It’s no secret that the media and entertainment habits of U.S. consumers changed drastically over the last year. The entertainment industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, shutting down first and being last to reopen. Now the question for marketers is, “How do we give music lovers an engaging, exciting experience while reopening safely?” The answer?
Your brand experience must be more adaptive than ever before.
After experiencing months of virtual entertainment, music lovers are ready for the return of live entertainment – even if it looks different. Although there’s nothing quite like a shoulder-to-shoulder concert, music fans realize how much they missed live events and are anxious to attend fun events that will get them out of the house; marketers must keep this in mind as they blend virtual experiences into live events.
“Enthusiastic caution” is the phrase AdWeek uses to describe the current celebratory state of experiential marketing. Despite virtual attempts of experiencing entertainment, people’s desire for live concerts and festivals has kickstarted since the CDC announced that vaccinated people do not have to wear masks.
As physical events begin taking place, music fans are now more likely to try new experiences, attend events more frequently, and spend more money than their non-music-loving counterparts. As a result, this demographic is more likely to save money to go to more shows, which is a great kickstart to the industry’s reopening.
"Brands have the opportunity to enhance and engage with a captive audience like never before as long as they truly understand how music fans' focus has shifted during the pandemic," said Chris Well, chair and CEO at Momentum.
More consumers are embracing the idea of a hybrid digital and physical world. For the first time, people are more open to a hybrid lifestyle and we have the technology to support it. A challenge for marketers is determining how to sell these hybrid experiences, embracing a “new normal” that can be just as entertaining.
Need advice? Like our motto, authenticity always wins. With a record of successful strategic marketing paired with years of industry knowledge, there’s no mountain too high for McDaniels Marketing.
Let our creative and digital experts help you plan, promote, and execute your event while making lasting, influential impressions on your audience. Contact Randy McDaniels at 309-346-7412 or email at rmcdaniels@mcdmarketing.com.
