Location, location, location
Getting out and about and how to work with council to secure different locations
They say it’s all about location, and this is absolutely true when it comes to experiential and sampling campaigns. The question of ‘where’ is always a balancing act of footfall, attracting the right audience, at the right time of day and with the space that works for your execution. Oh, and if it’s never been used before it’s top of the list!
So how do you venture beyond the tried and true?
We start with identifying places that fit into our target audience’s lifestyle. We use insights to help guide these decisions, asking:
- Where do they go?
- What do they do?
- How they consume?
- How much time they are likely to have to interact?
- Days of the week and time of the day?
Their behaviour and their preferences provide guidance on where we show up. Then it becomes about securing the venue.
As we start to think outside the venue database and these locations become more unique so too do the relationships and work required to secure them. More often than not they require permits and licenses and this is where our relationships and understanding of the “best ways of working” with council become invaluable.
Each council has a different process, a different contact, a different set of needs to get your activity over the line. We need to consider everything from who to talk to, how long their permitting process takes, what material will be distributed on-site, H&S plans, waste management plans, first aid certifications, Iwi consultation, security and safety as well as what we’re doing, how it will look and how many people are likely to be involved.
In November 2020, Mango started working with Red Seal on an education focused sampling campaign featuring their Hot/Cold Brews. The creative idea was the ‘Rehydration Station’; an experience that consisted of a beautiful sampling stand and additional lounge space for people to try product while enjoying some favourite Kiwi summer walks.
Three locations were selected, the Takapuna to Milford Beach walk, the beach boardwalk at Mt Manganui and Colonel Roberts Reserve by Lake Taupō. None of these are a traditional sampling space, and each needed a specific consent from their local council. But, we were able to secure these through our thorough understanding of what needed to be built into the experience to meet their guidelines while also ensuring a great and valuable consumer experience.
With the rapid regrowth in sampling and experiential events in 2021, the search for the ‘venue less used’ continues. Just because it’s council land, doesn’t mean it’s a no. It just means you need to work with someone in the know.
