“The more you communicate what makes you different, the less you have to compete on price." - Sally Hogshead

Welcome back to our Science of Event Marketing: Summer Sessions on fascination. Last week, we introduced Hogshead's framework for capturing attention and explored the Innovation trigger. Today, we're diving into two more powerful fascination triggers from Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation - a book that continues to influence how we approach marketing strategy at Steelhead Productions.

As trade show environments become increasingly competitive, understanding these psychological triggers becomes essential for creating experiences that attract attention, inspire action, and build lasting brand relationships.

Trigger 2: Passion - The Language of Relationship

• Core concept: Fascination through emotional connection and sensory experiences
• Psychological effect: Creates engagement through warmth, enthusiasm, and authentic human connection
• Brand examples: Disney's immersive experiences, Coca-Cola's happiness campaigns, Nike's emotional storytelling
• Warning sign: When your event presence feels clinical, overly technical, or emotionally disconnected from attendees

Spotlight: Coca-Cola's Mastery of the Passion Trigger

(Source: WWD Malaysia)

Why does Coca-Cola remain one of the world's most beloved brands? 

Their genius lies in understanding that people don't buy products—they buy emotional experiences. Coca-Cola has perfected the art of using passion to transform a simple beverage into a vehicle for human connection:

1. "Share a Coke" Campaign 
   
   • By replacing their iconic logo with popular names and encouraging people to find bottles with their own or friends' names, Coca-Cola personalized millions of consumer interactions
   • The campaign generated over 500,000 consumer photos shared on social media and increased consumption among young adults by 7%
   • What made it fascinating? It transformed a passive product into an active expression of relationship and identity
   • The emotional reward of finding and sharing a personalized Coke created powerful memory imprints that standard advertising could never achieve
2. "Happiness Machine" Activation
   
   • In this experiential campaign, specially rigged vending machines dispensed unexpected gifts like flowers, pizzas, and giant sandwiches to surprised students on college campuses
   • Hidden cameras captured genuine reactions of delight and spontaneous sharing, creating authenticity that couldn't be scripted
   • The original video garnered millions of organic views, demonstrating how passion-driven experiences naturally generate shareability
   • The brilliance was in creating a real-world moment of wonder that embodied the brand's promise of delivering happiness

By focusing on universal human feelings—joy, surprise, connection, and generosity—Coca-Cola creates fascination through emotional resonance that transcends age, language, and culture.

Practical Event Applications

• Engage multiple senses: Replace static displays with textured surfaces, ambient soundscapes, and subtle scents that create an immersive emotional journey beyond the visual
• Lead with human stories: Instead of traditional product demonstrations, create experiential storytelling that connects technical features to authentic human experiences and emotional benefits
• Design for aspiration: Shift messaging from specifications to the aspirational outcomes that resonate with attendees' deeper motivations and desires
• Train for connection: Prepare staff to build authentic relationships through shared enthusiasm and personal engagement before transitioning to product conversations
• Create shareable moments: Design emotionally resonant photo opportunities and experiences to inspire social sharing and extend your reach beyond the event

Trigger 3: Power - The Language of Authority

• Core concept: Fascination through confidence, expertise, and authoritative positioning
• Psychological effect: Establishes credibility and creates a sense of security in decision-making
• Brand examples: IBM's thought leadership, American Express's exclusive positioning, Mercedes-Benz's engineering authority
• Warning sign: When your brand appears uncertain, reluctant to lead, or lacks confident positioning

Spotlight: IBM's Strategic Use of Authority

(Source: Akshat Singh Bisht)

How does a company with over a century of history remain relevant and commanding in the tech landscape? 

IBM demonstrates the enduring power of authority as a fascination trigger by consistently positioning itself as the definitive expert in business technology:

1. "Built with IBM" Campaign 
   
   • This strategic initiative repositioned IBM from a traditional hardware/software provider to a leader in emerging technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data analytics
   • Rather than making abstract claims about capabilities, IBM showcased real-world implementation stories where its solutions solved complex business challenges
   • The campaign leveraged detailed case studies, technical whitepapers, and executive perspectives to demonstrate deep expertise
   • What made it fascinating? It transformed technical complexity into accessible authority, making IBM the obvious choice for businesses navigating technological transformation
2. "Think" Campaign and Leadership Platform
   
   • IBM's iconic "Think" mantra evolved into a comprehensive authority-building platform including global conferences, exclusive research reports, and C-suite advisory services
   • By consistently producing forward-looking insights on technologies like quantum computing, blockchain, and AI ethics, IBM establishes itself as seeing around corners
   • The initiative positions IBM executives as industry oracles whose perspectives shape the future direction of enterprise technology
   • The brilliance lies in creating a self-reinforcing authority loop: sharing insights builds credibility, which attracts more opportunities to lead industry conversations

The result? When companies face critical technology decisions with significant financial implications, IBM's established authority creates a "safe choice" perception that competitors struggle to overcome.

Practical Event Applications

• Command the space: Design environments that communicate leadership through strategic height, scale, and positioning instead of blending in with competitors
• Lead with expertise: Structure presentations around proprietary insights and industry forecasts rather than generic information available elsewhere
• Demonstrate mastery: Create compelling demonstrations that showcase your unique problem-solving approach and technical competence
• Curate exclusive content: Develop proprietary research reports, white papers, or industry analysis specifically for the event instead of repackaging common knowledge
• Leverage strategic partnerships: Align with recognized industry leaders and experts through co-presentations or endorsements to strengthen authority by association

Next, we'll explore another fascinating trigger—prestige—and how it creates desire through exclusivity and respect in event environments.

From my marketing library to yours,

Rhiannon Andersen

Chief Marketing Officer, Steelhead Productions