Taking a Deep-Dive Into Brand Launch

The easiest way to network is through a variety of events, like the Brand Lanuch Event. These events give companies a platform to connect and interact with a wider range of prospective customers. 

What is a Brand Launch Event?

A brand launch is a category of event that can be hosted to unveil a company’s brand or introduce a new line of products or services to the market. A brand launch is an opportunity for the organization to create a strong impression on their target audience. The event is designed to create interest and generate buzz about the product or service. This helps in impacting and attracting a wider audience and setting a positive tone for the brand’s future. 

A brand launch also helps organizations strategize the future for their next line of products or services. Hosting a brand launch allows organizations to understand the interests of their audience. With the help of these events, companies can shape their brand value and build trustable relationships with their prospects. 

How to plan a successful Brand Launch 

A brand launch holds important significance for the organization. The entire focus lies on executing a successful launch to create an impactful impression on the target audience. In this section, we will discuss a few pointers that can help organizations plan and strategize brand launch campaigns seamlessly.

• In-depth Research: Conduct thorough market research and plan a survey to understand the nature of the target audience. The research will also help the organization identify competitive areas in regards to their brand and product. This information will help in creating the entire launch strategy and focusing on the right parameters while preparing for the launch.

• Timeline: Create a timeline for the brand launch. Having a timeline in place will help the organizers host the launch with ease. The timeline should be planned in such a way that the organizers can schedule a double check at least 3-5 days prior to the event. The margin of those few days will allow them to resolve any errors or technical issues before the event. 

• Effective planning and execution: Primarily, the organizations should focus on acknowledging the goals and objectives of the brand launch. Utilizing the data from their market research, they should start planning the launch accordingly. A checklist with all the necessary steps and information will make the planning and execution hassle free for the organizers. A detailed plan that outlines the brand’s positioning, messaging, and goals will create an effective impact. A successful execution lies in effective and detailed planning. Having a roadmap will help the organizers have a multi-dimensional view of the event, helping them outline the corrective measures needed.

• Product Testing: If the company is launching a product or service, conducting a thorough product test is crucial. The organizers should arrange product testing sessions to ensure the quality and performance of the product. The tests will help them identify the loopholes and take corrective action accordingly. 

• Venue Arrangements: The choice of venue depends on the category of the brand launch an organization is conducting. It can be virtual, hybrid, or physical. Depending on the location of the brand launch, the organizers should focus on securing the venue and resources required for the launch. Ensuring things are in place as per the scheduled date and time of the launch. 

• Marketing: The marketing of the brand launch plays an important role in generating buzz among the target audience. Branding and advertising through various channels with the right marketing materials are crucial. The correct marketing of the launch will help the organizers create a pre-launch impact and interest, which will eventually lead to better attendance and participation during the brand launch.

• Media and Press: Having media and press in place will add another major value to the brand launch. Collaborating with media outlets, industry influencers, and bloggers will help create more excitement and interest within the audience and secure media coverage for the brand launch.

• Networking Activities: While planning for the brand launch, it is important to schedule a few networking activities to make attendees feel involved and engaged throughout the event. Networking activities will help the organization build new relationships with potential partners, customers, and other stakeholders. 

• Frequent Updates: Keep the audience engaged with the upcoming brand launch through frequent launch updates through email campaigns and social media posts like brand launch teasers and posters. 

• Pre-Launch Feedback: Conducting a pre-launch feedback survey with trusted sources or testers will help the organization understand the status of the product or service and help them improve it further prior to the brand launch.
  
  

• Plan giveaways: Giveaways and brand merchandise can help the organizers enhance their brand visibility and overall brand launch experience. Consider the items or resources that are both meaningful to the attendees and align with your brand identity.

• Post-Launch: Post-launch, try to engage with the people and prospects who attended the brand launch through feedback surveys and a set of follow-up activities to keep them engaged and connected with the brand or product. This will help the organization maintain a trustable bond with it’s existing and new prospects and customers.

