What if the essence of your brand could become 3-D? If you could peel the words from the page or the screen and stand them up in a room, what would they sound like and how would they make people feel? What lasting impact would your brand have on those who experienced it in this way? Would the connection to your brand be deeper – even leveragable?
Interest in three-dimensional and virtual techniques are front and center of late, from the newest blockbuster, Avatar, to print advertisements inviting readers to engage in a more realistic online shopping experience. And online environments such as Second Life (which seems to be enjoying a bit of a second life, itself) are still enabling visitors to build virtual worlds with 3-D modeling. Yet, as entertaining and forward-thinking as these technologies are, I don’t believe they come close to all that can be experienced through actual connection.
I recently attended the annual CASE conferences (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) for Districts I and II and was impressed by the level of participation engaged in by planners and attendees alike. These groups truly wanted to come together in the same physical locations to share stories of success, to learn creative techniques for engaging alumni and donors, and to simply connect on a personal level—in one instance, in spite of book-end blizzards. The resulting relationships are much more enduring than if they simply “linked-in” without the face-to-face experience first.
We also just participated in the National Sports Forum, the largest annual cross gathering of the top team sports marketing, sales, promotions, and event entertainment executives. This year’s NSF was held in Baltimore and was a Who’s Who of international sports leadership, all of whom understand the power of connecting with audiences at all levels—but especially in-person. Sports Marketing professionals understand the ROI of strong connections. Fan development experiences such as what Feats develops for The Baltimore Ravens grow game day beyond the stadium bowl, expanding opportunities for fans to share their passions. (And in doing so, they also create opportunities for additional brand engagement, along with additional revenue and sponsorship dollars.)
Weaving together live experience with other off- and online communications channels creates a portfolio of experiences that uniquely mobilizes our brands. Together, the impact is long-lasting and sustainable because the essence and the energy of who we are is shared each time a connection is made. Virtual worlds and interactions are undeniably engaging – and can play dynamic roles in our marketing platforms. But don’t underestimate the long-term and lasting connections made by face-to-face interaction. Imagine your favorite brand peeling the words off the page – and coming to shake your hand.
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