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The Original Experiential Marketer

Posted by Todd Cyphers — Monday April 21, 2008

Experiential Marketing has become one of the hottest trends in the marketing world today.  However, if you go back to the mid-1900s you might might find the unofficial beginning of Experiential Marketing.

At Advent we define Experiential Marketing this way:

Experiential Marketing connects audiences with the authentic nature of a brand through participation in personally relevant, credible and memorable encounters. 

Going from that definition, I believe that Walt Disney was the original experiential marketer.  Think about it for a second, his vision for Disneyland and Disney World brought timeless movies and stories to life.  There is no other place on earth where you can experience the Disney brand with all five senses. 

When a visitor walks through the gates, they are immediately transported into their favorite Disney story.  This makes the experience personally relevant, credible and creates a lasting memory that they will talk about with their family for years.  All of these elements are listed in Advent's definition of experiential marketing.  Other theme parks have tried to replicate a Disney-like experience but the attention to detail just isn't there.  Sure, you go to other parks to ride super-fast roller coasters and other thrill rides.  However, at Disney its about being wrapped in the story for each attraction and then becoming an active character in the story!

What's even more amazing is that in today's experiential marketing where consumers "experience" a brand usually at no cost in hopes it leads to future sales, consumers pay up front for the Disney experience and don't think twice about it.  

Walt Disney may not have thought of himself as an experiential marketer.  But his imagination and creativity paved the way for what experiential marketing has become today.  Walt was ahead of his time in more ways that one!

For more information on Disney click here.

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