Some trends impacting marketing in 2016-- not saying all are special or never-seen-before, just sharing which trends we see being elevated to the next level this year. Some are "trendy" while others are cool but all are taking up a lot of our conversations these days with clients and agencies.

1. 2016 EXPERIENTIAL TRENDS

2. PATRICK WEST
patrick@themachinenyc.com
646.380.9467 or 914.216.8948

3. COLLABORATIONS & PARTNERSHIPS
ALIGNING THE STARS
 Leverage equity of tastemakers
 Passionate patrons/fans beyond social/PR role
 Focus on cultural impacters (music, fashion, fitness, film, etc.)
 Allow for partners to leave authentic stamp on the business
 These partnerships must be two-way street
 Recommend short-term partnerships (1-6 months)
 Assess the risk & reward potential

4. Rossignol & Jeep
Partnership Activation

5. Old BayPromo Tour
Old Bay & McCormick Kitchen
Promo Tour

6. Brisk & Mishka
Media Event

7. CBS Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Custom Promo Collaboration
CBS Late Show & Stumptown
Custom Promo Collaboration

8. PROPRIETARY PROGRAMS
OWNING EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVATIONS
 Live experiential marketing activations do not have to be temporary or
one-off programs
 Creation of ownable programs is very hot
 Clients have a much higher interest in programs they own
 Value is earned through ownership, not renting
 Examples include races, conferences, summits and tours
 Opportunity to amortize expenses with capital expenditures
 Requires clients to commit, not experiment

9. Lady Foot Locker SIX:02
Dallas Race

10. Old Bay
Custom Food Product

11. Brisk
Fridge Doors Truck Tour

12. PERSONALIZATION
CONSUMERS WANT IT CUSTOMIZED
 Provide customers with items they choose and design
 Various ways to activate either as stand-alone programs or integrated into
existing media formats or locations
 Old school and new high-tech platforms exist
 Retention, appreciation, and sharing rates skyrocket
 Make the creation process an experience
 Document the consumer engagements for content & shares

13. AT&T AdWorks
Custom Grilled Cheese Lunches

14. Jeep
Screen Printing

15. AT&T AdWorks
Instagram iPhone Covers

16. JeepLive Tagging

17. STUNTS & INSTALLATIONS
THE NEVER-BEEN-DONE-BEFORE
 Place unique media or stage activations in special ways
 Ideation can come from anywhere
 Typically placed in the field 1-3 days at a given location
 High level of research and exploration
 Traditional media metrics hard to apply
 Staged not for immediate on-site impressions but for share effect
 “Chicken or the egg” dilemma for planning/approval

18. Code Black
Ambulance Tour

19. Limitless
Brain Juice

20. Brain Dead
Political Rallies

21. INFLUENCERS & ADVOCATES
HELP THEM HELP YOU
 Enlist influencers for promotions
 Grassroots approach– not celebrity
 Align with key players in specific industries
 Social media is only one step, go beyond to higher levels
 Solicit feedback and marketing input
 Rely upon connections for difficult media placements
 They seek promotion and exposure (not high $)

22. Jeep Winter X 2016
Talent Integration

23. SIX:02
The Fit Crew

24. Ty Ku Sake
Yogis

25. MEDIA MOMENTS
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SPECIAL HAPPENINGS
 Major moments present marketing opportunities
 Circle major national or local happenings on the calendar
 Assign small team to keep eye out for moments
 Create strategy for activating at/around unforeseen events
 Deploy media in smart formats and locations
 Consider ordinances and laws preventing placements
 Encourage cooperation between non-competing media vendors
 Do not rely upon PR or social to take the lead