The ninth edition of African Experiential Marketing Summit with the theme ‘The University of Brand Experiences’ was held recently in Lagos. The event attracted many international experiential marketing experts who presented papers and shared quality experiences and case-studies. The speakers include Dan Hanover, Founder and Editor of Event Marketer magazine, published in the United States of America, Noukuthula Radebe, Marketing Manager at Yellowwood Brand Architects and Carol Abade, Chief Executive Officer, EXP Group amongst others

Presenting his paper on the theme of the event, besides thrilling the audience with emotional driven experiential marketing case studies, Dan Hanover revealed that “Experiential marketing can be used successfully to build relationships, raise awareness, increase loyalty, establish relevance, encourage interaction and product trial, create memories, stimulate positive word of mouth, change the mind of dissatisfied customers, create product desire, verify the target audience and increase return on marketing investment”.

The celebrated ‘Marketing Magician’ who is the world leading provider of experiential content also said “Africa is gradually accepting the model of social media and experiential marketing. Africa consumers have progressed over the last five years and are becoming digital natives using all the forces put in place to evolve quickly over the next couple of years not only to a population super power but a brand super power.”

Carol Abade on her own path explained that “Experiential marketing is about enabling personal connections between brands and consumers by creating real life experience worth sharing. These experiences combine digital and real world connections to create stronger memories and emotional bonds between brand and consumers.’

Carol also stressed that marketing need to shift boundaries. “We can’t develop the right brand strategies without real consumer insights. We must bring back agencies into a collaborative process that focuses on the target.”

Also speaking at the event  Nnena Onyewuchi  said “the most powerful experience are those that are shared. Experiential marketing is not about PR stunts but about connected experiences that put the user at the centre to not only connect with the brands but also share their experiences through their own social networks.

Noukuthula Radebe spoke on the place of social media in experiential marketing. According to him “Social media is a channel not a strategy. It is a tool that should sink in with brands around the world. In order to stand out and earn a coveted place in consumers’ hearts and minds, brands and agencies need to create viral and lasting impressions through connected, impactful experiential marketing activations.”

The African Experiential Marketing Summit is a brain child of EXP Marketing, an Experiential Marketing Agency with operations in 15 countries across Africa. It is a forum organised to learn, share and discuss experiential marketing trends and strategies in the African market.