Brand Launch Ideas

Bringing uniqueness to brand launch events can instantly lift up the event environment, creating nerve-wracking excitement. There are several ideas that can easily enhance the brand launch events. The use of ideas can differ as per the organization’s objective and goal they want to achieve through the brand launch. Following are some ideas that we can look up to while organizing our brand launch.

• Product Showcase: A product showcase allows attendees to directly interact with the product through live demonstrations and workshops. These spaces give attendees the freedom to engage with the product or service in real-time, improving the overall experience and providing them with a mutli-dimentional view of the product.

• Countdown Campaigns: Countdown campaigns usually create anticipation and buzz within the audience. These campaigns can be held at the company’s website or social media handles. Countdown campaigns give organizations an advantage in generating good traffic on their website, leading them to their potential prospects and improving the overall brand’s visibility.

• Influencer partnerships and collaborations: Influencers undoubtedly have a powerful impact on the audience. The partnerships and collaborations with the relevant industry influencers help the companies generate buzz and excitement within the audience. In this digital era, influencers have come a long way. They have thousands of people following, listening, and watching constantly. These collaborations redirect their audience to the brands that those influencers are endorsing or promoting, which eventually helps the organizations enhance their brand visibility and reputation.

• Storytelling campaigns: Storytelling campaigns often connect with the target audience because of their empathetic approach. These campaigns allow organizations to connect with individuals through their brand stories in the form of blogs, posts, video series, and documentaries. The visualization of the story connects with a diverse range of audiences, creating a positive impression of their brand and attracting potential customers to them.

• Theme Up: Another way to add uniqueness to a brand launch is to theme up your event. Organizing a theme based launch allows the organization to reflect their brand’s identity. Choosing a theme that aligns with the company’s propositions helps them showcase their message. The theme can have different vibes, like black-tie, red-carpet, vintage, retro, and much more. 

• Pop-up Shops: The company can organize pop-up shops for their brand launch events. Pop-up shops are usually organized within physical locations such as markets, festivals, and crowded places to attract a wider audience. These are temporary shops created to test new products and services among the target market. Pop-up shops also help gather real-time information and feedback from users.

• Hashtag Campaigns: The hashtag campaigns are usually organized to create brand awareness within the audience. These campaigns encourage user-participation and can spread quickly through social media platforms. 

Brand Launch Categories

There are some common categories of brand launch events that we follow, considering the venue or location of the brand launch. The venue of the launch event can differ depending on the organizational needs, goals, objectives, theme of the brand launch, and target audience.  

a) Physical Brand Launch

A physical brand launch is organized to introduce a new product, service, or company to the market and to the target audience in a physical environment. A physical brand launch allows organizations, prospects, customers, and partners to connect and engage with each other face-to-face. These launch events are usually held at a physical location, taking into account all the necessary factors for a brand launch, including the specifications of the product or service, the target audience, and the cost of the entire launch. 

How to conduct a Physical Brand Launch Event

Organizing a physical brand launch can get tiresome and chaotic, as it requires more time and resources. To conduct a smooth launch, the organizers have to be careful while planning it, considering all the possible factors that can affect the launch. The careful planning will help them conduct the launch successfully.

• Research and Planning: Conduct thorough market research and do careful planning. With the help of detailed research, the organizers can identify the interests of their target audience, which will help them plan the event in a way that will keep them interested and excited.
  
  

• Budget allocation: Budget allocation is extremely important for brand launches. A detailed expense checklist will allow the organizers to have a clear understanding of the amount they require for the brand launch. With a budget planned, this will also help them in looking out for sources that can provide them with a quality service as per their budget. They can also opt for sponsorships for their brand launch.
  
  

• Choosing venue: While deciding the venue for a physical brand launch, considering all the factors like ambience, facilities, accessibility, and hospitality is crucial. A venue with a lot of open space will allow the organizers to cater to a large audience and engage them with a set of networking activities with the help of booths. Selecting a venue that aligns with the brand’s identity is important.
  
  

• Date and time: Plan the brand launch as per the timeline of the product, service, or company. Selecting a suitable date and time is important, as it will eventually impact the number of attendees. Try avoiding a date and time that may conflict with other similar industry events or launches.
  
