Captivating Event Marketing

In the dynamic world of event marketing, the adage “seeing is believing” has never been more relevant. While themes are essential to driving events, they can sometimes fall flat, like uninspired branding.

To truly captivate your audience, it’s crucial to understand the desired experience, the brand message you want to convey, and the actions you hope to inspire.

The magic lies in how you bring all of this to life, ensuring the theme and messaging resonate deeply with both the brand and the attendees.

What’s the secret to achieving this?

A story-first approach, which means having a clear, well-defined brand story (experience) that guides every aspect of the event, and not just for consumer-facing events but it's equally as effective for B2B gatherings.

At Exp Agency, we believe the key to success is understanding your audience’s wants and needs and aligning these to the brand’s value proposition and identity.

By doing this, we create a narrative that not only engages but also drives meaningful outcomes for the Brand.

Bringing the Story to Life

Once we have a solid grasp of the Brand story and the audience, the next step in our event marketing process is to define the event experience, which aims to bring the brand story to life through experiential design and engagement tactics, and involves crafting immersive experiences that attendees will not only have at the event, but will equally remember long after the event ends.

Creating Impactful Experiences

The way you execute your theme and event experience can significantly impact attendees’ moods, energy levels, and overall happiness, and this is important as today’s audiences crave the unexpected. They want to be surprised and delighted, as these moments trigger excitement and engagement.

And beyond just creating a visual feast, these experiences will also generate social media buzz – far more than a branded media board will ever do – and thus extend your brand’s reach beyond the event itself.

Think about it from an attendee’s perspective. Are you excited by generic branding, draping and repetitive layouts? Probably not.

It’s time to break the mould and create events that are as dynamic and engaging as the brands they represent and by focusing on storytelling and experiential design, we transform ordinary events into extraordinary experiences that leave a lasting impression for the Brand / Company.

Below are a few examples of events our agencies have been executing.

Colgate Herbal Relaunch, Kenya

Colgate Herbal recently unveiled its new, captivating packaging, and Exp Kenya orchestrated a memorable event to showcase this transformation to trade partners, distributors, sales representatives, and merchandisers. The event was designed to bring the natural appeal of the Colgate Herbal pack to life, creating an immersive and engaging experience for all attendees.

The event space was meticulously crafted to reflect the essence of Colgate Herbal. Guests were welcomed through a leafy entry arch, setting the tone for the natural theme. The air was filled with the refreshing scents of eucalyptus and tea tree oil, enhancing the ambiance and engaging the senses, noting that research has shown that subtle olfactory aromas can heighten engagement and participation, making this a key element of the event’s success.

To further emphasise the herbal ingredients of the toothpaste, each table featured mortar and pestles containing the three main ingredients: Tea Tree, Ginger, and Eucalyptus. This interactive element allowed guests to connect with the product on a deeper level, appreciating the natural components that make Colgate Herbal unique.

The combination of visual, olfactory, and tactile elements created a holistic experience that left a lasting impression on all attendees.

By bringing the natural appeal of Colgate Herbal to life, Exp Kenya ensured that the rebrand was not only seen but also felt and remembered.

FANTA Colourfest, Zambia

Over the past three years, Exp Zambia has masterfully crafted events for FANTA that resonate deeply with its younger audience, particularly Gen Z. These events go beyond the vibrant colour-throwing inspired by traditional Hindi Holi festivals, creating a safe and enjoyable environment that truly captivates.

FANTA’s innovative Live+ approach seamlessly blends music, fun, and bursts of colour to forge an emotional connection with its target audience, ensuring that every aspect of the event is engaging and memorable.

The event featured a variety of activities designed to keep attendees entertained and immersed in the FANTA experience. Dance troupes brought energy and excitement, while snack challenges and FANTA sampling kept the fun going.

The family activities ensured that the oldest to the youngest attendees had a blast, with FANTA at the centre of it all and the excitement didn’t end there as South African Amapiano artist Boohle headlined the afterparty, adding a thrilling musical element to the event.

