I just saw ANOTHER ad for more promotional material. Seriously, this stuff is the glitter of the professional world right? I will admit, we all need SOME amount of everyday branded items, but when it comes to special events, everyday SWAG just does not cut it
For those that don’t know, SWAG is Stuff We All Get from businesses who want us to remember their name.
If you have any association with marketing or events (especially trade shows!) you may already be up to your ears in this stuff. It’s pricey but when it comes to brands in hands and name recognition, is there a price that’s too much? Maybe. Maybe not. BUT there are some dollars spent that definitely work better than others- especially when considering events like trade shows, brand activations and other outward focused activities.
Photo Entertainment and Photo Marketing do double (and sometimes triple!) duty for your marketing dollar. Let me explain how, well….first let me show you:
That looks like a fun time doesn’t? Let me tell you, everyone had an amazing time lining up to try to make the funniest picture with the various cow backgrounds. That’s part of a transformative experience right? An experience that gives us a strong feeling, ideally to something pleasant. That’s money in the bank because then every time that person thinks of that event they are reminded how they FELT. If you made them feel good, you’ve embedded your brand in their memory.
Rather than give everyone a pen that sits in the drawer with all the other pens they have been given or that they have picked up along the way and never bothered to read, you are giving them a photograph of themselves – with your name on it. People don’t throw photos of themselves away.
When your guests share their branded photos, videos and GIFs through immediate social sharing those images can go out to their entire social network. They are seen by friends and contacts, and then seen again by the friends of the people liking and commenting on the photos. The photos can be “checked in” to your event increasing the on line footprint for the event and by extension the brand. This organic increase in brand impressions is so valuable in our current marketing landscape. Each of your guests immediately becomes your micro influencer for their social world. Did I mention that in 365 days Facebook and Google are going to be reminding them about the photos they posted last year? Yeah, your name just keeps popping up, year after year. No other SWAG has that staying power.
The other side of all the photos and shares going OUT is what is coming IN: marketing data. (Do I even need to say the pen certainly can’t do THAT?) When photos, videos and GIFs are shared, the data is collected and you receive a csv report to use in your ongoing marketing efforts.
When you have Midwest Selfies, a Photo Marketing company, at your event, what you ultimately have is additional brand ambassadors. Your goal to promote your brand is why we are there. We give your guests a stellar experience, meaningful take-aways, and you get an increase in impressions both off and on line AND you get the ability to continue to interact with all the people at the event into the future.
About the Author
- Angela Wolf is a professional photographer and marketing strategist. She operates Midwest Selfies for special events in the upper midwest and enjoys every opportunity to make sure your event get the attention it deserves.