  

• Guest list and invites: Prepare a guest list to make sure you are not leaving out important prospects and customers. Have it thoroughly checked with the other team members and get approval from higher-ups before sending them the invites. Timely invitations are another major factor that can greatly impact the physical brand launch. It is suggested to send invitations for the brand launch 4-6 weeks in advance, as it will help the attendees plan their travel and handle important matters prior to the event.
  
  

• Catering arrangements: Physical brand launches require a great deal of hospitality. The right arrangements for food and beverage are important. The arrangement of catering that reflects the brand’s identity is an addition and can improve your brand’s visibility.
  
  

• Marketing and Promotions: Effective marketing plays an important role in the overall event attendance. The right marketing and promotional materials can create a huge impact on the target market and audience, attracting a wide range of potential prospects. Additionally, it also improves brand value and positioning. Invite media outlets, journalists, and industry influencers for positive media coverage.
  
  

• Check technical setups and conduct a test launch: Prior to launch, conduct a few technical set-up tests internally to make sure that there’s no major technical issue going on. Conducting a test launch will help the organizers and technical team figure out the loopholes that can cause problems during the brand launch. Additionally, always have your technical and product development teams active and in place so that they can instantly assist in case of any errors.
  
  

• Follow-ups and reminders: Send follow-up emails with the brand launch updates to keep your audience involved and engaged prior to the launch. Sending a few reminders will keep your attendees aware of the upcoming brand launch, making sure that they are not missing it.
  
  

• Post-launch feedback: Plan a feedback survey or sessions through which you can get to know about your audience’s thoughts regarding the brand launch. This will help the organizers understand the point of view of the attendees and take corrective action accordingly going forward.

b) Virtual Brand Launch

A virtual brand launch is organized to introduce a new product, service, or company to the market and to the target audience at a virtual or online event platform. A virtual brand launch allows organizations to connect and engage with a variety of audiences and prospects. Virtual brand launches are extremely common now-a-days. Organizations prefer to host a virtual brand launch as it opens the doors to various opportunities and provides flexibility for the brand launch events. The virtual event platforms are now equipped with an amazing set of features to ensure a seamless event experience. They have in-built live streaming capabilities, options to add pre-recorded videos, virtual booths, and much more. Additionally, customizable features provide a great deal of flexibility for the organizers.

How to conduct a Virtual Brand Launch Event

Organizing a virtual brand launch is quite easier in comparison to physical brand launch events, as it is cost-effective and requires fewer resources. However, careful planning is extremely important considering all the possible factors that can affect the launch in any way to execute a successful virtual brand launch. 

• Research and Planning: Conduct thorough market research and do careful planning. With the help of detailed research, the organizers can identify the interests of their target audience and plan the virtual brand launch in a way that will keep them interested and excited about the launch. Organizers can customize the entire brand launch using the researched information.
  
  

• Select the right event platform: After careful consideration and testing a few event platforms, decide which one aligns best with your budget, objectives, and agenda for the brand launch. A well-equipped platform will eventually ease the entire process of the virtual brand launch. Take note of the features you can utilize to make the launch more interesting and interactive.
  
  

• Plan the agenda and networking activities: Plan an agenda that suits the needs of the brand launch and keep it informative and engaging. It is important to have engagement activities in place to get the audience involved throughout the launch event. Since it’s a virtual event, it’s easy for them to get bored and lose interest. Carefully plan the networking activities to keep them engaged. Plan regular interactions with the speaker; don’t leave their questions unanswered.
  
  

• Invites and registrations: Send timely invitations to the target audience, following up with a set of reminder emails to register for the event. While scheduling the registration reminders, make sure you are thoroughly checking the list from time-to-time to make sure that you’re removing the people who have already registered. Plan a set of alternate reminder emails for the registered attendees.
  
  

• Marketing and Promotion: Effective marketing plays an important role in the overall event attendance. The right marketing and promotional materials can create a huge impact on the target market and audience, attracting a wide range of potential prospects and improving brand value and positioning. Set up virtual booths and invite media outlets, journalists, and industry influencers for positive media coverage.
  
