121) Experiential Experience

I'm writing this in the car on my cell on the way back from Outside Lands festival (don't worry, I'm not driving). A short post on one of the many things I saw there.

Odwalla had one of those tent "experiences" set up. Upon entering, you're greeted soup kitchen style by free samples. Next, you're invited to sign up to perform on a tricked out stage, made to look like the inside of an Odwalla vending machine. Those not musically inclined can watch perched on cloud-shaped bean bags. The MC urged us to "check out the Facebook" on the laptops in one corner of the tent. Meanwhile, Odwalla reps went around taking pictures of the audience and directing them to a website to retrieve the photo.

The whole time we were in the tent (which inexplicably had an upside down inflated farm scene on the ceiling), all I could see was the potential case study. Those in marketing and advertising will know what I'm talking about. It will probably include something along the lines of, "We created a multi-media marketing experience that allowed people to engage with Odwalla in new, exciting ways."

I'm generalizing, of course, and I don't mean to demean Odwalla's efforts. Having worked in advertising, I was simply struck by a weirdly meta experience. A group of people's hard work was culminating in that tent, and everything was contributing to the case study. Upon entering, I passed a sign that warned that by being in the tent, I was agreeing to be photographed for Odwalla's use. I couldn't help but wonder in which case study, deck or presentation the photo of me sitting on one of those bean bags with Odwalla sample in hand will end up.

(Picture to be uploaded tomorrow.)