By actively engaging audiences, we can achieve deeper brand engagement and a longer presence, creating added value for both audiences and businesses. The power of interactivity and identification is essential in today’s marketing.

Why is it good to involve the target audience?
The example of Broadway and Magic
The 21. century, it is no longer enough to simply present a product or service to the public. We live in a digital age where consumers want to play a much more active role in the process. So I say:
They need to be involved in the experience.
But why?
The strength of interactivity
Interactivity is not only present in the online world, but also in offline events and venues. Broadway, one of the biggest theatre centres in the world, has understood this and applied it brilliantly to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. We were in New York, of course the hype around the play is huge, there is not an hour where you don’t see a poster, a 3D advertisement or a built (!) show element. By “built” you should imagine a huge nest with a baby inside, on the roof! Amazing!
So you can imagine that by the time the evening of the performance came around, we were already very busy. (we got into a real souvenir mood, well that would deserve a separate article…).

When you enter the theatre, you are transported into a world of magic. The flags of the school buildings, the telephone box, the photo opportunities – all serve to make the visitor immediately identify with the world they are about to enter and feel at home, enchanted. But seriously, what Potter fan wouldn’t want to eat a chocolate frog or hold a magic wand? Grown-up people were stomping around … (with us).
But why is this important?
- Strength of identification: by reinforcing the connection between brand identity and audience, the consumer becomes emotionally attached. In this case, the world of Harry Potter.
- The pre-experience: before the main event, the play, even starts, visitors are already immersed in the experience. This arouses their interest and excitement. (and income, of course).
- Community interaction: interactive elements allow audience members to communicate and share experiences with each other, which enhances the experience.
Marketing Impact
This involvement creates value not only for the public, but also for the organisations:
- Enhancing brand experience: people talk about the things that affect them. A well-designed interactive experience is much more likely to be shared with others (on the web too!), which means free advertising.
- Longer stays: interactive elements make visitors more likely to spend more time in a given place, which leads to a higher likelihood of additional purchases, such as souvenirs and clothing. Or they take 85 more photos and share them with Tempo. 😉
- Deeper engagement: with active audience participation, engagement with the brand will be deeper and longer lasting.
How the piece itself was incredibly interactive … you should visit it if you want to be delighted and frightened with childlike enthusiasm again, but really! 🙂
So, audience engagement is essential in today’s world. People want to be present not only as passive spectators, but also as active participants. Interactivity and audience engagement create added value not only for the audience, but also for businesses. Broadway and the production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are perfect examples.
Next time you’re working on a marketing strategy, remember: getting people involved is key!

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