Experiential Marketing
A Resurgence of Activism
Fri Aug 14 2009
by Jeff McLinden
The term continues to evoke mental images associated with the sixties. Perhaps that is why "activism" on behalf of causes has been viewed with disdain by "mainstream" Americans for the past few decades.
We tend to associate activism with negative images, such as the violent Black Panther movement, of the so-called "eco-terrorists" or the extreme edges of the OPPOSITE political party from our own. Yet activism in the name of more mainstream causes is how things get done -- and is experiencing a resurgence within our culture. Political activism is not the only arena in which attention is garnered. In more sedate nonprofit enterprises, such as the arts, or social services causes -- and even in ministry pursuits -- people are discovering that their voices and their actions speak louder than organizational brochures and newsletters.
"Doing something" to make a difference seems to be taking on new meaning as huge numbers of people are more actively participating in all sorts of activities on behalf of their favorite non-profits. And it isn't simply the usual events that have traditionally sought to engage donor participation, such as banquets, walk-a-thons, charity balls, golf tournaments, etc. You'll find passionate participants getting their hands dirty in some very interesting -- and creative -- ways to promote their cause, gain broad attention for it, and raise significant sums to benefit it. Here's a quick example...
Renee Davis runs a summer "theater camp" for teens as a means of supporting a local pregnancy center called Life Network. How does that work? With casting, costuming, set design and memorization done in advance, Renee pulls everything together during a two week period -- set construction, play blocking, rehearsals, lighting, sound and four performances that include the show and dessert. The venue is donated, parents and teens provide labor, acting and other services, refreshments are donated by local establishments and hundreds of tickets are sold.
"I love doing this for Life Network," Renee says. "The kids get a chance to really understand that their hard work can benefit others. They learn about the organization and their work takes on new meaning and new importance. And, in the end, everybody wins."
She's right. At the end of the two weeks, 800 people saw an excellent performance of "Les Misérables" and heard a brief presentation about Life Network, 30 students and their families contributed hundreds of man-hours volunteering for the cause, the greater community read articles in the local paper about the effort, and the ministry organization received a much needed budget boost through a $5,000 contribution -- and significant exposure to new audiences.
Is that "activism?" The dictionary describes activism as "using vigorous activity or campaigning to bring about political or social change." With that definition it will be interesting to see just how creative organizations can be to prompt constituencies to find new ways to "participate" in furthering their causes. But the real issue -- why this "works" -- is the fundamental principle that "experience trumps knowledge." The most powerful fype of interchange between an organization and its customers/donors is NOT the financial transaction -- rather it is how the customer/donor experiences the brand. Experiential marketing taps into the natural desires people have and reinforces their perception of the organization -- good or bad.
How do people experience YOUR brand? Can you create meaningful, positive and beneficial experiences that allow your donors to be "activists" for your cause?
The term continues to evoke mental images associated with the sixties. Perhaps that is why "activism" on behalf of causes has been viewed with disdain by "mainstream" Americans for the past few decades.
We tend to associate activism with negative images, such as the violent Black Panther movement, of the so-called "eco-terrorists" or the extreme edges of the OPPOSITE political party from our own. Yet activism in the name of more mainstream causes is how things get done -- and is experiencing a resurgence within our culture. Political activism is not the only arena in which attention is garnered. In more sedate nonprofit enterprises, such as the arts, or social services causes -- and even in ministry pursuits -- people are discovering that their voices and their actions speak louder than organizational brochures and newsletters.
"Doing something" to make a difference seems to be taking on new meaning as huge numbers of people are more actively participating in all sorts of activities on behalf of their favorite non-profits. And it isn't simply the usual events that have traditionally sought to engage donor participation, such as banquets, walk-a-thons, charity balls, golf tournaments, etc. You'll find passionate participants getting their hands dirty in some very interesting -- and creative -- ways to promote their cause, gain broad attention for it, and raise significant sums to benefit it. Here's a quick example...
Renee Davis runs a summer "theater camp" for teens as a means of supporting a local pregnancy center called Life Network. How does that work? With casting, costuming, set design and memorization done in advance, Renee pulls everything together during a two week period -- set construction, play blocking, rehearsals, lighting, sound and four performances that include the show and dessert. The venue is donated, parents and teens provide labor, acting and other services, refreshments are donated by local establishments and hundreds of tickets are sold.
"I love doing this for Life Network," Renee says. "The kids get a chance to really understand that their hard work can benefit others. They learn about the organization and their work takes on new meaning and new importance. And, in the end, everybody wins."
She's right. At the end of the two weeks, 800 people saw an excellent performance of "Les Misérables" and heard a brief presentation about Life Network, 30 students and their families contributed hundreds of man-hours volunteering for the cause, the greater community read articles in the local paper about the effort, and the ministry organization received a much needed budget boost through a $5,000 contribution -- and significant exposure to new audiences.
Is that "activism?" The dictionary describes activism as "using vigorous activity or campaigning to bring about political or social change." With that definition it will be interesting to see just how creative organizations can be to prompt constituencies to find new ways to "participate" in furthering their causes. But the real issue -- why this "works" -- is the fundamental principle that "experience trumps knowledge." The most powerful fype of interchange between an organization and its customers/donors is NOT the financial transaction -- rather it is how the customer/donor experiences the brand. Experiential marketing taps into the natural desires people have and reinforces their perception of the organization -- good or bad.
How do people experience YOUR brand? Can you create meaningful, positive and beneficial experiences that allow your donors to be "activists" for your cause?
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