The term “activation” in marketing is a fairly new term. It deals with getting your potential audience/customers engaged in a activity that creates memorable impressions in the mind of your audience.
Imagine someone giving you a free shirt randomly to promote their business. It wouldn’t mean as much to you as it would if you were engaged in a activity connected to that free product.
We often tend to not value free products. When it is damaged we often say “o well it was free anyway”.
But when there is a emotional experience attached to that free product we feel that it’s no longer a “oh well” it is now a “souvenir” something worth keeping no matter how damaged it is.
Many companies such as Under Armour, Vans, and Metro PCS is utilizing the activation marketing strategy. AT&T launched a new brand theme, where they hired event planners to plan the launch. Shaq was there, as well as a actor from walking dead. Some of our colleagues were hired in as independent contractors to Live Screen Print for AT&T. I was there printing as well.
Shockingly! the live screen printing line was longer then the line to take pictures with Shaq.
Most people who witnessed their shirts printed have a “i’m Amazed!, Wow!” reaction.
Based on the setup live screen printing can be very engaging. The more engaging activities is when we have 4 screens with the same designs and different color selections.
Having your audience select the colors helps with conversation, and engagement which heightens the experience.
For the youth we coach them on printing their own shirts. We worked with the Charles H. Wright Museum where they hosted a program called “Camp Africa”.
The course lasted for 1 week per group and the program last for 5 weeks. Each week there is a new group and every Thursday we spoke with the youth of 100 kids average about owning a business.
After the talk, we would assist them in printing their own shirts.
Our crew has ran across many of these students long after the event and they were excited and clearly remembered the live screen printing experience.
This is the power of Live Screen Printing.
Your audience get to engage in the activity of printing their shirts. Some clients hire us in to live screen print bonus items for their customers in exchange for spending a certain amount of money at their establishment. Others have us print give aways (usually community events), and some have us to sell the products.
With my experience I would say using these services as a marketing expense is the best bet. Unless you are a established brand, shirt sales usually take off slow. If using these services as a marketing expense we suggest seeking out sponsors.
For more info on live screen printing feel free to contact us:
313-257-0240
Thanks for reading
John “Pharaoh Cutty” Cutright
Founder of POA
Comments