When Confucius generated this appointment, he never imagined that his words would serve as the cover of the countless presentations of those who claim to claim the title of Experiential Marketers. They all aspire to convince the market with tools that are far removed from traditional marketing and mass advertising.

Invasive marketing

There are those who continue to bombard the consumer with tools born in traditional marketing: they are thinking new and radical ideas and means very quickly but without modifying the basis of the relationship with the consumer. All the predominant marketing and advertising tricks are characterized by an impersonality that does not respect the consumer’s wishes at all: their tactics do not generate emotional connection and their strategies have no respect for the target audience

This type of campaign only manages to mold in the consumer a reactionary force distrustful and even negative with respect to the actions thought from the Experiential framework. Consumer mistrust becomes an absolute disdain for invasive marketing. The battle is over and marketers think that if consumers are skeptical about our messages and raise ever higher barriers, then much more extreme efforts are needed to tear them down.

Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing is a discipline centered on the consumer. The “XMers – Consumers of XM” (consumers of Experiential Marketing) pretend marketing campaigns based on conversation, on the dynamics of a one-on-one dialogue; It does not matter if that is done with millions of consumers. It is a discipline of personal voices, it is a methodology based on human interaction, even if that same interaction is repeated hundreds, thousands and millions of times. You must not invade the consumer, you must increase your experience with the brand or the message that accompanies the product.

A marketing experience that does not provide an inherent benefit to the consumer – physically, emotionally, instinctively or mentally – does not imply an Experiential Marketing; it’s just more annoying noise and unwanted advertising. Companies can not get involved in non-beneficial experiences, not listening and not analyzing their communication will move people a little more. Marketing should be based on an experience that provides more than just a commercial scope, a marketing message or transactional sales offers.

Traditional marketing vs. Experiential Marketing

Advertising and traditional marketing is limited to saying something to consumers in a street with a single hand – a monologue – that aims to reach the largest audience, without taking into account their true needs, both rational and emotional. They seek to involve the consumer, attract it and incorporate the brand or the product / service offered in a certain situation of use; only in this way will the consumer truly remember and understand with his mind and heart what is being offered to him.

This can be seen in the commercialization of cars: millions of advertisements are created in newspapers, magazines, public roads, radio or television to tell us about a certain model. The seller and buyer are linked in the sales room, a driving test is allowed or the car is shown beyond the two-dimensional visual indications of the print and television advertising. The Experience in the exhibition hall or in the test round are not entirely experiential; this involvement does not become a commitment. Just think of all the Show Rooms that are mounted on the coast at holiday time with slender and beautiful promoters that do not emit sound and only affect the sense of sight with feelings far removed from the emotional bond with the brand or model that is being exhibiting.

Confucius in the 21st century

Who will ever know that it was Confucius – and not individuals like Phil Knight of Nike or Howard Schultz of Starbucks – the first Experiential Marketer? The Confucian approach has resonated and expanded sublime in business. This new Experiential Marketing speaks of the fact of getting involved, and of its subsequent transformation into a commitment to carry out Brand experiences and products. We see how this concept is applied to the example of the automotive industry when reading that “in a Service Economy, the lack of differentiation in the minds of customers causes the products to experience the constant price pressure indelibly associated with undifferentiated products. . As a result, more and more customers buy products based solely on price and availability. ”

Consumers will choose and respond to marketing campaigns aimed at them in the same way they will choose the brands, services and products of the gondolas. If marketing demonstrates meaning and benefit then it will be made to pass through the marketing landscape full of unwanted advertising and which considers that being deaf is a good business model to generate profits in the long term, far from this reality we must start to think that the sales target can be reached today, but the important thing is to be able to continue earning money tomorrow.