EXPERIENTIAL VEHICLE and Why It's A Smart Move
Experiential marketing vehicles bring your brand directly to the people
Create on-the-street eventful marketing activations
Put your brand on tour with a one-of-a-kind experiential vehicle
Activate on-the-street and inside events
Generate a steady stream of valuable content for social
Track experiential impact via onsite engagement, social shares, and direct sales
What is an experiential marketing vehicle?
Experiential vehicle marketing is defined as the transformation of trucks, trailers, vans, Airstreams, and SUVs into standout multi-sensory brand engagement experiences.
They offer the opportunity for brands to easily activate on-the-street, near city events, and inside festivals.
Experiential vehicles are a platform for brand-themed sampling, demos, games, experience rooms, and performances.
In large cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, and Washington DC experiential vehicle activations generate thousands of engagements each day, plus tens of thousands brand impressions per day.
Types and definitions of experiential marketing vehicles:
1.) Mobile Showroom - A truck with see-through glass walls, perfect for outdoor city activations that require a dedicated, enclosed brand experience space
2.) Step-Van - A food-truck style vehicle, excellent for on-the-street deployments that require space for product sample preparation and transport
3.) Airsteam - An American classic, typically a trailer, most often deployed inside festivals due to size and setup time
4.) SUV with Rooftop Installation - Most prevalent, as it provides a cost-effective on-the-street presence, versatility in terms of on-the-street parking, plus ample storage for samples and swag for the day
5.) Camper Trailer + SUV - Stands out in cities, versatile in terms of creating a custom brand space, sometimes challenging to park in cities due to size, excellent in terms of cost and maintenance
Experiential marketing vehicle insights, strategies, and tips:
1.) Cities typically don't require city permits for experiential marketing vehicle activations
2.) In most cities, city parking permits are available if you desire to park on a specific city block
3.) Most brands hire an agency to provide experiential vehicle, staff, and activation (as it is cumbersome to own, maintain, manage, and store)
4.) National initiatives assign a vehicle team for each region (e.g., Northeast, Southwest, West Coast, etc.) to have a continual presence and reduce travel time
5.) Digital integrations and social media are integral to leveraging your experiential vehicle activation investment
6.) Activations are staffed with at least one brand ambassador and an onsite manager/driver
7.) Ensure to budget for overnight parking, daily cleaning, travel & lodging, and monthly maintenance
8.) Safety and contingency planning is essential with all experiential marketing vehicle activations
9.) Get insurance to cover your vehicles, staff, and the public
ALT TERRAIN assists brands and agencies with experiential marketing vehicle ideas, design, fabrication, planning, vehicle sourcing, visuals, logistics, staffing, insurance, activation, management, and reporting.
Contact ALT TERRAIN for experiential marketing vehicle ideas, strategies, pricing, and company examples.
Hit the road!