  

• Technical and pre-launch tests: Prior to launch, conduct a few technical tests internally to make sure that there’s no major technical issue going on. Additionally, always have your technical and product development teams in place so that they can instantly assist in case of any errors.
  
  

• Brand launch updates: Engage your audience with the upcoming brand launch through frequent launch updates through email campaigns and social media posts like brand launch teasers and posters. Share frequent updates with them through different channels to keep them involved with the brand launch progress.
  
  

• Feedback: Take feedback from the audience post-launch. This will help you understand their thoughts regarding the brand launch. Feedback surveys will also help in evaluating brand launch success.
  
  

• Post-launch follow-ups: Post-launch, it is important to connect and engage with the people and prospects who attended the brand launch through a set of follow-up activities. This will help the organization maintain a trustable bond with it’s existing and new prospects and customers.

c) Hybrid Brand Launch

The hybrid brand launch events combine both in-person and online components. These kinds of events help reach a much broader and more diverse audience. Hybrid brand launch events have gained popularity due to their dual advantages and flexibilities. The organizations prefer to organize hybrid events to target a larger audience and engage with them through dual resources.

How to conduct a Hybrid Brand Launch Event

A hybrid brand launch offers several benefits and flexibilities. However, careful planning is an essential component of hybrid events, taking into account all the possible factors that can affect the launch in any way. Ensuring a seamless hybrid experience for both in-person and virtual audiences is extremely important.

• Research and Planning: Conduct detailed market research to understand the interests of your targeted audience, and carefully plan the brand launch considering the specifications. Utilize the gathered information effectively to enhance the brand launch experience for your attendees.
  
  

• Select the right hybrid event platform: After careful consideration and testing a few event platforms, decide which one aligns best with your budget, objectives, and agenda for the brand launch. A well-equipped platform that can hold both in-person and virtual events seamlessly will eventually ease the entire process of the hybrid brand launch. Take note of the features, like live streaming and engagement tools, that you can utilize to make the launch more interesting and interactive for your dual audience.
  
  

• Budget allocation: A detailed expense checklist will allow the organizers to have a clear understanding of what they require for the brand launch. A budget plan will help them look for resources that can provide them with quality service and cost-effective management. They can also opt for sponsorships for their hybrid brand launch.
  
  

• Venue: While deciding the venue for a hybrid brand launch, considering all the factors like for in-person attendees the venue ambience, facilities, accessibility, and hospitality is crucial, while for virtual attendees, a seamless and smooth event experience is essential. Selecting a venue that aligns with the brand’s identity is important. Choosing the right venue for audience that will be attending the launch virtually is as crucial as for the in-person attendees.
  
  

• Date and time: Plan the brand launch as per the timeline of the product, service, or company. Selecting a suitable date and time is important, as it will eventually impact the number of attendees. Avoid hosting your brand launch on a timeline that may conflict with other similar industry events or launches.
  
  

• Catering arrangements: Hybrid brand launches require a great deal of hospitality for both in-person and virtual attendees. The right arrangements for food and beverage are important for in-person attendees, while the organizing committee should make sure to make some arrangements for their virtual attendees as well, not making them feel left out. The arrangement of catering that reflects the brand’s identity is an addition and can improve your brand’s visibility.
  
  

• Guest list: Carefully prepare set of guest lists, making sure you are not leaving out important prospects and customers. Get it thoroughly checked with the other team members and get approval from higher-ups before sending them the invites.
  
  

• Registrations and invites: Timely invitations are another major factor that can greatly impact the hybrid brand launch. Send invitations for the brand launch 4-6 weeks in advance, as it will help the attendees handle important matters prior to the event. If they choose to attend the in-person brand launch, it will help them plan their travels beforehand. While scheduling the registration reminders, make sure you are thoroughly checking the list from time-to-time to make sure that you’re removing the people who have already registered. Plan a set of alternate reminder emails for the registered attendees. 
  
