Attending the Circles Conference in Dallas, TX, was an incredible opportunity for the Big Red Jelly team. This conference brought together talented and creative professionals from the industry and it was a privilege to be part of such an inspiring group. We learned new ideas, trends, and strategies that will help us with our clients.
Our team left the conference full of new ideas and insights. We engaged in thought-provoking discussions, listened to keynote speakers, and participated in hands-on workshops that challenged us to think differently about how we approach brand experiences for our clients. We are eager to take these new ideas and put them into action to help our clients. In the following sections, we’ll explore what we learned at the Circles Conference, including the importance of effective brand activation. We’ll also share actionable tips that any brand can use to create memorable experiences.
What is the Circle’s Conference?
The Circles Conference is a three-day event for designers and creators who are looking for inspiration, innovation, and learning. Known for its industry-leading speakers, Circles creates a space for creative growth, problem solving, and new brand building approaches. Participants leave with actionable knowledge and resources, ready to bring new ideas and skills to their own teams and projects.
Highlights from Key Speakers
At this year’s conference, Sean Fox, Partner and Head of Creative and Strategy at Pioneer, spoke about his journey from in-house designer to agency owner. He shared personal insights on how identity and brand can help you grow personally and professionally. Ash Phillips from Six Cinquième talked about how branding can help companies achieve their mission and build/retain teams that fully believe in and fulfill that mission. Allan Peters, from Peters Design Co. shared his journey of overcoming fear and embracing conviction to guide his career.
Another speaker, Mark Warnick, founder and artist at 3vies, talked about the importance of self-awareness in shaping a fulfilling life. He discussed how daily habits over time can lead to achieving your goals. Natalie Kent, Creative Director at Focus Lab, shared lessons on staying resilient and balancing your creative life. Emily Cohen, Founder and Partner at Casa Davka, emphasized effective communication tools and practices to strengthen client relationships.
A Space for Innovation and Growth
These speakers, along with many others at the Circles Conference shared new approaches and perspectives that any brand can use. This conference helps inspire teams to adopt new techniques and think beyond the traditional limits to grow and innovate. Circles has become a key event for designers and creators worldwide.
What We Learned at the Circles Conference
Attending the Circles Conference, Josh, our CEO, along with the Big Red Jelly brand team learned about the importance of brand activation in today’s saturated digital environment. Since COVID-19 pushed businesses online, standing out requires more than just an online presence. Brand activation allows companies to establish memorable connections with their customers.
Creating a Physical Brand Presence
Businesses that “get physical” with their brand stand out and truly connect with consumers. Pop-up events, product samples, or immersive displays are just a few ways businesses can integrate tangible experiences into their brand. These build brand stories that customers can actively participate in. Jonah Sachs said “Your brand is a story unfolding across all customer touch points.” Each time a company interacts with their customers, they are building loyalty and connection.
Combining Digital and Physical Branding
When companies use physical aspects in their digital strategies, they create a brand experience that deeply connects with their customers. Josh and the brand team discovered that this approach is particularly valuable for small to midsize businesses looking to distinguish themselves in the competitive market. By creating a brand story online and offline, companies can create better connections, boost customer loyalty, and create lasting impressions. Moving forward, the Big Red Jelly team is inspired to help clients implement brand activation strategies that go beyond digital, allowing brands to truly stand out and grow.
What is Brand Activation?
Brand activation is a marketing strategy that brings a brand to life through experiences that engage consumers and build meaningful connections. Brand activation requires active participation. This can be achieved through events, experiences, or campaigns. By inviting customers to interact with the brand in a hands-on way, companies can transform them into loyal advocates who feel a personal bond with the brand.
Big Red Jelly’s Approach to Brand Activation
At Big Red Jelly, our brand team uses a proven process to create brand activation for our clients. We start with brand discovering, diving into our client’s history, pain points, and goals. This phase is important as it allows us to understand the client’s business and set clear goals for branding. We conduct our own brand research to better understand the client’s business and ideal customer.
Developing a Guiding Idea and Brand DNA
We then create the guiding idea and brand DNA which helps us showcase the brand’s vision and purpose. The guiding idea acts as the “North Star” guiding every visual and messaging element of the brand. Next we focus on the client’s brand core, message, and visual identity which helps customers understand who they are as a company and why they exist. We also make sure our client’s brand IP remains protected and under your control.
Execution and Asset Development
We then work on execution and assets, making sure that we have all the designs that our client’s business will need for online platforms, communications, and marketing. Finally we create a brand guide to bring together all of the brand elements. By following each of these steps, we help our clients with their brand activation. We create a consistent and meaningful message that helps customer engagement and loyalty.
