Creating Buzz With Interactive Marketing Events

I was at Bloom Nutrition's Energy Bar pop-up in Austin today, and it felt different. This wasn’t just an influencer-driven marketing stunt. It was an experience — one where the brand didn’t just want to be seen but wanted to be felt. For years, brands poured millions into influencer campaigns, chasing clout through sponsored posts and paid shoutouts. But the smartest brands are pivoting from influencer-driven to community-first marketing. Influencer marketing isn’t fading, but it’s evolving. Brands now realize that digital buzz alone isn’t enough; they need real-world engagement. Here’s why Bloom’s pop-up worked, and why more brands need to be thinking like this: 🔥 Exclusivity without exclusion – Anyone could sign up, yet the long lines created buzz and demand. Making an event open to the public while maintaining an exclusive feel is the sweet spot for community engagement. 🎯 Hyper-localized branding – They didn’t just drop a generic activation; they spoke Austin’s language. From ATX-branded hats to signage that read “Bloom loves Austin,” the event felt personal and intentional. When brands embed themselves in local culture, they foster deeper connections. 📷 UGC at scale: Live experiences generate way more organic content than a single paid post. Instead of relying on a few big influencers, they turned every attendee into a brand ambassador. 🙌 Participation = ownership – A photobooth, a charm keychain station — small, interactive moments made attendees part of the brand experience. People don’t just want to see a brand; they want to engage with it, create with it, and share it. Your audience doesn’t just want to be marketed to — they want to be included. The future of marketing is experiential, participatory, and community-driven. If you’re not building real-world experiences that make people feel something, you’re missing out.

Event marketing hasn't changed in 20 years. - You shell out huge amounts of cash for a booth. - You get a badge scanner. - You lure people in with swag. - You talk to uninterested people to get a vanity scan. - You chalk up the wasted budget to "we had to be there" Event marketing is no different than direct response ads trying to convert the 2% in market vs. going after the 98% that aren't. And we've all pretty much agreed that marketing to the 98% has a ton of benefits. So why hasn't that filtered over to event marketing? Weeeeell, it is now. We've pushed the envelope with our sponsorships for Goldenhour this year, and guess what... As an attendee, you're actually going to LOVE talking to sponsors. Because we actually DID it different, instead of just SAYING it was different. and you get something you actually want, content. Hear me out: None of our sponsors have a booth. None of them have a badge scanner. Instead, we gave them a dedicated camera operator, a concept for a show, and a place to record it with an active audience that can take part if they want. We've got three content activations that are going to be happening live. here's a sneak peek at one to paint the picture: We created the Goldenhour Studio, presented by Vimeo. You'll come into the studio, where you'll see a camera, microphone, large screen, and a video editor. You will sit down and record a short-form video. This can be you talking to the camera directly, a short-form interview, or anything else you can think of. (we will also have some prompts if you need a nudge) The editor will be editing your video in real time with Vimeo's text-based editor on the big screen for everyone to see and return your video to you in minutes so you can post while you're still at the show. You get: - video content to share with almost no effort involved Sponsor gets: - awareness of their new product (text based editor) to a captive audience and a way to demo it that actually provides value. Nobody gets: - a hard pitch or enrolled in a sequence. This is the future of event sponsorships -- wins for everyone involved. Cya at Goldenhour next week!!

“Ugh, there’s no one coming to our booth. I wish we could show people what we do!” Sound familiar? As a seller turned marketer, I totally get it. Sitting around at an event not booking demos sucks. But it’s entirely preventable. I stole this playbook by studying the greats at Chili Piper, Vidyard, and others who have this down to a science. And the 2 times I’ve executed on it, it’s led to some amazing outcomes. Before I share what I learned I’ll quickly say: don’t make this robotic. Follow your natural curiosity and have fun with it. If not, it won’t feel authentic. OK here’s how it works: 1. Get a tripod, mics, and a phone. If you have the budget, find a camera person. It makes you look official. 2. Come up with a series of prompts for your audience. They can be fun, like “how do you explain your job to friends and fam”, or educational, like “name 3 tools you can’t live without”, or inspiring “how’d you break into this field?” 3. Hit up people on LinkedIn in advance to schedule time for an interview. 4. Put the tripod setup in front of your booth. Interview people. You can also walk around and film at other booths. 5. As people start to see the fun you’re having, more will want to join in. You’ll create buzz, foot traffic, and most importantly: credibility. 6. Book demos with people who are now interested in what you have to offer. 7. Leverage all the content for the next month. This is how you get ROI from events. No one wants to be sold, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to buy. I have the receipts to show it: at HR tech Logan Rivenes and I tested this out and it literally led to a booked demo and then closed won opp. There was a zero chance we would have sourced that deal otherwise. When you talk to the market, the market talks back! 🗣️

If you want your event to get the most buzz and attendance - follow this one simple concept. Refuse to feel traditional. Organizations are reimaging how they produce events - and I'm about to tell you how to apply these ideas to your own event. 🔹 Immersive Brand Activations Spotify and LinkedIn took to Cannes Lions and transformed spaces into branded lounges that doubled as networking hubs. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Versus a Step-And-Repeat wall, create a space where guests get to interact with your story. Think: Hands-on demo Branded lounge with entertainment A Themed environment 🔹 Reinvented Corporate Conferences Shopify gave attendees hidden speakeasies, garage style brainstorming rooms, and teaming building via hackathon labs. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Get out of that ballroom beloved. BizBash reported on FX celebrated their season premier at a laundry mat. Unexpected venues will forever surprise attendees and spark interest. 🔹 Fan & Sponsor Engagement Wins During the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) All-Star Weekend, Nike and American Express built fan zones that converted foot traffic into measurable leads because they were interactive. 👉🏾 Your Turn: If you have sponsors, design experiences where guests are actively engaging with them and not walking past yet another logo. 🔹 Purpose-Driven and Sustainable Events Meaningful is the new Must Have. This goes beyond dietary restrictions and plant based food. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Add on elements that shows your value: sourcing local vendors including minority owned, reducing waste, and tying a cause to your event. My key takeaway: Your attendees don't just want to show up. They want a new lived experience, discover something new and have a story worth telling. The question you should always ask during the event planning phase is what story will attendees leave telling. P.S. Did you find this helpful?