wrote about how hard it is for women business owners to get a piece of the massive multi-billion dollar federal contracting work. Today I look at how non-profits can get a piece of the $1.4 billion corporate "cause" marketing industry fueled by the "Experiential Marketing" craze.

In a nutshell -- old-style advertising that simply encourages consumers to buy your product is on the decline. New marketing that promotes direct consumer engagement at events and online is on the rise. And tying in a cause to that new marketing significantly improves a campaign's success.

“Experiential Marketing” has been building in popularity among corporate advertisers; everyone from Weight Watchers to Hilton Hotels to Tampax has embraced the strategy. Some experts estimate that this approach has grown into a $50 billion industry, and that about $1.4 billion of those dollars are directed to “cause” marketing. In fact, most people in the United States (84%) are willing to switch brands to support a cause and the public support for cause marketing has measurably increased since September 11, 2001.

Co-branding with corporations is a dicey prospect for some non profits. But if it’s a strategic direction that works for you, here are some tips from marketing experts in the non-profit field:
- Understand the value of your non profit brand before negotiating (Kurt Aschermann, Boys & Girls Clubs of America)
- “Date” your prospective partners before marrying them. Let them see you in action, and get to know their operations. It creates more successful, long-term marketing relationships. (Darell Hammond, KaBOOM)
- Talk through obstacles honestly, which can include differences in language, culture, status, world views, and bottom lines. (Shirley Sagawa, National Service)