What is Event Marketing - Event Marketing in a Nut Shell

Event marketing is one of the fastest growing fields in marketing and advertising today. It's everywhere you look in today's culture although; you probably don't readily recognize the majority of the event marketing programs when you see them. That's because there are many flavors to event marketing and there are no hard rules about what exactly is and isn't event marketing. That free sample of coffee you picked up from the Dunkin' Donuts logo wrapped vehicle = Event Marketing. The huge, custom-converted tractor/trailer semi with dozens of Playstation 2 stations where you played the hottest new game titles while at the X Games = Event Marketing. Have you been on Spring Break or at a vacation hot spot and been approached by an attractive model who wanted you to sign-up or try something? That was an Event Marketing program in action.

Whether you are at the Super Bowl, Ozzfest, the Van's Warped Tour, the Olympics, or just your local mall or grocery store, there is an event marketing program there or, at the very least, waiting for you right around the corner. Event marketing brings the advertising to the consumer by direct hand-to-hand sampling or interactive displays. While advertising and major marketing programs blast millions of consumers with the same general messages on television or mass media, event marketing targets specific individuals or groups at gathering spots where they hope to make quality individual impressions.

Programs rely on an Event Marketing street teams to execute the daily program and accomplish any and all program goals. While everyone at the event marketing company involved in the creation and construction of the program probably had an MBA or a college degree in advertising or marketing, the street team is generally comprised of young, energetic people. An education is not mandatory for anyone on the management team, in most cases. The management team usually consists of at least one manager and possibly several assistant managers or coordinators. The final piece of the program pie is the local staff that is hired to assist the management team on a program.

An event marketing program can be a nationwide tour, regional program, or it may be focused upon one key market. Major cities like New York, Miami, and Chicago have dozens of local marketing programs going at any given time. Less populated states such as Iowa or Idaho or smaller cities usually have fewer local programs targeting them. National tours can follow some larger event such as Nascar or Ozzfest or, they may hit a series of events or festivals across the country that offer the opportunity to connect with potential consumers. Most music concerts out there today involve a sponsorship or two of some kind and, along with that tour sponsorship comes an event marketing program that samples or interacts with concertgoers, exposing them to the sponsor's presence and message.

Where do you fit into event marketing? That depends on your goal. If you want to make great money on a steady, weekly basis, you should consider becoming a tour manager. Tour managers make the most money but they also must travel nearly all the time. Seeing the country and getting paid to do it sounds like a great deal but, it can get very stressful if you have any ties at home or, if you find you crave security and predictability. You should decide this before you go on the road; there is nothing worse for everyone involved than having a road member experience a personal breakdown on the road.

Market managers get the chance to run local programs in one city (sometimes in several cities if they are close together). Bacardi, Marlboro, Red Bull, Pepsi, and just about any liquor and tobacco brands run in-market programs all the time. It's not year round employment but, you can stay at home and avoid prolonged time away from family, friends, or pets.

If you want to make great money on a strictly part-time basis, you should consider becoming a promotional model. Promotional models work as local event staff when an event marketing program requires help in addition to the management team. A model can make $15 or more an hour and, they are usually doing little more than smiling and interacting with the public. It's a great way to get a start in event marketing.

Interested in becoming a part of event marketing? You've come to the right place. Read our requirements for becoming a part of the Kandu Marketing & Staffing team as a promotional model or an event marketing manager. We look forward to working with you!