Experiential Marketing

Interactive & exciting experiences that create positive user interactions with your brand.

rendering of an experiential marketing brand activation at the Calgary Stampede. A large domed canopy over 40ft tall covers a stage with side and back walls. The setup is a giant claw machine build out of the back of a truck bed. A gantry crane is set up around the truck for the claw. Users control the claw from a control station at the front of the stage with a truck steering wheel and live camera view on the monitor. Two live monitors are set up on a truss system to the left and right of the stage.

Experiential marketing or brand activations are marketing tactics that are brand-focused and revolve around user experience by utilizing interactivity and participation. It’s about creating an experience and emotional connection with your customers that is fun, memorable, and unique to your brand.

Imagine trying your luck with a giant claw machine as you try to retrieve a prize box from the back of a truck using a steering wheel controller at the Calgary Stampede. Or bringing a mobile televised equestrian viewing experience — complete with real show horses — to homes across Calgary. Or setting up a phone booth in downtown that mysteriously starts ringing, only to print out free flight tickets to London when you answer the phone.

Experiential marketing events or brand activations can include games, art and visual installations, displays that encourage some kind of call to action or social media sharing, or a custom product demonstration.

BOOK A MEETING

OUTDOORs

Take advantage of whatever season your experiential activation lands in: snowy landscapes and winter activities, or hot days where visitors might be looking to cool off. Take advantage of the great outdoors at events, festivals, rodeos, markets, and more.

Seasonal games & activities with your branding
Displays that offer shelter as part of your activation
Creative configurations that complement your environment
experiential marketing brand activation at the Calgary Stampede. A large domed canopy over 40ft tall covers a stage with side and back walls. The setup is a giant claw machine build out of the back of a truck bed. A gantry crane is set up around the truck for the claw. Users control the claw from a control station at the front of the stage with a truck steering wheel and live camera view on the monitor. Two live monitors are set up on a truss system to the left and right of the stage.
Custom-built giant claw machine at the Calgary Stampede
teal UK-style telephone booth in downtown calgary for an experiential marketing campaign. Visitors who answered the ringing phone would receive free flights to London that would be printed out inside the booth as part of a Canadian airline flight launch.
Brand activation: answer the phone to win free flights
Outdoor mechanical bull in an inflatable pen for rent in Calgary. A truss sign creates a backdrop behind this experiential marketing display.
Outdoor mechanic bull rental for events in Calgary
outdoor games tent for a cell phone carrier company at the Calgary Stampede. A custom-build counter is in the tent, backed by a wire wall display that hosts a variety of prizes. Carnival-style games are also featured on the right and left of the tent.
Custom-built event counter, prize display & signage
Custom built 3D airplane character from a movie from an experiential marketing event in downtown Calgary.
3D movie character built for an experiential event
Local Canadian bank with customized signage that temporarily names the bank after a local exceptional community member. The inset image on the right shows window graphics featuring the person being honoured.
Custom signage that recognizes a valued community member
Experiential event at the Calgary Stampede that allows users to shoot a stationed water gun at a moving target in order to lift a full-size truck up in the air. Custom stage, LED signage, backdrop signage, and rental flooring is shown.
Custom build: hit the moving target to lift a truck in the air
truss system designed to look like a giant teal Christmas present framing a shipping bay garage door at the YYC airport. Part of a brand activation for a Canadian airline.
Giant Christmas present for a Westjet shipping bay in YYC
custom-build outdoor christmas light display in Calgary. A structure that host strings of lights to look like a cone-shaped Christmas tree extends about 30 feet tall. Curved tubes of light frame the pathway with custom-programmed sequencing. The inset image on the right shows a giant cutouts that form a Christmas wreath, complete with berries and lighting. A bow is at the top, and the middle panel reads "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays"
Custom programmed Christmas light display & giant wreath

INDOORS

Indoor activations can be a standalone event or can be used as a tactic to meet your marketing objectives during a trade show, consumer show, or other event. Harness the power of experiential marketing to create exceptional experiences that make your brand recognizable and favourable. This can lead to other outcomes such as sales leads.

