Influential Events

It was sore throat and sniffles season when a woman at a green market was handed a Halls Naturals cough drop during a sampling event. She took it.

It’s a simple example, but it illustrates that brands that partner with or sponsor events can influence consumer decision making, according to new research from Jack Morton Worldwide. Whether it’s handing out a slice of knockwurst or a brochure directing people to a Web address, or making vehicle stops at county fairs across the country, marketing at these events works.

In fact, while consumers generally say they became more aware of products and brands they’d purchased in the last five years through advertising (broadcast, print, online), when asked to value their preferred channels, significantly more (42.3%) said they were influenced by “promotion/sponsorship from the company,” including events, than advertising (31.3%), the report found.

Friends and family from whom they either sought opinions (53.2%) or received opinions (49.2%), as well as self-conducted research on the Internet (48.5%) were the only channels more valued than promotion/sponsorship. Past research by Jack Morton and others suggests that live experiences are highly likely to inspire brand-related recommendations by friends and family.

Promotion/sponsorship was most highly valued by consumers for fast food (59.7%), snack food (56.2%) and household cleaning products (55.2%).

The research in many ways points to the need for a new “engagement model” based on creating experiences that educate consumers and give them information to make them feel better informed about their buying decisions, the company said.

The research comprised 601 interviews in the U.S. and 1,212 in China with consumers ages 18 to 64, and was conducted in late 2009 by Jack Morton Worldwide.

Got an events tip to share? Contact Patricia Odell at [email protected]