It's no secret that these are tough times for the auto industry, with low car sales, lower stock prices, and constant talk of bailouts and bankruptcy. But even (or especially) in such an environment, automobile companies have to keep moving forward.
That was the goal of the 2008 SYNC Tour for Ford, and the challenge was to let consumers experience a new technology, SYNC, in a way that showed it is easy to use and fun. SYNC, designed by Microsoft, lets motorists control car stereos and mobile phones with voice commands. The technology will be available in 85 percent of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury cars by early this year.
A key part of the challenge was to reach people who were not ready to be "sold to," at state fairs, NASCAR races, and other events. "We wanted to show consumers how SYNC helps you control your in-vehicle communications, your calls, texting, and finding songs, all while you keep your eyes on the road," says Gabrielle Senatore, cross-brand events manager at Ford Motor Company. That's why she turned to Xperience Communications.
"The intent of an experiential agency is to engage the audience in some way, to get them from being passive to being active, and delivering messages that stick," says John Jones, managing partner of Xperience Communications.
What is experiential communications? "It's a one-on-one experience for clients looking to connect with their customers where they work, shop, play, and learn," says Jones. This takes "a blend of marketing, theater, and technology. We have to have people who understand their clients' business. Second, we have to understand how humans learn. And our people have to understand technology and production."
"The difference between us and trade show marketing is that with trade shows, at least you have a peer audience. In consumer event marketing, the consumer typically arrives at the event without thinking of your client at all."
The Sync TourA key early step for Ford and Xperience was to research the events and the venues, how many people were attending, if other Ford tours had done well, and if the team thought consumers at a particular show would want to learn more.
Jones says, "As part of the process, we discuss where to gowhat are the venues, what are the events? Once we get there, how do we attract people to our space, with the displays and signage? How do we draw people in, who are not there to shop Ford but to have a good time? How do we get them to opt in for more contact with our clients?"
According to Senatore, Ford had a three-fold mission with the SYNC tour. The goals were to:
1. Show off the productsthe Ford cars and trucks that feature SYNC.
2. Highlight the Microsoft alliance.
3. Demonstrate Ford innovative technologies to consumers and show off the hands-free capability of SYNC.
The tour, which kicked off at the 2008 Super Bowl, was to hit 28 cities around the country. Target consumers were what she calls "early adopters. We want to go to markets where people don't know about Ford but are tech-savvy."
"We wanted to engage our consumers and potential 'conquest' (non-Ford owners) consumers," says Senatore. The key was to "take this technology, make it funand deliver an engaging brand experience that they remember."
Rather than traditional auto shows, the team hit lifestyle events like air shows, blues festivals, Bike Week in Daytona (with the F-150 Harley edition), NASCAR events, and the Minnesota State Fair. The goal, says Senatore, was to "get them in an activity that encourages them to provide contact information, so they become a 'hand raiser' and we can provide them more info."
Making It WorkBut if someone was coming to watch the rodeo, how could Ford get them to "raise their hand" for car buying information? That's where Xperience and experiential marketing came in, providing a turnkey production, from designing the collateral to buildingand staffingthe booths.
What did they come up with? Senatore says: "There's an enrollment booth, where you get a wristband and you can pick from three activities. One is 'Sync That Tune,' a takeoff of 'Name That Tune.' We play a genre of music, you compete against a friend or stranger, while the MC, a product specialist provided by Xperience, is feeding product information on how SYNC works."
Making it all work is a people process, says Senatore. "The key to the success of the tour is that it's a family; they're on the road with each other constantly."
Part of what makes the program successful is the ease of setup and takedown, which takes about a day. It requires just one 18-wheel car hauler, carrying a Focus, an F-150 pickup, a Lincoln, and the SYNC kiosks. (Local dealers supply additional vehicles.) The hauler is branded with SYNC graphics so it can be used as a backdrop. For street festivals and smaller shows, there's even SYNC on Tour Lite, where just a Focus appears.
"Xperience activates and produces the entire show; I just go to one or two a season to make sure it's functioning and running properly," says Senatore. The Xperience product demonstrators "brand as Ford, in golf shirts, managing and working the event." In fact, she says, "They are Ford. They're trained by Ford, they're very knowledgeable and manage all the activities. Engaging consumers is important to us, so we invest in the core team to deliver a consistent message."
To debrief and make sure everything's on track, "Every week we have a status meeting."
The one-on-one experience the SYNC tour offers has worked for Ford, Senatore says. "SYNC has been a very successful tour for us. Through the events, we've had over 66,000 engagements, people who've gone through and done an activity, with a conversion ratio for those asking for more information of 64 percent." Even in such tough times, "We can't afford not to do a tour like this," she says.
Experiential MeetingsThe power of one-on-one communications can work for meeting planners as well, says Xperience's Jones. "Say you have a large audience of distributors or franchisees," he says. "They're dependent on the manufacturer to get them excited about the new product. Include some of the audience as part of the experience; have two or three of the best franchise operators talking about how they've succeeded. Peer-to-peer learning, or best practices pollination, as well as breaking into smaller groups for dialogue, helps deliver messages that stick."
Getting delegates out of their chairs and hands-on with your company's products is critical, says Jones. "Years ago, we did a big event for a major Japanese electronics manufacturer. There was a typical formal presentation in a ballroom, then we opened the wall behind the stage to show eight stations with new products. Each delegate had a chance to get involved with the products they had just heard about."
WHAT PLANNERS CAN LEARNIn today's meeting environment, controlling costs while delivering showmanship is critical. Whether working in-house or outside, meeting planners and production companies alike need to be particularly sensitive to the needs of hard-pressed clients during these difficult times.
"There's always the ability to work smarter and more efficiently when faced with budget issues," says Gabrielle Senatore, cross-brand events manager at Ford. A production company like Xperience can control where they stay and how they travel, she says. "Working smarter and more efficiently is doable. We seem to always do more with less; we always pull it off with less budget."
John Jones, managing partner of Xperience says, "These days, most organizations are looking to make every dollar count. So, can you design elements that are cheap to fabricate, ship, and tear down? Can they be reused easily? We conceptualize and build banners and signage that can be shipped and reused throughout the tour and year after year after year. We also make them available to other agencies working with the same client, just for the cost of shipping and refurbishing."
For a multi-city tour, planning is paramount. "Plan your tour so you're not backtracking," says Senatore. "Buy air tickets as far in advance as possible, and avoid changes."
Jones adds, "We do a tour with a particular hotel chain and negotiate rateswe're always shooting for the moderate, $90 room rather than $200 a night."
Over time, Senatore and Xperience have built a relationship of trust. Senatore says, "They adjust, just as we adjust ... First and foremost, we're partners. We've worked extensively for many years. We don't nickel and dime them, but try to empower them to find any efficiencies where we can lower costs."
Originally published Jan. 1, 2009For more ideas, tips, and tools for better meetings and events,
get Successful Meetings' weekly e-newsletter delivered to your inbox.