Multimedia integration with touch screens, VR, monitors & more
Endless possibilities for creative custom & modular displays
Custom signage, graphics, and fabrication to realize your vision
Giant branded Christmas box nearly 20ft tall for a Canadian airline company. This was part of an experiential marketing event at the YYC airport.
Christmas display for a YYC airport experiential event
modular sound booth for a product launch event in downtown Calgary. This experiential marketing display contains custom graphics on the inside and outside of the sound booth, with transparent plexiglass windows. The inset image on the right shows a visitor recording a payment processing jingle into a microphone with a guitar.
Sound booth display for a product launch event in Calgary
modular Octanorm display for an experiential marketing event in downtown Calgary. The hexagonal room contains a door to store prizes. Contestants answer questions for a chance to win. The display also includes a custom fabric canopy, wall graphics, and floor decals.
Gameshow-style experiential event display for InceptionU
custom-build treasure chest for an experiential brand activation at a Toronto event. The chest is for a rum company and includes three inserts for bottles, and LED lighting from underneath. It also includes custom hardware and signage, along with laser-cut faux gold coins.
Custom-built treasure chest for a Toronto brand activation
Virtual U-shaped wall surrounding a new SUV on a round platform stage. The display allows users to sit in the drivers seat and experience a VR ride. The inset image on the left shows the outside of the display with a storage room door and virtual screen logo. This exhibit was featured in a mall as part of an experiential marketing campaign.
Virtual car ride experience for a brand activation
Christmas display set up indoors for visitors to walk by at an outdoor event in Spruce Meadows, Calgary. Winter scenery is composed from multiple panels, with additional custom signage and programmed LED lighting.
Custom-built display for a Christmas festival in Calgary
plexiglass room and backdrop for a custom rage room at a Calgary Chamber of Commerce event. The inset photo on the right shows participants choosing a weapon to smash up old POS systems.
Custom rage room for a payment processing company
plexiglass panic room for an experiential marketing launch in Edmonton, Alberta.
Custom panic room for an experiential event in Calgary
Modular Octanorm display for an experiential marketing event in Calgary. The brand activation is for a movie and cell network provider. The graphics say "Celebrate family with a free call to anywhere in the world." Cardboard cut out displays of characters from the movie are shown on the sides of the display. Yellow carpet is used within the exhibit, and also features a seating area.
Modular experiential marketing display in Calgary

MOBILE

Take your show on the road with activations that are ready to roll. We can customize and configure trailers, trucks, parade floats, and anything else on wheels for experiential activations that are meant to travel far and wide.

Trailer builds with custom graphics, fabrication & electrical
UV-protected and weather-ready graphics
Safe & sturdy fabrication with exceptional craftsmanship
custom-built mobile museum trailer for event marketing across Canada. The inset image on the left shows custom graphics on the outside of the trailer for the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. The interior includes wall graphics and informational panels, touch screens, and interactive dislays. A sliding glass panel is pulled out showing a Canadian historic hockey jersey.
Custom-built museum trailer with interactive displays
custom-build mobile trailer midway game for the Calgary Stampede. The trailer is branded in graphics and custom build features for a Canadian airline theme.
Custom-built branded midway trailer for Westjet
tricycle bikes with branded cooler boxes attached to the back to hold ice cream. Part of an experiential marketing campaign for an event.
Branded bike boxes for handing out treats at an event
branded semi-trailer that converts into a stage for a community event in Calgary during the Calgary Stampede.
Branded semi-truck trailer that transforms into a stage
Outdoor experiential marketing game for a show during the Calgary Stampede. Two branded mini trailers are on stage with a person standing in each one for a teddy bear toss competition. The inset image on the left shows a close up of the custom-fabricated display.
Custom-built mini trailers for a teddy bear toss game
custom-build harley davidson trailer for an experiential marketing campaign in Calgary.
Custom trailer for an experiential marketing campaign
custom-built parade float bases and 3D building models for an oil and gas company during the Calgary Stampede.
Custom parade float bases during the calgary stampede
branded company trailer for an experiential CFL event. A branded table drape is in front. To the left (inset image) is a freestanding display that allows you to place foodbank items into a clear insert. The insert also indicated which CFL team you think will win the match.
Interactive CFL food bank display, signs & truck decals
mobile custom-built event trailer for an experiential marketing campaign in Calgary. The interior features custom counters that feature snacks, and movie theatre seats in front of a tv monitor. All the walls of the trailer are plexiglass. A show horse is also being led next to the display in front of a residential area.
Custom mobile equestrian event viewing trailer during covid
branded vehicle decals for a movie marketing campaign. The decals show the legs of a person inside the car as if the door is removed.
Unique movie marketing vehicle decals installation

key EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING display features

INTERACTIVE

Immerse your audience into your brand by building something exciting that gets them involved. Integrate multimedia elements, custom electrical and lighting components, games, installations, demonstrations, or other participation-focused features.

BRANDED COMPONENTS

Experiential marketing has huge value when done intentionally with a unique concept customized to your brand. This includes everything from displays and signage to custom features and graphics.

CREATIVE

We love a good challenge! No idea is too crazy or too big for our team. We love wowing our clients and users with creative experiences that create lasting memories and impressive results.

START-TO-FINISH SERVICES

From design to fabrication, shipping, installation, and dismantling, we ensure no detail is overlooked. Whether your activation is happening in Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, or anywhere else in the world, we ensure everything reaches its destination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to commonly asked questions about experiential marketing and brand activation displays.

Exhibit Studio and Westwind Design portfolio booklet showing project examples.

GATHER INSPIRATION

We’ve built and designed thousands of displays. View a collection of some of our favourites, and get inspired for your next display project!

VIEW PORTFOLIO
Scroll to Top