People want to feel like they are part of something, and that is why they participate. Events are supposed to be fun and engaging. So, why not have advertising that does just that? The Indianapolis Cultural Trail Run & Hunt had the city – even me, an outsider – feeling part of the event days before it even started.
Vehicle advertising is nothing new, but this event promotion took it a step further. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail Run & Hunt took an everyday object (city transit bus) and the practice of mobile marketing to a new level of participation. Individuals painted the IndyGo bus over the course of a few days in the city’s downtown area, resulting in an increased interest as well as the beginning of a word-of-mouth marketing campaign.
Press releases, websites, and flyers help, but there are ways to go beyond the static informational phase of event marketing. The bus artwork creation had spectators feeling like they were part of the event. When people feel associated with something they are more likely to be a champion for it. Whether it is a charity run, a workout class or a book club, people like to interact and be part of the bigger picture. In this case, the bus painting helped people to spread the word, be reminded of the event, as well as jumpstart their participation.
