Javelin's M.O.: Spread the Word
Nov 2, 2007
Creating a brand ambassador - or hundreds of thousands of them - is the primary target of Javelin's experiential marketing campaigns for its clients. And the St. Louis-based firm has scored consistent bull's-eyes since launching in 1998.
"The most trusted brands trust us," says Brad Carsten, a principal at St. Louis-based Javelin, whose clients include Animal Planet, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Teen People and Court TV. "Why? They see a very tangible ROI with our events."
Javelin's multi-city campaigns have ranged from the 20-city Animal Planet Expo, which has attracted as many as 20,000 visitors per market, to Bacardi's Red-Hot Road Trip, a 200-event tour. Since Red-Hot hit the road in 2000, the tour has generated 4.2 million favorable impressions for Bacardi.
"We design an event to maximize conversations about it," says Carsten. "Our job is to have participants talk to as many peers as possible. Research shows each person who is favorably impressed will tell up to nine friends, and those conversations can generate the same levels of enthusiasm and credibility for the brand among those who weren't at the event."
Carsten says successful experiential marketing involves the "wow" factor. "We do whatever it takes at our events to create positive emotional connections with our brands," he asserts. "That might mean meeting Jeff Corwin from Animal Planet, or hanging with the Bacardi Girls. That's how we create thousands of brand ambassadors every year - by generating personal, memorable experiences."
For more information please visit www.javelin-inc.com.
