evm_september-2023 - 20

IDEAS
AIR TIME
How to balance spectacle with sincerity in a drone show experience
By Rachel Boucher
Through its drone show, Stella &
Chewy's aimed to engage pet owners
and spark conversations on social
about alternatives to fireworks.
DRONE PERFORMANCES have become
more affordable and, thus, ubiquitous
across the landscape. But as criticism
grows over the potential of advertising
" swarms " taking over precious skyline
views, event marketers are returning
to the foundation of authentic brand
experiences for drone shows worthy of
the most epic of venues.
Premium freeze-dried raw dog food
brand Stella & Chewy's took its message
for thoughtful pet parents to the skies
when it hosted a " silent fireworks " drone
show ahead of Fourth of July weekend this
summer. Driven by data that the holiday is
traumatic for pets, especially for dogs, and
results in one of the busiest post-holiday
days for shelters where panicked pets end
up, the brand highlighted this cause with
an experience for people and pets at the
Santa Monica Pier in California.
There was much more than met the
eyes of onlookers within a few square
miles of the drone performance. Here, we
explore Stella & Chewy's strategy, along
20
EVENT MARKETER FALL 2023
with a fundraising experience activated
by the Muscular Dystrophy Association,
through five best practices and steal-worthy
ideas for leveraging drones to amplify
your messaging.
START LONG BEFORE THE
LAUNCH.
After working with local community
groups and municipalities to spread the
word about the spectacle, make sure you
take advantage of your footprint to engage
passersby the entire day. In the case of
Stella & Chewy's, the show required 7,500
square feet of space to form a launch " grid "
for the 300 drones. The grid naturally created
a landing point for curious consumers
to congregate around (Partners: Pixis,
drones and event production; SPH Engineering,
and its Drone Show Software).
" Thousands of people were on the
beach already, and we were there for the
day telling people who we are and what
we stand for, and to please come back
later tonight with pets to see the show, "
says Maiken Erstad, creative director at
Stella & Chewy's. " From that perspective,
drones are amazing, because they make
such a massive impact for a huge audience
that you don't necessarily have to plan for. "
The drone calibration exercises, a
pre-performance of sorts that drew people
to the site throughout the day (Erstad
describes it as watching the drones line
dance in their rows), was an event in
and of itself. Pro tip: As an added bit of
community outreach, have your drone
partner's pilot interact with your youngest
consumers and educate them on the
technology.
BE CHOOSY ABOUT YOUR
PARTNERS.
You'll need to decide if you prefer a turnkey
experience. Keep in mind, there are
permitting processes to navigate with
local zoning and police and fire officials,
as well as federal regulations to adhere to
(for example, the pilot and devices must
be registered with the FAA). Some drone
eventmarketer.com
IMAGE CREDIT: STELLA & CHEWY'S
http://www.eventmarketer.com
evm_september-2023

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