9 Experiential Marketing Books for Brand Strategy

Experiential marketing is a frontier that many brands are still trying to figure out, so knowing how to create a winning experiential marketing strategy can be a big challenge.

When experiential marketing is done right, though, it takes your marketing campaign to a whole new level. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of the hottest experiential marketing books to get you pointed in the right direction.

Want to casually read through big-brand case studies? Or dig into a how-to book on the process of launching and measuring a campaign? Take your pick from the list below.

Want something right now? You can also check out our Ultimate Guide to Experiential Marketing, complete with tons of real-life examples you can pull from to craft your own brand strategy.

1. Experiential Marketing: Secrets, Strategies, and Success Stories from the World’s Greatest Brands
by Kerry Smith and Dan Hanover

Everything from the fundamental principles of experiential marketing to real-world applications is covered in this book. Namely, you’ll learn how big brands—Coca-Cola, Nike, Microsoft, American Express, and others—navigate the world of creating epic experiential marketing strategies. Then employ those same tactics and start connecting with your customers.

If you love case studies, this experiential marketing book is markedly for you.

In essence, it explains how to transition to an experiential marketing campaign using real-world examples. There’s an emphasis on how to use social media as a key component of your experiential marketing strategy because it makes your campaign shareable, measurable, targetable, and more engaging. Learning how to actually measure the impact of experiential marketing turns out super useful.

Available as an eBook, hardcover, and paperback.

2. The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact Hardcover
by Chip and Dan Heath

What exactly makes for a lasting impression?

This New York Times bestseller explores the human experience of defining moments. It explains some intriguing puzzles surrounding experience and the psychology of engagement behind them. Without a doubt, marketers will learn how to create richer experiences for consumers.

“The most interesting, immediately actionable book I’ve read in quite a while. I walked away with new ideas for motivating employees, delighting customers, engaging students, and even planning family vacations.”
—Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author on The Power of Moments

Available as an eBook, audiobook, hardcover, and paperback.

3. Disruptive Marketing: What Growth Hackers, Data Punks, and Other Hybrid Thinkers Can Teach Us About Navigating the New Normal
by Geoffrey Colon

With our eyes almost always on a screen, it should be easy to get in front of any consumer that we want.

In reality, it’s not that simple.

Consumers, overloaded with ads vying for their attention, tune out online ads and email campaigns. Consumer behavior is radically changing, so marketers must dig even deeper to reach the target audience.

This book explores how companies can create an experiential marketing campaign that’s both an interactive and emotional experience for the consumer in today’s modern consumer climate.

Available as an eBook, audiobook, and hardcover.

FURTHER READING: Is Photo Marketing The Next Big Trend In Marketing?

4. Experiences: The 7th Era of Marketing
by Robert Rose and Carla Johnson

A how-to for the new era of marketing. This book reviews best practices for the emerging world of experiential marketing strategy.

First, the book predicts that “Content Creation Management will be a core discipline within tomorrow’s marketing strategy.”

In addition, it explains firsthand how to create, manage, scale, promote, and measure content-driven experiences for consumers.

You can get a preview of what to expect from this gem of a book in the trailer.

Take a look:

Available as an eBook, audiobook, and hardcover.

5. Contagious: Why Things Catch On
by Jonah Berger

How and why do things catch on and go viral?

Well, this book breaks the impossible question down into six basic principles.

Naturally, we love how this book is a balance of instruction and story. It’s certainly the perfect way to explain how to make an idea popular. There’s no doubt that’s a useful skill while developing an experiential marketing strategy.

Contagious is, without a doubt, appropriate for everyone from marketing executives to politicians and beyond.

Available as an eBook, audiobook, paperback, and hardcover.

FURTHER READING: The Ultimate Guide to Experiential Marketing

6. Connect: How to Use Data and Experience Marketing to Create Lifetime Customers
by Lars Birkholm Petersen and Ron Person

This book was written by seasoned marketing executives and it shows. As a result, it leads readers through the must-have technology. It teaches marketers about the compelling personal connection needed to engage with consumers.

It’s a must-read for all levels of experiential marketers and has earned praise by industry thought leaders.

Above all it describes the modern customer’s life cycle and journey. In the same vein, this invaluable book prepares you to craft your own experiential marketing strategy.

Available as an ebook or hardback.

7. Experience the Message: How Experiential Marketing Is Changing the Brand World
by Max Lenderman

Is text marketing a good thing? Is pop-up retail that brings the store to the consumer the next big thing?

The transition to experiential marketing is ultimately being driven by a new consumer. One that rejects impersonal messages and, by and large, yearns for brands that are personally relevant.

Most importantly, this book describes how the most forward-thinking experiential marketing experts are reaching their consumer-base.

Available as an ebook, paperback, or hardcover.

8. Top of Mind: Use Content to Unleash Your Influence and Engage Those Who Matter To You
by John Hall

How do you get more mileage out of your experiential marketing strategy?

One word… content.

This book teaches you to extend your brand’s message. With this purpose in mind, readers will learn how to activate a connected engagement marketing campaign and a cohesive content strategy.

Available as an ebook, paperback, or hardback.

FURTHER READING: How Digital Photo Booths Are Changing Event Marketing

9. Experiential Marketing: A Practical Guide to Interactive Brand Experiences
by Shirra Smilansky

What is your customer’s experience, and why does it matter?

Alternatively, how does a company gain customer loyalty and how important is it?

This book starts by uniquely explaining the shift to experiential marketing from traditional marketing. But it also delivers the step-by-step process of planning, activating, and evaluating a successful experiential marketing strategy.

Hamish Millar, Marketing Manager for Pernod Ricard UK describes the book as:

“A very clearly written and inspiring guide, demonstrating a unique approach to integrated experiential marketing that carefully explains the methodology in a concise and effective manner.”

Available as an ebook, paperback, or hardback.