Christian Lachel in Marketing Dive: Spirit brands and next-gen experiential marketing

Bombay Sapphire, Johnnie Walker and Grey Goose are some of the marketers using the tactic to explore innovation in ways that are specific to their products.

Their heads fitted with neuroscientific technology, participants at Bombay Sapphire’s Sensory Auction were asked to view a sculpture inspired by the brand’s gin, while a technician beside them measured their subconscious emotional response. The event, which took place in New York City last month, aimed to spotlight the drink’s role as a canvas for cocktail creativity, while rewarding the person with the strongest reaction to seeing the piece.

In recent months, spirit brands like Johnnie Walker and Grey Goose have launched similar multisensory experiences, a trend that suggests they are crafting the next generation of experiential marketing. While digital is still poised to be a central component of spirits’ strategies, multisensory efforts allow brands to explore innovation in ways that are specific to their products, whether that be through unique sensorial atmospheres, scientific experiments or immersive storytelling. Moreover, effective experiential marketing can have a flywheel effect, leading to stronger digital breakthroughs.