  

• Networking and engagement activities: While planning for the hybrid brand launch, it is important to schedule a set of networking activities for both in-person and virtual attendees to make them feel involved and engaged throughout the event. Networking activities will help the organization build new relationships with potential partners, customers, and other stakeholders.
  
  

• Marketing and Promotions: With the right marketing and promotional materials, organizations  can create a huge impact on the target market and audience, attracting a wide range of potential prospects and improving brand value and positioning. Set up virtual as well as on locations booths and invite media outlets, journalists, and industry influencers for positive media coverage.
  
  

• Technical and pre-launch tests: Conducting pre-launch tests will help the organizers and technical team figure out the loopholes that can cause problems during the brand launch. Additionally, always have your technical and product development teams in place on both the venues, on location, and on the hybrid event platform so that they can instantly assist in case of any errors.
  
  

• Feedback survey: Take feedback from your attendees post-launch. This will help you understand their thoughts regarding the brand launch. Feedback surveys will also help in evaluating brand launch success.
  
  

• Follow-up Communication: Follow-up with the attendees of the hybrid brand launch separately with the right content. It is important to connect and engage with the people and prospects who attended the brand launch through a set of follow-up activities. Make sure you’re not mixing up the in-person and virtual attendees, as it can cause disinterest among the attendees. The correct approach towards the attendees will help the organization maintain a trustable bond with them.

d) Exclusive VIP Brand Launch

These brand launch events are usually organized for a specific set of individuals. This can be referred to as a private brand launch gathering where only particularly invited attendees like the company’s loyal and trusted partners, customers, industry influencers, and stakeholders can join the launch event and share insights.

How to conduct an Exclusive VIP Brand Launch Event

An exclusive VIP brand launch offers the benefits of private gatherings with selected individuals. This kind of brand launch allows the organization to connect with and interact with their potential partners and customers.

• Guest list: Carefully prepare the guest lists, making sure you are not leaving out any VIP prospects and customers. Get it thoroughly checked and get approval from higher-ups before sending them the invites.
  
  

• Venue: Choosing the right venue for your VIP brand launch event is crucial. The venue of the launch will differ depending on whether it’s a physical, virtual, or hybrid brand launch.
  
  

• Invitations: Send timely invitations to your VIP prospects, following up with a set of reminder emails for the event. While scheduling the registration reminders, make sure you are thoroughly checking the list from time-to-time to make sure that you’re removing the prospects who have already registered. Plan a set of alternate reminder emails for the registered attendees.
  
  

• Agenda and schedule: Plan an agenda that suits the needs of the exclusive VIP brand launch and keep it informative and engaging. Schedule a welcome session to introduce the VIP prospects and show your gratitude by acknowledging their presence at the event. The organizers can also include panel discussions and feedback sessions on the agenda.
  
  

• Catering arrangements: If the organization is conducting physical or hybrid brand launch for VIP prospects, then they should make premium arrangements for food and beverage. If it’s a virtual brand launch event, then the organizers can arrange a souvenir for their VIP prospects.
  
  

• Networking and engagement activities: While planning an exclusive VIP brand launch, it is important to schedule a set of networking and engagement activities for your important prospects to make them feel involved and engaged throughout the launch.
  
  

• Follow-ups: Follow-up with the VIP prospects with personalized content. Send them thank-you notes or emails showing your gratitude. Keep them updated with the latest news regarding the product and services.
  
  

• Feedback: Take feedback from your VIP prospects post-launch. This will help you understand their thoughts and suggestions related to the product or service.

Major Setbacks During the Brand Launch

Brand launches can face a variety of challenges and setbacks. That is why it is important to know about certain difficulties one can face while organizing a brand launch. Knowing about potential setbacks gives organizers an advantage. Organizers can prepare a backup plan for the same and work on minimizing the impact of the challenges if they occur. 

• Lack of adequate market research: Organizers often ignore the importance of conducting market research, thinking it’s a time-consuming process. The ignorance eventually leads to incorrect information and the wrong approach towards organizing a brand launch. It is crucial to understand that only thorough market research can provide us with the correct set of information involving the target market, audience, and their interests. 

