3 Tips For Bring Your Brand to Life Through Experiential Marketing Events

When people ask me how I got into producing standup comedy, I like to remind them that I never set out to get into the business. As an entrepreneur and brand-strategist with a degree in Communication Studies, my background is almost comically un-comedic. But it was the fated proposal of someone who believed our Los Angeles loft would make a great space for stand-up, which inspired my husband and I to launch the Laugh After Dark comedy series from our living room in 2018. 

Now, nearly four years later, we’ve completed our third season, we’re in the midst of producing our first ever 3-day comedy festival later this year, and our little living room TV show has grown into a full-scale, live Las Vegas show.

Our show is unique in that it’s simultaneously a live entertainment experience and a live television show production, which means that we spend a lot of time thinking through and crafting a show that works for both audience experiences. We’ve found that when it comes to balancing these two separate experiences at the same time, it all comes down to one thing: authenticity. 

Over the years we’ve picked up on a few things which help us bring our brand to life, connect with our audience, and maximize our live events and experiential marketing efforts. 

3 Tips For Effective Experiential Marketing Events

1. Create Real Experiences
   When it comes to the success of our live Vegas shows, our secret sauce is that we keep things 100% real. Both Hollywood and Vegas have reputations for being fake and for good reason. Take one step onto the soundstage where your favorite show is filmed, and you will quickly realize the power of movie magic. Las Vegas isn’t much different in that respect – after all it’s another town built on show business.
   That’s why we spend so much time creating a memorable and tangible experience for our audiences. From curating the pre-show music and multimedia, to having a live band and curating the perfect lineup, every detail is thoughtfully crafted to create a real and authentic immersive experience.
2. Create Immersive Experiences
   When you are creating your experience, remember to think outside the box and off the stage. The sights, sounds, tastes, and  smells can all come together to better tell your story. For example, at our live shows in Vegas, there is always music playing, drinks flowing, and the scent of fresh gourmet pizza wafting through the air.
   Think of your audience as a part or character in the story you are telling rather than simply an onlooker. Whether we’re filming the tv show or doing a non-taped show, our guest experience isn’t actually all that different. We make sure our guests know that they are the most important part of the show and that their job is to laugh. People actually really get into it and love to feel like a part of the production.
3. Create Fresh Experiences
   Remember to practice the golden rule when planning your experience (aka, make sure that it’s one which you’d like to have yourself). For us that looks like curating new lineups each week, writing new bits for our host and band, and changing up the playlists and media to elevate the entertainment and build from one show to the next.

It’s also fun to keep things a little unpredictable for your audience. For example, our show doesn’t follow a strict end time. Shows regularly last 2-3 hours and even longer (and trust us — people stay for the whole show). By creating a genuine and fresh experience where it feels like anything could happen, our audience — whether they’re at home or live with us in Vegas — keeps coming back week after week. It also keeps people talking about the show which brings new guests into the fold.

Written by Kelsey Borlan Lee.