From binge-watch to brand world: why hit TV shows are creating live experiences

From Squid Game to The Traitors, more and more hit TV shows are stepping off the screen and into the real world.  

And they’re seeing huge successes.  

The Friends Experience has toured the world, pulling in its global fanbase to perch on the orange sofa and step into Rachel and Monica’s apartment. In Squid Game: The Experience, players swap their sofa for jumpsuits and play the Games. And the BBC is seeing success with The Traitors: Live Experience which gives fans the chance to sit at the Round Table and sniff out a Traitor themselves. 

Image credit: Squid Game Experience

It's a smart move from the likes of Netflix and the BBC.

They’re tapping into a growing demand from consumers, to be immersed in the stories we love. And by doing so, they’re creating powerful brand extensions. 

Why? Because these live experiences:  

• Extend the life of the show and keep it top-of-mind 

• Deepen engagement and fanbase loyalty 

• Create anticipation for what’s coming next.  

  
  

Really, it’s nothing new. When you think about it, Disney and Universal Studios have been building entire worlds around their characters and stories for decades. They’ve created theme parks that are arguably the biggest and most successful brand experiences on the planet. So why are we seeing a surge of TV-based experiences popping up today? 

Image credit: The Friends Experience

It’s connected to the ‘experience economy’.  

The demand to be immersed in stories? It doesn’t just relate to TV and media. It’s everything, as Joseph Pine and James Gilmore explained in their book ‘The Experience Economy’. For instance, the value of something as small as a takeaway coffee can be increased from the experience of walking into your favourite cafe, smelling freshly ground beans, watching the barista handcraft your coffee and write your name on the cup, a good conversation... 

Basically, consumers are increasingly choosing experiences over things. And after years of digital saturation, combined with the loneliness epidemic, the special and personal moments found in everyday experiences are valued more than ever before. Which is exactly why the likes of Netflix and the BBC are making sure fans can not only watch their favourite show, they can actively experience it.  

Image credit: The Traitors Live Experience

It’s a lesson to businesses in all sectors.

First, the power in simply being visible. 

Live experiences are a great way of getting eyes on your brand, and lots of them. Taking the Squid Game Experience as an example, the mass numbers of visitors at London’s ExCeL might cause visitors to find out about it for the first time, or keep it top-of-mind when they're looking for a unique activity in London. In the same way that for an exhibitor at a busy trade show, or a brand popping up in a high footfall area, there’s big opportunity to attract attention and build brand salience. And in both cases, visibility can be amped up even more by efforts across the entire marketing mix.

Image credit: Squid Game Experience

And by being visible and drawing in more prospects, you’re able to engage them in a way that other channels can’t achieve.  

For instance, drawing on all five senses to immersive guests in your world. According to research in The Drum this is a powerful tool, with multi-sensory experiences boosting emotional connection by 60% and purchase intent by 20%.  

And guess what - you don't need an extensive brand world to make it immersive in this way. For example, sensory experiences were an important feature in our installation for The Shoebox Experiences. From spooky audio, to the scent of whisky barrels, moving portraits and more, we used the senses to create a more immersive experience of the Shoebox’s underground and historic tours.  

Experiential space for The Shoebox Experiences

In fact, a whopping 75% of people feel more connected to a brand after a live experience. And as we know, lasting connection is something people are lacking, and craving. It leads to better brand salience, loyalty, and advocacy. We see that kind of staying power with popular TV shows, and it’s the same for brands who do experiential marketing well. 

Because in the experience economy, people don’t just want to hear about your brand. They want to be a part of it. And the brands who make that possible will be the ones who reap the rewards.

Planning your own brand experience or exhibition stand? Get in touch with us today.