The Use of Immersive Theatre in Experiential Marketing

“Immersive theatre” offers the opportunity to step into another world, to experience imaginative and entertaining stories, the chance to be genuinely moved, and feel authentic human engagement with the characters.

The word “immersive” has been understandably co-opted by elements outside the theatrical realm.  That’s because they understand something Disney has understood for decades: if you provide escape from the real world, you have the full attention of your audience.  

Why do we consume popular culture? It all goes back to the Greeks.  Humans desire emotional catharsis.  You won’t achieve that in a standard experience.  You must incorporate story in your experience, and using immersive theatre elements are the vehicle that gets you there.  

Sadly, events described as “immersive” don’t always fit the bill.  So let’s get specific. What defines “immersive theatre” and what is its role in experiential marketing?

Defining Immersive Experiences

Immersive theatre removes the audience from the passive state of sitting and watching action in a proscenium, and places them inside the dramatic space.  You may be with a small audience inside a gothic mansion, following the actors from room to room as they perform.  Or the story may take place entirely inside a car, a restaurant, or a bar. You might follow actors through a cemetery and inside a massive mausoleum. The possibilities are endless.  

Immersive theatre often has smaller audiences, allowing for a richer experience than from a theater balcony. Subtleties normally lost in a proscenium provide bold new perspectives when experienced up close.  It is the proximity to the drama, as in real life, that provides more lush emotional experiences. 

Shows have varying levels of interactivity.  They may be participatory, in which you speak with the characters and are able to influence the action. You may even be the protagonist, the apparent star of your own journey.  

The height of immersive theater often occurs in what is known as “one-on-ones.” An actor may lead you to a quiet spot away from the action, or perhaps a hidden room. You may be treated to a soul-searching monologue, a palm reading, or the exposing of a personal secret or clue for which you are the only witness.

These moments are unique.  Like life, they are fleeting.  And like life, they often leave an indelible emotional impression.  

Which is exactly what you want experiential marketing to accomplish.  

The emotional rewards of immersive theater are exponentially greater than what either traditional theater, or current marketing experiences, can ever deliver.  

Why?  And what elements can be utilized in experiential marketing?

When the action occurs in a space that serves the story, suspension of disbelief is easier to achieve. The audience doesn’t have to imagine being in a haunted mansion, because they actually are there. Being physically present brings that space, the drama, and your product, to tangible life.

The Five Senses

Immersive theatre also enhances the experience for our five senses. In traditional theater, we use only our eyes and ears. In immersive entertainment, all five senses come to the fore.  

Fragrance is my favorite.  A character may wear a specific cologne or perfume. An old art deco building may have the scent of 1930s New York. An SUV may have that new car smell.  You may walk through an herb garden with a duchess. Olfactory memory is the most powerful form of explicit memory.  That is, we explicitly associate specific odors with specific experiences and emotions.  What more could an experiential marketer want? 

For the taste buds, shows can offer alcohol or other beverages, or even a three-course gourmet meal as you dine with, well, whoever fits your story and product.

The visual design of your experience doesn't just mean eye candy.  Visual design should be wrapped into the DNA of both product and story.  What location has been selected and why?  How does your director guide the audience’s attention in a given moment?  What are they meant to see, or not see, and why? 

Likewise, the use of sound isn’t limited to music.  What sound effects or aural environment is used and for what purpose in relation to your product?

How about touch?  Many experiences offer the opportunity to physically interact with objects and props that may be relevant to the story, or are carefully designed to provide a feeling of authenticity.  An actor may take your hand in hers and lead you to another room, or to dance a waltz. 

It’s an astonishing and exhilarating moment when the world you enter is not only alive, but it interacts with you, and you with it.  It amplifies your role in the story, bonding you with a character in ways you would never expect.

How big is immersive going to be in branded and experiential entertainment? The Walt Disney Company is embracing it wholeheartedly, by including it in numerous upcoming Star Wars attractions and soon, a hotel.  That hotel will be fully immersive and interactive.  

You want to be incorporating immersive elements now, not waiting for others to pioneer the territory.