On-ground activation, also known as physical marketing, refers to the process of creating an interactive and engaging experience for consumers physically. It involves setting up at a physical location where consumers can interact with the brand’s product or service. On-ground activations are often used by marketers to create buzz around a brand, increasing brand awareness and driving sales.
These chatters of awareness can be achieved through a variety of tactics, including pop-up shops, product launches, sponsorships, sampling campaigns, and experiential marketing. The goal is to create a memorable experience that consumers will associate with the brand, thereby increasing brand awareness and loyalty.
Here are some forms of On-ground Activation to generate awareness:
1. Pop-up Shops
Pop-up shops are a common form of on-ground activation. These temporary retail spaces are set up to sell a specific product or product line. Pop-up shops can be used to introduce a new product or test a new market. They also create a sense of exclusivity around the brand.
2. Product Launches
Product launches are also a popular form of on-ground activation. When a new product is released, brands may create a physical event to showcase the product and give consumers the opportunity to try it out.
3. Direct Sampling Campaigns
Sampling campaigns are also a common form of on-ground activation. Brands may set up sampling campaigns at events or in public spaces to give consumers the opportunity to try out their products. This can be an effective way to introduce new products to potential customers, inducing trials on the product. This serves as an opportunity for the consumers to have a positive experience with your product which may turn them into advocates and loyal customers to your brand.
There are two types of sampling – wet sampling and dry sampling.
Wet sampling allows a consumer to try the products and give instant feedback, this usually applied to F&B brands where they will give out samples of their products to give users to try and provide reviews. On the other hand, dry sampling offers the customers to try the product at home.
4. Sponsorships
Brands can sponsor events or activities that align with their brand values or target audience. This can create positive associations between the brand and the event, leading to increased brand awareness and loyalty.
Should a Brand Engage in On-Ground Activation?
On-ground activations can be an opportunity for the brands to provide the consumers to reach out to them. There are many benefits of engaging in on-ground activations and here are some prominent reasons why you should consider in engaging one:
- Increased Brand Awareness:
It allows the brand to reach a wider audience and increase their visibility. When the activation happens in a high traffic area, the visibility of the brand is more prominent with more reach and impression. - Increase Engagement:
After capturing their attention, we strive to connect with the consumers on a personal level by instilling a call-to-action upon interacting at the event. This provides the opportunity for the brand to foster a relationship with consumers through the interactive and engaging experience. - Social Media Amplification:
On-ground activation events often generate a significant amount of buzz on social media. This is important as on-ground activation campaigns can bring the offline campaigns to online’s chatters, resulting in amplification of consumers’ reach and impression.
To achieve this, consumers may share their experiences on social media, which can increase brand awareness and reach a wider audience, providing the brand more advocacy.
Additionally, with the chatters on the digital space, we can evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign through the amount of UGC posts on social media and calculating the awareness of the campaign.
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