In an age of decreased attention spans, digital fatigue and discerning, label-checking consumers, brands are zooming in on the secret sauce of their products by taking a decidedly scientific approach to engagement. From sampling laboratories, to hands-on learning and demos, experiential deep dives are helping audiences get to the core (or, shall we say, the heart) of a product or brand.
Skincare CPG brands in particular are leaning into science. A recent Prosper Insights & Analytics survey covered by Forbes found that 13.8 percent of consumers ages 18-plus in the U.S. purchase skincare and cosmetic products based on the ingredients. Just this month, Neutrogena joined forces with AIRE Health during the American Academy of Dermatology’s Annual Meeting, activating a night market-style event that was part newsstand, part laboratory, and featured scientific demos and décor, like product displayed in Erlenmeyer flasks.
Let’s explore where else event marketers are creating space for testing and learning.
Personal Assessments
At Coachella last year, official body and hair care sponsor Method Products activated an Inner Shower Lounge where attendees could relax and partake in interactive product experiences, including a multisensory journey through the worlds of Method’s most popular scents. A photo activation, however, put an atmospheric spin on shower gel. An AI Aura photo op took consumers’ answers to a few short questions and transformed their personal “auras” into colorful digital prints inspired by the brand’s most popular product aromas.
‘Scientist’ Meet and Greets
Instead of enlisting influencers to discuss surface-level product specs, some brands are turning to product specialists and creators to engage audiences face-to-face. Laneige’s “Hydration School” mobile experience for its Lip Sleeping Mask and Water Bank Collection offered consumers in-depth skin-consultations with a beauty expert, educational talks and product sampling from the hydration booth.
At a storytelling-themed media event at the New York Public Library, Kenvue showcased a collection of products in a space that was organized into book-themed installations representing its portfolio of brands, like Zarbee’s and Neutrogena. Each installation included an interactive demo, a chance to speak to the scientists behind the products and opportunities for sampling.
- How Hands-on Pop-ups are Demonstrating the Science Behind CPG Products
- Soma Helps Women Solve Their ‘Bra-blems’ at its Pop-up Innovation Lab
Laboratory Vibes
There’s something about the sleekness of a lab environment that elevates even the most common of drug-store aisle brands. To launch its Hair Filler and Repair System earlier this year, Garnier Fructis hosted a lab-themed pop-up that focused on the system’s promise to repair hair “seven layers deep.” Attendees were invited to partake in various experiments and observe demos by Garnier’s lab experts designed to showcase the efficacy of Hair Filler products. And to go “stomach deep,” vitamin C elixirs and nutrient-rich hors d’oeuvres were served as well.
In a crowded trade show space, Herb Pharm created a pensive moment for attendees by taking them inside the ingredients of some of its extracts and supplements at last year’s Natural Products Expo West. A Mushroom Wellness display showed the mycelium network, the structure that grows mushrooms, and allowed attendees to explore different types of mushrooms—and all of Herb Pharm’s product benefits—under an actual microscope.
Talk about engagement at the cellular level.
