EXPERIENCES WHERE MEMORIES MEET MARKETING

By John Paul Okwi.

What a ride 2024 has been! and as Shakespeare once said, “All is well that ends well.” What started as a mad scramble through the year wrapped up with me living the dream at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Yes, you guessed it! I finally got to watch the Formula One Grand Prix live – What an experience!  On Dec 8th, I cheered McLaren zoom past the finish line, claiming victory as the F1 constructors’ champion 2024 after 26 yrs of waiting – those engines did ROAR!

But there was a twist! You see, I have always been a Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team x Lewis Hamilton fan, how could I not? The guy is a 105 wins’ legend who is out there championing global causes like racial justice and an advocate for bringing F1 back to Africa which has not hosted a race since 1993 – and when I heard President Kagame announce only 4 days after the Grand Prix that Rwanda is bidding to host F1, I could not help but feel envious of our neighbors who are steadily becoming a global sports destination as Uganda looks on. Whether they win or lose, It is a win for the Country!

As I was basking in my Mercedes loyalty & waiting for the race to start later in the day, I reluctantly visited the Ferrari World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, let me tell you, I could not help but fall in love with Ferrari – it was like trying to resist those treacherous KFC Streetwise meals when you are on a diet – a total failure! This place is not just a theme park; it is a joyous love letter to speed & Innovation, all wrapped up in a Ferrari-red bow. Let us talk about that unforgettable virtual reality ride. I got to experience the thrill of being behind the wheel of a Ferrari without spending a dime on insurance or dealing with traffic! Emotional? You bet!

Here is the thing – Experiential Marketing is not just a fancy term; it is about creating emotions – why? Because emotions account for 90-95% of our purchase decisions. Emotions come first, then our behavior, then we use logic to justify our behavior/decisions. Successful brands sell emotions – Apple sells Innovation not phones, ROLEX sells status not watches, Coca-Cola sells happiness not drinks and even our very own Movit Products Limited sells confidence and not beauty/personal care products.

In Uganda, many companies still think that branded experiences are just fancy parties for people to take selfies & update their statuses, they could not be more wrong! – 85% of eventgoers say they are more likely to spend after a fun-filled branded experience. In a world gone cold, Experiential Marketing is the cozy blanket all Marketers need!

Who knew a year filled with such twists & turns would turn a diehard Mercedes-AMG fan into a Ferrari ambassador overnight? As we step into 2025, it is time to transform the way we connect with our audiences! Experience-driven marketing is no longer just a trend – it is the future. Here is to making memories in 2025 that will resonate, one experience at a time.

John Paul Okwi is a Chartered Marketer.