5 Effective Event Marketing Examples and Why They Work
Launching a successful corporate event may sound confusing and overwhelming if you are unsure of where to begin or if you have little to no experience with planning events for business entities yourself.
Learning about effective event marketing examples and why they worked can help you during planning your next event for your business or brand.
#5. Burning Man Festival
The Burning Man Festival is a festival that has become a global phenomenon in the past decade alone. The festival itself is in the Nevada desert, which may seem shocking to those who are unfamiliar with the rampant success and popularity of the festival.
Throughout the year, Burning Man marketers send a newsletter to all subscribers and prospective attendees to inform them of updates, changes, and even additional elements of the following year’s Burning Man Festival that is sure to excite readers and past attendees.
The area for Burning Man is also used year-round, hosting smaller festivals and events to keep traffic steady and to keep people coming back for more.
Burning Man marketers have also formed many partnerships and pursued initiatives to help spread the word about the event without allowing its excitement or demand to die down. Burning Man coordinators and event planners also work in direct participation with artists and partners who help support and sustain the event.
Burning Man is no longer considered a simple festival, but a lifestyle for many attendees. The Burning Man marketers have honed in on their target demographics and have since built a thriving and welcoming community for those who wish to experience Burning Man for themselves.
Marketing strategies (recap):
- They have a subscription (newsletter) that alerts subscribers throughout the year
- They host smaller events throughout the year to keep them excited for the main event
- Partnerships and initiatives are used to strengthen word-of-mouth marketing
- They've created a strong community through their attendees and events
#4. Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is popular each year, as its online presence and official website are almost as detailed as the International Balloon Fiesta is in person. The official website of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta includes everything you need to know about the event, including links to “behind the scenes” areas of the event and scenes of preparing and setting up.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta partners with vendors to help maximize the promotion and exposure the festival receives while leading up to the fiesta’s official launch date. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has partnered up with hotels and nearby accommodations to help encourage attendees to stay in town while also generating additional foot traffic and interest in the event.
Each year, The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta takes advantage of its social media presence by launching a massive online campaign. Before and even during the balloon fiesta, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will showcase clips of balloons and events occurring in real-time with the use of social media.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta also has an active newsletter that is available year-round. They typically host a variety of competitions to encourage attendance and participation in the events and balloon fiestas they host year round.
Marketing strategies (recap):
- Includes an extremely detailed website with all the information you would need
- They market the behind-the-scenes look into the making of the event to get people excited
- Partnerships with vendors and hotels around the area help generate traffic
- They launch a mastic social media campaign showcasing the festival
- They have a subscription (newsletter) that alerts subscribers throughout the year
- Throughout the year, they host various competitions to keep people involved
#3. Minnesota State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair is a great example of successful event marketing examples, especially as it typically exists solely on word-of-mouth marketing. Because Minnesota’s State Fair is so large and includes plenty to do, all that is needed in order to attract attendees and even vendors is a successful word-of-mouth campaign.
The Minnesota State Fair is a multi-day fair that includes plenty of activities and food stops or vendors to visit throughout each one. Throughout each day at the Minnesota State Fair, attendees can take advantage of different deals and discounts, based on which vendor(s) are attending the event on your preferred day to visit.
The organizers of The Minnesota State Fair are also well-connected with sponsors and vendors who work throughout Minnesota, providing plenty of choices for attendees. Whether you are launching a small business on your own or if you are searching for ways to promote your existing Minnesota business, you can do so at The Minnesota State Fair.
The Minnesota State Fair focuses on food, which is why they offer specials, discounts, and even early bird specials for those attending the fair for multiple days.
Marketing strategies (recap):
- The event includes a lot of activities, vendors, volunteers and embraces its community. Word-of-mouth is the fair's biggest adverting agent.
- There are various deals and discounts available
- Sponsors and partnerships help spread the word
#2. Coachella
Another event that relies heavily on word-of-mouth marketing includes Coachella. Coachella is a music festival that has become increasingly popular each year in the past decade alone. Coachella’s audience is typically geared towards the younger crowd who have an interest in music and keeping up with the latest trends.
Coachella’s marketing team understands the power of hosting a year-round newsletter to generate buzz and keep interest flowing for Coachella itself. Coachella not only promotes artists and plenty of talent, but also offers exclusive branded merchandise during and throughout the event itself.
For those who are interested in attending Coachella, there are flexible ticket and purchasing items besides guides for the festival itself. The official Coachella website is packed with travel information, campaign resources, and even guides about how to get to the festival for those who are new to the area.
Besides helping attendees navigate the event, Coachella managers also promote sustainability and green living, which is even more appealing to the larger progressive audience they intend to reach. Using eco-friendly motivations can help you to expand the audience you can appeal to at your own event.
Choosing a wide variety of artists and talent also helps to spread the word about Coachella among various demographics and groups of attendees.
Along with standard marketing techniques and practices, those managing Coachella also have a heavy social media presence online. Coachella’s social media presence showcases videos, questionnaires, and even engagement opportunities, such as trivia contests. Coachella’s marketing managers use FOMO, or the fear of missing out, to motivate followers and attendees to keep coming back for more.
Marketing strategies (recap):
- They host a year-round newsletter to generate event buzz and keep interest
- Creates exclusive, branded merchandise for attendees
- Partners with talent/artist to boost event awareness (influencer marketing)
- Their website provides everything you need to know about attending the event and planning your stay
- The festival promotes sustainability which can be appealing to attendees and something they want to get behind and support
- They have a heavy social media presence and put out engaging posts and videos
#1. Comic-Con (San Diego)
Comic-Con, located in San Diego, is one of the most popular fandom events hosted in the USA each year. Comic-Con is known for the influencers it attracts, which is why attendance is typically high without additional efforts being made. Although most attendees are already excited about seeing and meeting their favorite influencers, it is still necessary for Comic-Con to launch an attractive and effective marketing campaign to ensure its ongoing success.
Each year, Comic-Con is a major success because of the rising fandom of internet influencers and online celebrities. The managers of Comic-Con understand what their audience wants and deliver each year with plenty of branded merchandise, meet and greets, and a thoroughly detailed website that includes information, instructions, and guidance. Newsletters and a lively social media presence help to keep Comic-Con relevant, year in and year out.
When attending Comic-Con, the event’s official website also includes plenty of information on what to pack, survival guides for the area, and additional promotions to inform attendees of guests and special events or activities that may be available.
Marketing strategies (recap):
- Influencer marketing is huge!!
- They essentially rely on the talent they bring to the event to attract an audience
- Fandom!
- They provide branded merchandise and exclusive activities like meet and greets
- Their website is packed with event information, programs, attending instructions, etc.
- They do everything they can to help the guests prepare their experience like what to pack, survival guides, parking, etc.
Launching a successful event for any reason is rarely straightforward, especially when you are doing so hoping to promote your own business or brand. Immersing yourself in successful event marketing examples and familiarizing yourself with your own options and opportunities can help you plan an event for your own business with ease.