With over 3,000 attendees, the event was a resounding success. FANTA’s ability to create a captivating and engaging experience ensured that everyone left with lasting memories and a stronger connection to the brand.

By focusing on creating an immersive and dynamic environment, this FANTA event proves that when you put the audience at the heart of the experience, the results are truly spectacular.

Blue Denim Strategy and Culture Immersion Conference, Nigeria

Interswitch successfully cracked the code at its Blue Denim Strategy and Culture Immersion Conference, hosted for its Africa OPCOs.

Exp Nigeria was entrusted with the task of bringing this Denim theme to life, aiming to position Interswitch as a youthful, playful, yet serious company, in line with its 5-year business strategy unveiled at the event.

Our strategy focused on stimulating the senses and ensuring maximum engagement with attendees and we achieved this by crafting a coded ambiance that resonated with the business strategy.

Culture terms were embedded on denim and leather backgrounds, creating a visually striking and meaningful environment. Additionally, we fabricated an actual denim photo booth, adding a fun and interactive element to the event and to keep the guests fully engaged, we incorporated a variety of activities that aligned with the overall theme, including VR experiences, group table games, glow party props, face art, and music.

By blending youthful playfulness with a serious business approach, we successfully positioned Interswitch in a way that aligns with its strategic goals. The event not only unpacked the 5-year business strategy but also left a lasting impression on all attendees, highlighting Interswitch’s innovative and dynamic culture.

International Pairs Golf, Ghana

Exp Ghana has redefined the traditional golf tournament experience by infusing it with local culture and fashion.

To find qualifiers for the International Pairs Global Event, various golf tournaments were held across Ghana and to make these events more local and engaging, Exp Ghana introduced the innovative “Fairway meets the Runway” theme, aimed at promoting locally made apparel to Ghanaian golfers.

Our team collaborated with local fashion designers to create clothes and accessories from indigenous materials, beautifully representing Ghanaian culture. These unique pieces were then showcased on runways at the golf events, adding a stylish and entertaining element to the day’s activities.

"The Fairway Meets the Runway” theme seamlessly blended the elegance of fashion with the excitement of golf. This fusion not only highlighted the talent of local designers but also provided golfers and attendees with a captivating and memorable experience.

Coca-Cola FoodFest Media Launch, Tanzania

Exp Tanzania recently hosted a media event that was anything but ordinary.

Set in an inviting outdoor location, the event featured local food vendors who brought an authentic taste of Tanzania to life. Some vendors even cooked from our unique FoodFest Tuk-Tuk, which will play a central role in the upcoming consumer campaign.

Through our innovative storytelling and experiential design, we transformed what could have been a routine media event into an extraordinary experience where our approach left a lasting impression on the media and guests, clearly conveying what the Coca-Cola FoodFest is all about, which is: It’s not just about great food; it’s about celebrating the real recipe for magic with Coca-Cola.

Guinness Old Boys League, Uganda

Guinness has made a significant impact by sponsoring six Old Boys football leagues in Uganda, aiming to drive brand engagement and boost sales among young adults.

To create memorable and engaging Guinness experiences at these events, Exp Uganda incorporated fun, themed soccer engagements that resonated with the attendees. These activities not only highlighted the brand but also provided an interactive and enjoyable experience for all participants.

Central to the event was the Guinness beer garden, where attendees could purchase Guinness bucket deals, creating a lively and social atmosphere. This space became a hub of activity, allowing fans to enjoy their favourite beer while soaking in the vibrant event atmosphere that also included live performances from DJs and bands that kept the crowd entertained and contributed to the overall festive vibe, perfectly aligning with Guinness’s “Black Shines Brightest” platform.

By focusing on creating an immersive and dynamic environment, Guinness successfully engaged with its target audience, leaving a lasting impression. The combination of themed activities, a bustling beer garden, and live entertainment ensured that the Old Boys League football days were not just events but unforgettable experiences.

LET AFRICA'S LEADING MARKETING AGENCY - EXP - BRING YOUR NEXT EVENT TO LIFE