5 Practical Tips to Improve Your Brand Activation
01. Tangible Impact
Physical branding helps create tangible and memorable experiences. Unlike digital ads, physical branding is memorable because it invites customers to interact with the brand in a real, multi-sensory way. You can be very creative with this. There are so many different ways to incorporate physical branding. Some ideas are creatively designed packaging, unique signage, or pop-up shops. These elements create an immediate impact and help brands cut through the digital noise. Instead of just an online ad, a pop-up shop with interactive displays showcases your product in a unique way. This creates a multi-sensory experience that customers can’t get online.
Our client happiness process is a perfect example of this concept. Rather than simply sending a generic thank-you email, we take the extra step of delivering handwritten thank-you cards, creating a personal and tangible moment that clients remember. This approach consistently reinforces trust and loyalty, leading to increased client satisfaction. By consistently offering these tangible experiences, customers feel more valued and connected to the brand.
02. Sensory Engagement
Physical branding allows companies to use multiple senses, creating a unique experience. Unlike digital experiences, physical branding can use sight, touch, smell, and sound all at once. For example, a clothing store might use a signature scent, music, and displays to encourage customers to linger, explore, and connect with the brand on a sensory level. This multi-sensory experience deepens the connection between the customer and the brand.
Consistency is essential in sensory engagement. When a brand consistency delivers a recognizable sensory experience, customers begin to associate those elements with the brand itself. For example, at Big Red Jelly, our office space is designed to match our branded colors. Using a vibrant red color palette, our jellyfish logo, and a modern look, we create an immersive experience for clients visiting in person. This sense of trust builds over time, turning casual customers into loyal advocates.
03. Human Connection
Building human connection through in-person interactions can transform the way customers experience a brand. Dropping items off in person instead of using delivery services adds a personal touch that customers rarely encounter in today’s world. This gesture shows that the brand is committed to go the extra mile for its customers. This type of interaction leaves customers with a positive experience that digital engagement can’t.
Consistency in building human connection helps strengthen brand trust and long-term relationships with customers. Over time, the customer starts to look at the brand as a supportive partner instead of just a business transaction. These small, thoughtful gestures lead to higher customer satisfaction, more referrals, and company growth.
04. Brand Storytelling in 3D
Brand storytelling through physical displays, like award walls, collages, or museum-like exhibits is a great way to showcase a brand’s history, values, and achievements. These displays help show customers the brand’s journey and success. An awards wall can highlight the company’s milestones and recognitions. This shows visitors the brand’s credibility and expertise.
Displaying items from the company’s history, early products, or creative inspiration shows the customers the brand’s story. This experience allows the customers to connect emotionally with the brand. It also makes the brand more memorable because these displays are a visual thing that visitors can connect with. This makes the customer feel part of something larger than a transaction.
05. Local Impact
Connecting with the local community allows companies to build meaningful relationships with those around them. Sponsoring community events, supporting local initiatives, or hosting neighborhood gatherings demonstrates that the brand values more than just profits, they value the well-being and growth of its community.
An example of this is when Big Red Jelly hosts a small business success series. These events are for people in the local community to learn more about how their businesses can thrive in the fast-paced world of marketing. When customers see a brand supporting causes and events that matter to them, it creates a positive association. This reinforces the brand as caring and an important part of their community.
These events also create more awareness for your company in front of people who may not yet be familiar with your brand. Events provide an opportunity to interact face-to-face with people. Brand representatives can share insights, answer questions, and show examples with the community. By regularly showing up for the community, whether through event sponsorships, charitable partnerships, or volunteer efforts, brands show their commitment to making a positive impact within the community.
Conclusion
Our experience at the Circles Conference showed us the importance of brand activation and how it can elevate a brand’s identity, connect with audiences, and drive growth. Brand activation goes beyond typical marketing approaches. It’s about creating genuine, memorable experiences that make the brand unforgettable. Through intentional efforts like in-person interactions, sensory-driven engagement, and community involvement, businesses can stand out and create lasting relationships with their audience.
At Big Red Jelly, we’re excited to bring these insights to life for our clients. We are here to help create strategies that combine physical and digital aspects. These will create an impactful brand presence. Brand activation allows companies to grow and truly make a difference.
Moving forward, our team is committed to helping clients explore the full potential of brand activation by designing experiences that show their unique stories and values. The Circles Conference reminds us that every brand has the power to create meaningful moments that inspire and engage. By using brand activation, companies can build stronger brands while becoming valued parts of their communities and their customer’s lives.
About the Author
Alyssa Teeples is an intern at Big Red Jelly and a senior at Utah Valley University, where she is completing her degree in Digital Marketing. With graduation just around the corner, Alyssa is excited to bring her knowledge and creativity into the marketing world. Outside of work and school, you’ll find her skiing, playing pickleball, or enjoying the outdoors. Alyssa loves the hands-on experience she has gained at Big Red Jelly, where she has learned about the brand, build, and grow process.
