PR Tactics to Boost Brand Impact at Activations

For a 2023 activation in New York City, bone broth brand Kettle & Fire wanted to educate the public about the deep, damaging flaws in our food system and introduce the brand’s steps toward resolving some of those issues. The experience at the core of the event took attendees on a multi-part journey through the food system via a series of innovative, engaging vignettes. The story they told compared the past to our unsustainable present and ended on a hopeful note — and thanks to some savvy PR work that echoed the storytelling elements of the event, the message reached far beyond the participants who took the journey.

Experiential marketing is exciting, engaging, even immersive, but often the overall vibe and message are tough to portray to non-attendees. By clever use of storytelling, the public relations efforts for the Kettle & Fire event paid off in diverse and far-reaching media coverage.

“PR should never be a second thought when it comes to running an experiential campaign or event,” says a recent PRNews article.

Why PR Matters

Here are some ways PR can support your brand’s experiential marketing from the earliest planning stages and help spread your message beyond the physical space of the activation or pop-up.

Storytelling & Brand Positioning

Storytelling sets the stage for positive media coverage by helping craft a compelling narrative around your experiential event and positioning it as a unique experience that aligns with your brand values and resonates with your target audience.

Media Relations & Influencer Marketing

PR can leverage relationships with media outlets, journalists, and influencers to get them involved in your event.  This could involve hosting media previews, inviting influencers to participate, piquing the interest of freelance reporters who cover your industry, or facilitating interviews with key figures. Media coverage and influencer promotion can significantly amplify the reach of your event.

Working with individual journalists or influencers rather than publications has another distinct advantage: individuals are motivated to get their content and stories picked up by multiple outlets. “By focusing on targeting one person, you can potentially receive a variety of media placements instead of one specific outlet,” Teter notes.

Community Engagement

PR can help you connect with local communities and stakeholders to generate interest in your event. This might involve partnerships with local businesses or organizations to promote the event and encourage participation.

Pre-Event: Plan Strategically

Reach out to Media Outlets and Influencers

When it comes to promoting your brand’s events — activations, pop-ups, product launches, etc. — public relations is all about relationships, and building those relationships requires outreach, says Berenika Teter in a recent article for prowly.com. “PR outreach is the process of reaching out to relevant journalists, influencers, or media outlets with the purpose of introducing your business, building relationships, and increasing brand awareness.” Begin this process as soon as possible, even if your event is months away. By introducing journalists, influencers, and others to your brand and story, you’re laying the groundwork for promoting your event. Target the specific media outlets and individuals that align most with your target audience.

Get (and Stay) on Message

What’s the key message you want to communicate about your event? What do you hope will be attendees’ primary takeaway from the event itself? Developing a clear message and purpose for the experiential marketing event will help you communicate it consistently throughout marketing materials and press releases. “Start with figuring out what you’re going to tell the world about your brand in the next few months, and where you’re going to publish your news,” Teter writes. Determine what messages about your brand you’ll want to communicate in the next few months, and reach out to those PR outlets that align with your target audience.

Craft a Press Release

Write an engaging and compelling press release that highlights the uniqueness of your brand activation or other experiential event. If you’re involving influencers, collaborators, or any other partners with the event, mention them in the press release to broaden the event’s reach, interest, and credibility.

“Back in the days, press releases and media pitches were usually reserved for PR specialists, but it’s no longer the case,” says Teter. Online media relations tools like Prowly, Muck Rack, and other PR/journalism platforms offer tools for crafting press releases, finding relevant contacts within the media, and publishing releases to an online newsroom (which journalists in search of stories find leads).

Consider Working with PR Pros

Public relations can create a buzz around your experiential marketing event before it even happens, and working with an agency or individuals with PR experience can drastically improve your media coverage. They can issue press releases, pitch stories to media outlets, and leverage social media to build anticipation and excitement. This can attract a larger audience and make your event more newsworthy.

Public relations professionals are equally expert at developing a social media strategy to encourage attendees and others to share their experiences online using a branded hashtag. This can create a wave of organic social media buzz and extend the conversation beyond the event itself.

Finally, your public relations partners can help analyze data from the event, such as media coverage, social media engagement, and brand sentiment. This data can be used to measure the success of the campaign or event and inform your brand’s future experiential marketing and PR efforts.

What About After the Event?

Your public relations efforts can secure positive media coverage of your event even after it takes place. This can involve sending followup press releases with highlights and visuals, or pitching stories about the event’s success. Positive media coverage extends the reach of your event and reinforces its impact — and if your event was tied to a larger cause, like Kettle & Fire’s, the followup coverage gives your cause even more coverage.

In essence, public relations acts as a bridge between your experiential marketing event and the wider audience. By generating pre-event hype, securing media coverage, and fostering engagement, PR helps ensure your experiential marketing efforts leave a lasting impression and achieve your desired brand impact.

Promobile Marketing is a dynamic experiential marketing agency based in New York City. For over a decade, Promobile Marketing has collaborated with a range of brands—from budding startups to major CPG brands—on immersive marketing campaigns. Get in touch to discuss your next project.