Hottest Experiential Marketing Statistics for 2022

Marketing is the lifeblood of any sales-based organization. As a result, many strive to continue to innovate in this area. Experiential marketing, live marketing, engaging marketing, and many other titles are all labels for the same concept: immerse your customers in the product or service on a far deeper level than normal.

In a sea of advertising noise, experiential marketing can cut through the competition and fatigue. It can also be harder in a global pandemic. With all these factors accounted for, we have assembled the hottest statistics, trends, and funding news in experiential marketing. 

10 Hottest Experiential Marketing Statistics

1. 75% of marketing convention participants felt more connected to a brand as consumers after an in-person B2C brand experience. (Agency EA 2021)
   
2.  Only 50% of marketing convention participants said they felt connected to a brand after a virtual experience. (Agency EA 2021)
   
3. 71% of B2B marketers and 63% of B2C marketers have planned a hybrid event in the last 6 months. (Agency EA 2021)
   
4. Consumer Experiential Marketing’s 10-Year Growth Streak ended in 2020. (Cision 2020)
   
5. Experiential marketing was projected to rebound in 2021 with 6.1% growth rate.  (Cision 2020)
   
6. 32% of organizations report using in-person events or trade shows as a marketing channel. (Hubspot 2021)
   
7. 81% of brands believe their event and experiential budgets will match or exceed their pre-pandemic budget. (Hubspot 2021)
   
8. 91% of consumers reported that they would be more inclined to purchase the brand’s product or service after participating in a brand activation or experience. (Hubspot 2021)
   
9.  40% of customers felt they became more loyal to the brand.  (EventTrack 2021)
   
10. 74% of event planning professionals say they will need to develop skills in designing physical environments with more stringing hygiene standards post covid-19. (PMCA 2021)

Trends in Experiential Marketing

The field of marketing is never static, and experiential marketing is no different. Here you will find some of the most interesting, impactful, and exciting trends to watch in 2022 and beyond.

In-Person is Coming Back

Initial reports of the demise of in-person conventions were greatly exaggerated. At the start of the pandemic, with technology accelerating remote trends, many speculated this was the death of tradeshows. While the pandemic is not yet over, we can safely say this is not the case. 

Trade shows are back. A genuinely remarkable 85% of people said they are more likely to spend after participating in events or shows. While that ROI varies per industry, impact like that is exactly what experiential marketers use as evidence for their craft. Where and when it can be done safely, this return shows 2022 will see a return to shows for many. With that being said…

The Rise of The Virtual Experience

Marketers are, at their core, opportunists. Consumers are largely more skilled and accepting of video conferencing, webinars, and large events gone-digital after the pandemic. Experiential marketers were forced to learn digital skills like the rest of us, and they are not going to waste them.

This is a trend that will coexist with in-person events. We will see hybrid events, and digital where it is cost-effective. While these are nothing new, the pandemic has generated the acceptance, skills, and precedent for these remote experiences. New tech will take this trend even further. VR is allowing for new chances for marketing experts. It may be early, but this trend extends to emerging and future tech like the metaverse as well.

Social, Environmental, and Political Responsibility

The last decade has seen a fantastic new focus on equality, advocacy, and accountability for many industries. Many companies’ customers are no longer satisfied. Broadly, companies can no longer avoid political and social issues. 

This means attempts to move away from the old “boys clubs” of marketing shows. This is an effort largely driven by younger generations, and given how linear time works, will not go away. There are pushes for more environmentally friendly experiential marketing campaigns as well. 

These issues are not solved. Discrimination is still rampant. Importantly, this trend sees these problems being discussed, and steps being taken.

Funding News in Experiential Marketing

Broadly speaking, investment in in-person experiential marketing in the last 2 years has been less than the previous. Unsurprisingly, not many invest in conventions during lockdowns

Amplify Turning up Their Investments

Advertising firm Amplify has acquired the experiential agency Wonder for an undisclosed fee. The move demonstrates the largely digital-focused company’s ambitions to move into this sector even after a pandemic. The two will operate largely independently, except where collaboration opportunities exist. 

Creative Solutions include Streaming

The Midwestern company Creative Solutions has acquired the tech specialist company Lightstream. Their new prize recently raised $8 million in funding for its live-streaming ambitions. This action signals an intent to incorporate the technology into their own services. The company is already known for working in the live streaming space.

“We want to get rid of the technical barriers which make live streaming hard,” explains Nicol Verheem, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Creative Solutions.

Sources

• The 2022 State of Experiential Research Study (Agency EA 2021)
• PQ Media’s Global Experiential Marketing Forecast 2020 (Cision 2020)
• EventTrack 2021 Report (EventTrack 2021)
• Hubspot Marketing Industry Report 2021 (Hubspot 2021)
• What Skills Will Event Professionals Need in the COVID-19 Recovery? (PMCA 2021)