At the Santa Monica Pier last month, furniture retailer Ashley was handing out coconut drinks, playing live music from DJ Bella Fox and showcasing some of its latest outdoor furniture.
Experiential events like this are meant to keep Ashley, formerly Ashley HomeStore, top of mind for shoppers and to allow people to see products without entering its stores. These events feature fun activities such as workshops, giveaways and live music from a range of artists, including John Legend and Pitbull. They can draw in anywhere from 40 to 2,000 people depending on the capacity, but its Santa Monica Pier event was expected to draw in 30,000 people based on the natural traffic of the area.
Brands hosting events are not new, but they remain a critical part of brand building and marketing, especially now as they compete for a smaller cut in shoppers’ discretionary budgets. Ashley began launching these events five years ago and it has since become a channel for the company to boost its brand consideration and engage with younger audiences. These events also play a critical role in communicating the company’s rebrand initiated last year.
Source: Modern Retail
Omni Talk is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga founded Omni Talk in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail. 