Trend Report: Marketers turn to no-audience events in the wake of COVID-19

An inverted aerial performed above the Statue of Liberty.

The event industry may be on pause, but behind the scenes, digital engagement is moving full speed ahead. Smart marketers are planning high-impact content to roll out while media and social media attention are at all-time highs. One of the most impactful forms of content marketing are athlete and scripted activations involving a mix of IRL and film production that delivers extraordinary moments.

For inspiration, take a look at Snapchat, which staged a Snapbot delivery to the US Open with a scripted stunt featuring a group of influencers on a ferry cruise and a helicopter delivery of the Snapchat Spectacles Snapbot vending machine. The spectacular views and influencer reactions were all caught on camera. Along for the ride was women’s doubles champion Bethanie Mattek-Sands who shot and shared content snapped with Spectacles onboard the helicopter as it circled lower Manhattan. 

A brand synonymous with the extraordinary is Red Bull, which capitalizes on high-energy stunts that result in viral content. Several years ago stunt artists in Red Bull-branded wing suits jumped out of a chopper and soared over New York Harbor, landing on a barge. The footage earned more than 1.1 million views. In another Red Bull classic, Red Bull Diving World Series champ Orlando Duqoe practiced for an upcoming diving event by “heli-diving” from a chopper over the Statute of Liberty (a 75-foot plunge at 50 miles per hour… wow).

All three projects had several things in common: a bold idea, a story to tell, impressions, production value, approval processes, a short timeframe, small production crews and—most importantly, given the current state of affairs—zero public involvement or large groups of spectators (IDEKO handled the permitting). In other words, a scripted activation developed, planned and executed properly is low-risk and high-reward form of content marketing.  

So, gather around the virtual drawing board and start putting bold ideas on paper for impactful content programs that can be developed right now in collaboration while in isolation. Audiences are craving inspiring experiences now more than ever, and creatives and production gurus have the power to deliver them. Time to push play.

Drop us a note if you are interested in producing a no-audience event and we can guide you getting back to making great work.