What is marketing activation?
5min • Dec 24, 2024 • Last updated on Jan 3, 2025
Olivier Renard
Content & SEO Manager
Marketing activation is a strategic approach that aims to engage consumers by encouraging them to interact actively with the brand. It is based on a set of specific actions that encourage an immediate response from the target audience.
Marketing activation corresponds to the third A of the AAARRR framework dear to growth marketers. It transforms the audience into active participants through concrete, measurable activities.
The aim is to engage consumers through :
- memorable immersive experiences,
- campaigns on social networks,
- interactive online and offline events.
Key facts to remember:
The aim of marketing activation is to create a lasting connection between the customer and the brand.
It involves offering a personalised experience, an immersive event or a targeted campaign.
A well-designed strategy improves engagement and builds audience loyalty.
A Customer Data Platform (CDP) maximises the ROI of your marketing activities.
The benefits of marketing activation
It is estimated that the average person is exposed to 15,000 commercial stimuli a day. The amount of content available has never been greater, and the public's attention span has never been shorter.
Marketing expert Mark Schaefer was the first to talk about ‘content shock’. A phenomenon that has been amplified by the development of generative AI.
The aim of marketing activation is to create authentic connections between the brand and its audience. Through engaging campaigns, companies succeed in capturing customers' attention and converting it into measurable actions.
Iconic brands such as Coca-Cola and Red Bull regularly use activation activation campaigns to strengthen their presence. These personalised experiences create a lasting emotional impact in the consumer's mind.
They offer increased visibility, amplified by spontaneous sharing on social networks. Another advantage: thanks to these initiatives, the company gathers valuable behavioural data on the preferences and expectations of its audience.
The differences between marketing activation and brand activation
Marketing activation and brand activation are linked, but they have different objectives.
Marketing activation encourages customers to take action, for example by buying a product or signing up for a service. It focuses on measurable actions to convert the audience.
Brand activation seeks to reinforce the brand image. Its aim is to create an emotional connection with consumers through an experience, an event or a campaign.
In short, brand activation focuses on the relationship with the brand. It can be seen as a subset of marketing activation.
Activation is therefore a strategic lever that goes further than a simple awareness objective. Develop a lasting relationship with your community thanks to a wide range of possible initiatives.
The different forms of marketing activation
There are several approaches to marketing activation. Each adapted to the company's objectives and audience expectations. Find out more about the most common forms.
Experiential activation
This is one of the most immersive forms. Nike is a benchmark in this field with its concept stores. At the Nike House of Innovation in Paris, visitors can try out the brand's products in real-life conditions.
Source : Nike house of innovation
This is a retail concept in its own right, combining digital technology with personalised in-store services. The aim is to create a strong emotional bond with consumers through interactive experiences.
In the same spirit, Vans regularly transforms urban spaces into ephemeral skateparks, to create a direct connection with its community.
Digital activation
Online campaigns offer the opportunity to reach a wider audience. They are a major driver of engagement. A brand can reach its customers via different channels, such as email, social networks or retargeting.
Spotify's Wrapped campaign is a good example of digital activation. Every year, it generates millions of interactions on social networks by inviting listeners to share their personal soundtracks.
This approach is all the more powerful when the data is reliable and the segmentation precise. DinMo's Composable CDP makes it possible to exploit this potential to the full. By integrating natively with your data stack, it facilitates the management of your campaigns and guarantees optimal activation.
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Point-of-sale events
Physical events are an excellent way of interacting directly with customers. These can be in-store promotions or product demonstrations.
Brands such as Heineken and Sephora often use these activities to liven up their points of sale and encourage immediate purchases.
Other types of activation exist, depending on the objectives targeted by companies. Hybrid events, for example, are on the increase. Apple has mastered the art of phygital better than anyone, transforming its product launches into real shows.
Red Bull also deploys this strategy at its sporting events, where spectacular performances are amplified by multi-channel coverage.
Adapt your approach according to the goal you want to achieve, and include ways of measuring your return on investment.
How can you run a successful activation campaign?
To ensure the success of your campaign, structure your strategy by following a few key steps.
Define clear objectives: increasing sales, collecting data or engaging with the community?
Make sure you know your audience well: understand their expectations through detailed segmentation.
Choose the right channels: online, in-store or hybrid.
Measure and adjust: monitor your performance with the right tools.
Managing and exploiting customer data is at the heart of activation strategies. DinMo's modular CDP adapts to your technical infrastructure. Its no-code interface makes it easy for marketing teams to get to grips with.
Customise campaigns with precise audience segmentation and activate your data across different channels. Create lookalike audiences based on your best customers, and optimise your return on investment.
Marketing activation is a powerful lever for turning brand awareness into action. Maximise the impact of your physical or digital events using data to deliver personalised, engaging experiences.
