Live event marketing experiences where consumers interact with products, brands or "brand ambassadors" face-to-face are more effective ways to influence coveted consumer audiences, versus TV advertising, Internet advertising and other marketing tactics, according to results of an extensive survey released today by Jack Morton Worldwide. Comprising an online survey of 2,574 consumers, ages 13-65, in the top 25 US markets, the results confirm that this increasingly important marketing medium resonates strongly across demographic and product categories, with especially high influence among key groups such as women, young people and Hispanics.

Overall, more than two-thirds of all consumers say experiential marketing would be extremely or very influential on their overall opinion of brands and products. Seventy percent say that participating in a live event marketing experience would increase their purchase consideration, and 57% say it would result in quicker purchase. However, 73% of all respondents had never before participated in a live event marketing experience, indicating an opportunity for marketers to differentiate.

While the influence of experiential marketing is strong across all groups, it is strongest among often-targeted youth and female consumers:

* Nearly 80% of teens say experiential marketing would increase purchase consideration, while 65% say it would lead to quicker purchase

* 72% of 18- to 23-year old consumers say experiential marketing would make them more receptive to the brand/product advertising; 59% say it would lead to quicker purchase

* 60% of women say experiential marketing would be more likely to lead to actual purchase of a product/brand, vs. TV advertising (26%) and Internet advertising (14%)

* 84% of women say they'd bring family or friends to a live marketing experience, and 75% say they'd tell others about the experience-giving marketers a terrific opportunity to expand their reach and impact

* 74% of Hispanic women and 66% of Hispanic men would be more likely to consider purchasing a product after participating in an experiential marketing event

* 81% of Hispanic females indicated participating in a live marketing event would make them more receptive to future advertising

* However, Hispanics are also the ethnic group most underexposed to event marketing; 78% of all Hispanics surveyed had never before participated in a live marketing event.

Live marketing experiences were also shown to be a valuable way to increase marketing ROI:

* 75% of consumers say that participating in a live marketing experience would make them more receptive to the product/brand's advertising

* 75% of consumers said they would be extremely or very likely to tell others after participating in a live marketing event, extending impact through word-of-mouth

* 8 out of 10 consumers who had actually participated in experiential marketing in the past said that they had told others about their experience