Get ready Southern California because a jolt of high-energy IKEA pop up experiences is coming to a store near you! theatreMAMA is kicking off a regional marketing partnership between VOLTA by Cirque du Soleil and select IKEA stores in Los Angeles and Orange County that is sure to spark consumer interest. We will kick off this four store tour at the Burbank IKEA on Saturday, January 11th from 1-4pm. This pop up VOLTA event will feature four MAMA Ambassadors who will offer a chance for families to win tickets or to receive a special offer for tickets to the show! MAMA’s vibrant Ambassadors will incite interest in VOLTA through leading coloring book activities, taking pictures with big cut outs of actual Cirque characters, and by making supercharged VOLTA announcements over the loudspeaker! VOLTA can be described as a high energy show that showcases never before seen acrobatics, extreme sports, and a captivating score! So what better way to transport shoppers into the world of Cirque than to play the actual music from VOLTA? IKEA will even help us take the experience up a few volts by using their inventory to create a VOLTA-inspired environment from their furniture. Throughout the event, our dynamic Ambassadors will roam the store playing house, interacting with guests, taking pictures, and transporting customers Under the Big Top for a hint of what they will discover at VOLTA!
theatreMAMA is thrilled to be partnering with VOLTA by Cirque du Soleil and IKEA stores to create these exciting pop up events throughout Southern California! We’ve been working in the experiential marketing world for many years and have developed numerous partnerships with retail spaces. Though each event looks different, there are certain attributes that remain constant and integral to success when experiential marketing meets retail. We’ve learned so much through our many experiences and thought it would be fun to share some of that learning with you!
5 Recommendations For Experiential Marketing In Retail Environments
Station the team in high-traffic, high-impact locations without impeding the shopping experience.
Have your on-site manager scout the store before the event so they know the best locations to place the team. Talk to store staff and management to get a better understanding of locations that are off-limits and locations that see a good amount of foot traffic such as exits/entrances.
Research the neighborhood and location demographics to ensure the best consumer experience possible.
This is especially important when it comes to language! For example, if you are going into a neighborhood that is predominantly Spanish-speaking, you can factor that into the hiring process by looking for bilingual ambassadors. Experiential marketing is about making real life connections, and the ability to speak to patrons in their preferred language will not only help make those connections but will elevate the brand being represented.
Make sure there is space for your team to get ready.
Many of these activations include costumes, hair, makeup, marketing collateral, and often a team made up of performing artists! Having ample room to get ready and in some cases, warm up, is paramount to creating a fabulous team! Prior to the event, collaborate with store management to create an onsite green room. Ask if mirrors will be available, and if not, plan accordingly. Don’t forget to ask if the room can be secured during the event so your team feels comfortable leaving their personal belongings behind while performing.
Test out the discount code before the event.
There’s nothing worse than a broken discount code! Many of these events include fliers or marketing collateral containing discount codes or special offers that can be used online to purchase tickets for the show that’s being promoted. Have the event manager test this out prior to the event so any necessary troubleshooting can be done before patrons arrive.
Make preannouncements via social media and websites to create buzz about the event.
Reach out to the retailer and ask for the event to be featured on the store’s website and social media. Ask if there is a particular hashtag they are pushing and let the store know if the event partner has any tags they want to use. This will be a collaborative effort between marketing agency, the show/brand that is being promoted, and the retail store itself. If all three parties get on board with preannouncements, customer awareness will skyrocket!
We are AMPED about this VOLTA/ IKEA regional partnership in L.A. and Orange County and would love if you joined us for these electric events!
Here is the complete schedule of our Volta + Ikea Tour:
IKEA Burbank- Saturday, January 11th from 1-4pm
IKEA Covina-Sunday, January 12th from 12-4pm
IKEA Carson-Saturday, January 18th from 12-4pm
IKEA Costa Mesa-Sunday, March 15th from 12-4pm
In the L.A. area? Don’t miss this amazing show! VOLTA by Cirque du Soleil will open on January 18th Under the Big Top at Dodger Stadium. Click here to purchase tickets and use code IKEAFAMILY25 to save 25% on select IKEA Family Nights or code IKEA20 to save 20% off select ticket levels and presentations of Cirque du Soleil’s VOLTA!
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