As a new resident of Melbourne with a newfound love of tennis, this was the first year I had the chance to attend the Australian Open. For my BrandHook Discovery Day, a paid day off where we get to explore something new, I took the opportunity to head to the tennis with a ground pass.

I was amazed with everything they had to offer beyond just the game itself. What didn’t surprise me though was how heavily sponsored the event was – it’s a given these days. Usually I ignore promo people, but this event seemed different, sponsor stalls weren’t just full of POS material and staff members handing out flyers, brands were tailoring their spaces to the tennis and offering intriguing customer experiences to encourage engagement.

Amongst all the noise there were three standout brand activations for me. These were the sponsors who captured my attention, these were the ones who were successfully attracting lines of consumers instead of being ignored. Here’s how I rated each based on my own customer experience:

Blackmores Well Being  

As I walked passed Blackmores’ stall I was suckered in to take a survey for a free sample – the reason why? Instead of people asking me questions, the brand had ‘WellBots’ set up to interact with me. My answers were determined by what emoji I chose for each question and at the end (after putting in my contact details) the machine dispensed 1 free sample which it suggested best met my needs.

This innovative technology proved to be more enticing then someone approaching me wanting to promote their samples. I also enjoyed finding out what sample matched my needs, which turned out to be Match Green Tea with a Vitamin B boost!

The reason I only rated them 3 out of 5 hooks is due to excessive promotion, about an hour after taking the survey we were stopped by promoters from Blackmores handing out free pouches containing all their samples. I felt a little deflated, I realised I wasted time taking a survey and giving my contact details for just one sample. I didn’t see the point of it, and also at the same moment – right on queue – I received a promotional text message from Blackmores. I started to feel harassed and annoyed, but of course I still took the extra samples!

ANZ Break Point

The ANZ Break Point was a huge enclosed space and needed no encouragement to entice passersby; the curiosity to see what was inside was enough! Once in, you were greeted by aircon, which was heaven on a hot day. The space was set up with six individual stations of a virtual tennis game where you held a tennis racquet to hit digital tennis balls bouncing towards you – addictive and fun as you try to gain points. Now as much as this was a hit with kids, it was also engaging for adults alike. I engaged with the whole experience and definitely appreciated the free fan handed out upon exiting.

This evidently was another win for innovative technology, used as a tool to engage with consumers. When a brand offers a fun way to interact with the public it becomes more memorable and enjoyable. I did think however, that as a non user of ANZ I didn’t feel any more inclined to become a customer – but you never know, if I ever decide to change banks maybe this brand will stick in my mind.

Woolworths Summer Sensorium

The winner of the day was Woolworths with their Summer Sensorium that offered free sessions to taste test a set summer menu. Much like ANZ it intrigued me enough to walk over and investigate the huge dome. With booking sessions required it allowed me to decide what time best suited me, in relation to what tennis match I wanted to watch, whilst giving me the confidence knowing I would get in straight away upon returning. The experience really lived up to its ‘senses’ promise providing a unique dining experience that involved sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. The inside of the dome was used as a big screen which played visuals whilst a voice narrated you through your dining experience. The placemats were fake grass adding the element of ‘touch’ and the sample food smelt and tasted amazing.

For me Woolworths ticked all the boxes, it was:

• Innovative
• Unique
• On brand
• Engaging and interactive
• Tied in with summer, a subtle link to the summer tennis event

The bonus was the the free current issue of Woolworth’s magazine Fresh, full of recipes – including ones for the food I taste-tested, a major win!

Written by Lucy.