Today’s most successful brands are more than colorful logos or snappy slogans. As the modern consumer seeks out more meaningful relationships with their favorite brands, companies must change how they think about audience connection.
According to creative technology company MVP Interactive, sensory experiences and tangible interactions are some of the most impactful ways to foster brand affinity. The company has built immersive brand experiences for brands such as Cola-Cola and the National Basketball Association (NBA) using augmented, virtual, and mixed reality.
“Technology is allowing us to do so much more,” explains MVP Interactive CEO and founder James Giglio. “If brands aren’t offering tech-based experiences and creating memories with their audiences, then they are missing out on a chance to turn those customers into fans and ambassadors.”
With the augmented and virtual reality market expected to be valued at $94.4 billion this year, companies are also recognizing that opportunity.
Turning Customer Touchpoints into Fan Experiences
While Giglio started his career in outdoor advertising, he found the inspiration behind MVP Interactive inside sports venues nationwide in 2011. Whereas traditional sports marketing efforts often traded branded merchandise in exchange for consumer data, Giglio recognized an opportunity to turn that exchange into an immersive fan experience.
He envisioned teams swapping their dated tabling strategy for a simulated sporting experience that brought fans up close and personal to the game they loved.
“These fans are attending the game; they have already bought into the brand,” Giglio says. “But the vision was to use technology to break down the barrier and let those fans engage on a deeper level that builds affinity and drives business.”
The concept quickly grew into a passion project. During a 2012 trip to Tampa, Fla., Giglio began outreach to local sports teams. His efforts landed him a meeting with the Tampa Bay Rays, whose marketing lead automatically saw the value in what the soon-to-be founder was pitching.
MVP Interactive launched in 2012 and has since built an impressive client roster, from turning Green Bay Packers fans into starting quarterbacks to taking Graceland visitors for a virtual tour from the back of Elvis Presley’s golf cart.
Most recently, the MVP Interactive team partnered with the Columbus Blue Jackets to construct the team’s official 4,000-square-foot Fan Zone, featuring a Slapshot Challenge that put fans on “the rink” to test their scoring skills with projection technology and sensors. The branded experience also allowed fans to pose for photos with their favorite players or try on team jerseys virtually using augmented reality.
How People and Values Shape the Experience
While MVP Interactive crafts one-of-a-kind branded moments, the firm aims to offer one consistent thing to its clients and their customers: A spectacular and memorable experience. The company leans heavily on its core values as a person-centric organization, working hard to maintain the human element in its technology-driven offerings.
Natascha French, who oversees marketing and sales initiatives, says, “People are cherishing experiences over products these days. When you tie a product to an experience, that creates magic. It keeps us committed to customer service, technology service, and transparency.” She brings with her more than 20 years of leadership in audience and revenue growth strategies.
Many employees have been with the Philadelphia-based firm since its inception. Managing director Billy Bellatty has driven national sales strategy since 2012. Another team veteran, creative director Gavin Renwick, celebrated his decade-long tenure with the firm in May 2023. Renwick oversees software and game design for many of MVP Interactive’s client installations.
Giglio rounded out his leadership team with other critical talent that has bolstered MVP Interactive to the next level, including chief technology officer Nathan Solomon. He joined the team in 2022 with a vivid background in video game development and creative production. Currently, MVP Interactive has 13 members across the United States.
“Our reputation has grown to be a provider in the live event and lifestyle attraction spaces through technology, but there are still agencies and brands that don’t know who we are,” Giglio says. “We want to become the go-to name for live and interactive customer experiences.”
In addition to sharing his industry expertise as the host of the company’s branded podcast, Giglio’s writing regularly appears in the Philadelphia Business Journal, ARPost, Sports Business Journal, and more. Explore MVP Interactive’s attention-grabbing brand experiences and recent projects at mvp-interactive.com.