• Insufficient Planning: Not having a roadmap for the event leads to a range of challenges. Inadequate planning results in mismanagement and can destroy the entire momentum of the brand launch. It is important to understand that every step requires careful planning and management to execute a successful brand launch.

• Wrong budgeting: Wrong budgeting can be considered the most common mistake while organizing a brand launch. The organizers often miscalculate the expenses, leading to over-budgeting issues. Creating a checklist according to the assigned budget can help the organizers record the expenses, making sure that they are not exceeding the allocated budget.

• Venue and logistics problems: Venue and logistics problems often lead to attendee dissatisfaction and a bad event experience. It is important to look for the right venue, platform, and resources in order to conduct the brand launch. The organizing committee should have a set of days allocated to look through the venues and resources, making sure that they are equipped with the right and cost-effective features and tools. 

• Technical glitches: During brand launch events, a number of technical issues can occur. Resolving these issues within the timeline is an important factor for a successful launch. Running tests on products, services, event platforms, and on-location technical set-ups is extremely crucial. The pre-launch tests will help the team identify technical glitches and solve them on time.  

• Negative publicity: Negative publicity can harm the brand’s identity and reputation. The controversies during a brand launch event are nothing new, but they play a vital role in making or breaking the company’s brand value. Handling these situations as soon as possible is the only way to survive such negative publicity. Always have your crisis management team ready for such situations to stop them from escalating further and maintain the momentum on time. 

• Ineffective marketing: Ineffective marketing and promotions only lead to unsuccessful campaigns and result in wastage of time and resources. That’s why it is important to prepare the materials after thorough research and promote the event through the right channels to attract the target audience and potential prospects.

Benefits of hosting a Brand Launch

Brand launch events provide multi-dimensional opportunities and advantages to organizations. It creates a long-lasting impact on the company’s prospects and audience. These events come with several benefits. In this section, we will discuss a few of the benefits of hosting a brand launch. 

• Brand awareness: A brand launch event helps organizations create brand awareness. These events introduce organizations to a larger audience, a wide range of potential customers, media, and industry influencers. A brand launch gives organizations a platform to enhance their brand visibility and improve their brand value. 

• Media coverage: Brand launch events significantly grab the attention of the media, journalists, influencers, and bloggers. Through the media, an organization can positively amplify it’s brand and connect with a wider audience, improving their overall proposition within the market.

• Networking and engagement opportunities: Connecting with a number of potential prospects and customers is the highlight of the brand launch events. The networking opportunities are usually impressive, considering the huge number of people present at the launch event. A set of engagement activities keeps the attendees engaged and involved, leading to an interactive environment. These meaningful interactions help the organization create new bonds with their potential prospects.  

• Building trustable relationships: Through a number of networking and engagement activities, brand launch events allow attendees to interact with each other through meaningful conversations and fun activities. These interactions help them build trustable bonds and relationships. 

• Pipeline generation: Conducting a brand launch event gives organizations access to the data of a number of potential prospects to whom they can reach out and connect and covert them into their potential customers through the relevant conversations and interactions. 

• Long-Lasting Impact: A successfully executed brand launch can leave a long-lasting positive impact on the attendees and the media. Maintaining the quality of the event eventually leads to a strong impression and higher brand value, which helps the organization stand out in the market and within their target audience. 

Some Recent Brand Launch Examples

• Amazon Fall 2023 Launch Event: Ahead of the festive season in India, Amazon has introduced a range of new tech products and AI upgrades. Amazon has unveiled various devices at their fall 2023 launch event, which includes Echo devices, Fire TV models, and more. The devices have been designed to improve smart home experiences for Amazon customers.
  Source: Economic Times
  
  
• Freshworks Q2’23 Launch Virtual Event: Freshworks product experts and leadership shared how they’re revolutionizing their CX, IT, sales, and marketing products with the latest AI advancements.
  Source: Freshworks
  
  
• Martin Audio’s Hybrid Product Launch Event for ISE 2023:  The online event was organized to showcase the latest news from Martin Audio, plus the announcement of two new products, while the offline event at ISE was held at both a press event and listening demonstrations.
  Source: Martin Audio