Source[De]Coded:🔥 In-Person Events Are Heating Up

We’re all just buzzing from an awesome few days in Puerto Rico. It was the perfect mix of bonding, learning, exploring and free time. I think we finally perfected the work offsite. Reach out to Becky or Kevin if you want some guidance on planning yours…they totally crushed it. 

Shameless Plug: In addition to SCC in PR, we’ve had a pretty big week. PRovoke just named us one of the Top 80 Agencies in the US AND our work with Databank has been shortlisted for Corporate Media Relations Campaign of the Year. I guess when it rains, it pours!

This week, we’re showcasing how Coors Light maximized MLB Opening Day, an interesting trend around consumer gifting, and how PR pros are navigating delivering onsite impact for clients remotely.

Lastly, if you’re a March Madness nut…GO GATORS!!!

Have an awesome rest of your week and Spring Break!

Best,

Greg & Becky

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Tap into in-person activations: Coors Light utilized AI to celebrate MLB home openers

TL;DR: Launched specifically for home opener baseball games across the U.S., Coors Light’s “Obstructed Brews” campaign invites consumers sitting in obstructed-view seats at games to upload a photo of their spot to be scanned using AI. If the seat is deemed bad enough, the user will receive a Venmo payment that can be used on Coors Light.

Takeaway: This is a clever use of emerging technology being used to both provide brands with user data in real time and create a solution for consumers. Plus, the upload-a-picture execution couldn’t be more simple – something that’s crucial to increase adoption of a new tech tool. While the reach for a campaign like this is relatively small, it’s still an unexpected move that both leans into the surprise-and-delight factor and can gain traction for how unique it is.

Consider:

• How can your brand leverage AI to enhance customer engagement in real-time?
• In-person activations may reach smaller audiences, but that doesn’t mean they’re less powerful. How could your brand show up for the right niche audience with a memorable in-person interaction?

⚡️ Fueling Growth Through Integrated Marketing ⚡️

Integrated marketing can help you identify your key community members and reward them in a variety of ways.

Consider having your data team pull a list of your highest converting customers. Use email marketing to check-in on a more intimate basis with your clients through a regular newsletter or community-focused content. Curate consumer-generated content for your next paid advertising campaign to help celebrate your products in real use.

An integrated approach can help split the internal workload, create a circular approach that feeds user data back into your ecosystem, and makes customers feel supported across the board.

Prioritize your consumers: Why more brands are reshuffling budget from influencer marketing to consumer gifting

TL;DR: After many brands (Tarte and Poppi come to mind) have been hit with backlash for gifting influencers with extravagant products or lavish trips, some brands are reinvesting budget out of influencer marketing and into gifting their loyal, everyday customers.

Takeaway: Brands like Cocokind, Refy, and Vita Coco have leaned into community-oriented giveaways that, according to Cocokind’s CMO, “create this unforgettable experience for people who’ve supported us the most over the years.” That’s not to say that these brands are entirely diverting their resources away from influencers – they’re simply adding consumers into the mix by offering up trips to loyal customers, adding community members to their PR mailer lists, and enhancing consumer-focused experiences that help generate genuine brand loyalty.

Consider:

• Find ways to celebrate your community and reward highly loyal consumers. How can you show your community your appreciation for their loyalty?
• You may want to even divert a portion of your influencer marketing or user-generated content budget toward community-based efforts. Test it out by taking 25% of your budget to invest in consumer-focused experiences.

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Be persistent: Lessons from pitching a business remotely

TL;DR: A PR professional shared their experience securing top-tier interviews for clients during the Super Bowl without being on the ground at the event and the three essential principles brands can follow to recreate the success.

Takeaway: Just because you’re not physically in the action doesn’t mean your brand, spokesperson, or product can’t be. Here are the three key principles: follow up relentlessly (more times than you think you might have to), make every pitch personal (generic pitches get ignored), and stay flexible (nothing goes as planned). Pitching media, especially around major in-person events, can require a bit of controlled chaos, but persistence can truly pay off.

Consider:

• Don’t count your brand out from pitching and promotion at a relevant major in-person event just because you can’t be there physically. Lean on the three key principles to get your brand seen from wherever you are.
• How can you control the chaos of a media frenzy? Make sure you’re targeting highly-relevant media with timely and interesting pitch angles that makes it a no-brainer for journalists to engage.

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