Every brand that enlists Center-Force’s guidance and expertise gives us an exciting new opportunity to do what we do best: generate ideas. No matter what the client’s specific needs or goals are, our basic approach is the same. We look for every possible opportunity to create a unique and engaging experience that best highlights the brand’s strengths and values. That means reaching for the unexpected and devising clever ways to turn events into memories that strengthen the relationship between the brand and their customers.
To give you an idea of just how we accomplish this, let us walk you through an example:
THE BACKGROUND
A well-known brand in performance cycling relied on several key events throughout the year to create opportunities for face-to-face time with their customers. Some were small-scale events hosted by bicycle dealers, where the brand could be relatively front and center. Others were larger-scale industry events where there was more competition for visitors’ attention. No matter the environment, the goal was the same: to build on this brand’s reputation by making them a visible and recognizable presence, with a memorable takeaway.
CENTER-FORCE’S APPROACH
Our mission was to draw attention to this brand’s presence at events with interactive activities and games that invite participation and encourage friendly competition. Not only did we want to align with the brand’s serious-about-fun personality, we would also feature their star product – bikes – in unexpected ways that involved cyclists’ many interests. We envisioned four very different ways to engage the audience:
IMAGINE THIS: PEDAL POWERED SMOOTHIES
Visitors to the booth would order up a smoothie or health shake, but the catch is, they have to blend it themselves. A modified stationary bike becomes a power generator that the customer pedals as hard as they can, until their treat is complete.
We reasoned that hardcore cyclists are always up for a challenge and would be eager to test their power and see if it was enough to blend a drink. Not only are there inherent bragging rights, but an added emotional value of earning the treat.
From a strategic perspective, the very nature of this set-up would create a spectacle of sight and sound that would draw passerby. The booth would be staffed by brand representatives who could pump up the crowd and cheer on each rider. We also considered the investment of time and resources necessary to making this happen. Requiring no electricity, this self-contained, easy-to-transport bike unit would be modular in order to accommodate different models, depending on what our prospective client wanted to highlight at each event.
IMAGINE THIS: CUSTOM CRUISE-IN
Ideal for those smaller dealer-based events with a larger available footprint, this experience would invite cycling enthusiasts to roll in for a bike show where they can show off their customized bikes and see what others have done. This is a spin-off of the classic car show and targets a similar type of customer – the cycling connoisseur.
Each show would be seeded with customized bikes supplied by well-known bike builders, which are easily transportable from dealer to dealer. Cycling is often a group activity, and these events would bring the cycling community together to interact, admire each other’s gear, and importantly, learn about the customization opportunities that this brands’ bikes exhibit. Ideally, visitors would come away with new ideas for tricking out their favorite rides, so they could come back to show them off at the next event.
IMAGINE THIS: TRICYCLE RACE
Riders, take your marks! Racing is among the many applications of this brand’s bikes. For this fun and family-friendly experience, riders would mount modified, branded tricycles and races laps against their friends on a custom track. Over the course of multiple “heats” throughout the day, customers could tear up the course (laid out on dirt or grass) and compete for bragging rights and Instagram-worthy photo finishes.
Strategically speaking, the advantage of the Tricycle Race is subtly integrated into the necessary race registration, which includes a safety waiver that all participants would need to sign. This provides the opportunity to collect participants’ email addresses and get their opt-in to further marketing outreach. The races are also ideal opportunities to capture photos and videos for the brands’ own social media channels.
IMAGINE THIS: BICYCLE “TRACTOR” PULL
Inspired by the classic county fair crowd favorite, in this event, participants test their endurance to see how far they can pull a weighted “sled” with a bike set to a difficult, uphill gear. The sled is easy to move at first, but gets progressively more difficult; this difficulty level could even be modified to establish different “classes” of competition. Make it to the goalpost to win a prize!
Like the tricycle race, this experience requires registration and a waiver, with the included spot to gather email addresses. Rather than speed, the bicycle pull emphasizes the toughness and performance of this brand’s bikes. Riders and onlookers alike get engaged in the competition, a watchable, shareable, fun experience for all, with the chance to take home some free merchandise – branded, of course.
IT’S ALL ABOUT ENGAGEMENT AND MEMORABILITY
Center-Force designs and empowers event experiences that are unexpected, delightful, and worth staying for.
IMAGINE THIS: WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU
To start exploring possibilities like these for your brand, contact us!
