3 Reasons Today’s Biggest Brands are Using Shipping Containers for their Campaigns

Why are companies turning to shipping containers for semi-permanent structures and creative campaigns? Because they work! Here are a few reasons why:

They’re new in the world of exhibits and experiential marketing:

Half of the battle is catching the attention of your desired audience when you want it. Our approach makes this a lot easier for our clients. Many come to us initially because they see pictures of what we have done and it doesn’t look like anything that they, or their clients, have seen before. Beyond the ability to achieve your business goals, shipping containers also allow you to capture an element of “industrial chic” in terms of the design aesthetic – something that is very popular right now. Plus, repurposing containers is a sustainable practice. And in today’s marketplace, aligning your brand with responsible environmental methods is important.

They Enable You to Create a Better Brand Experience:

Once you’ve caught your audience’s attention, the next step is to share your message in a way that is memorable and will stick. When you have the right venue it is possible to create a truly immersive experience. This isn’t just about having a unique display and then handing someone a pamphlet. It’s about getting your audience into an environment – about changing their mentality by making them consciously cross a threshold, interact with your brand ambassadors, and be immersed in your created experience. Whatever your brand, this gives you a much better chance of having your message stick and having your consumer try your product down the road.

Jack Daniels could have gone down the typical lifestyle marketing route for tradeshows, having an attractive woman handing out cards to passers-by and inviting them to try a sample at the bar later. This approach can work – but for the famous black label? The most well-known whiskey maker in the country? A company that prides itself on independence with a shot of rebel? So we created a comfortable environment for visitors to sit with a brand ambassador, discuss whiskey vs. bourbon, and sample some good old No. 7.  We did more than hand out pamphlets; we gave those customers an experience.

Pop-Up Anywhere/Everywhere:

Shipping container designs enable a brand’s pop-up event to pop-up anywhere & everywhere.These containers have a flexible footprint, and can be shipped worldwide. For Lay’s “Do Us a Flavor” campaign, we set up a fully branded two-story structure using a 53-foot and two 40-foot containers that featured a luxury VIP lounge with air-conditioning, displays, and, the best part, a chip dispenser wall. We did this in the middle of Times Square in the wee hours of the morning for a one-day activation.

Red Bull is not only a high-energy drink, it is a high-energy company. They needed a customized venue that could travel with them anywhere they needed to go. Their convenience store–style interactive booth is made from a 20-foot container and features all the comforts and amenities of a convenience store, down to the snacks and ice-cold Red Bull. It is easy to set up and break down, and it can accommodate virtually any space. Shipping containers offer unlimited ways to create a branded experience wherever and whenever you need.

Sustainable design, a trendy look, and industrial-chic appeal might be what intrigues brands about shipping containers initially, but what convinces them that containers are the best option for events is the functionality, transportability, relevance, and creativity of the solutions that are possible with a giant steel box.