Touch, Create, Connect: The Magic of Experiential Marketing

It turns out we were right all along: people love to touch stuff. And not just baby boomers waxing nostalgic over catalogs and letterpress invites — but Gen Z, Millennials, and just about everyone who’s feeling a bit… screen-fatigued these days.

According to a new Harris Poll (via Forbes), nearly 86% of Gen Z and Millennials say touching and feeling products is essential to their purchase decisions. And 71% of consumers say experiencing a brand in person deepens loyalty. Translation? Your next big event, trade show, or incentive trip shouldn’t just look good in the highlight reel — it should feel good, too.

That’s music to our ears at Hip Hues. Because nothing breaks through the digital fog quite like inviting guests to literally roll up their sleeves and print, stamp, or press something themselves. It’s fun, unexpected, and makes your brand part of the story — not just the sponsor.

🎨 Touch Over Tap: Why It Works

Here’s the thing: while digital campaigns are great (and we love a smart retargeting ad as much as the next marketer), most online experiences blur together. But when a guest walks up to a live screen printing activation, picks a design, pulls ink across a screen, and walks away with a custom tee or tote? That moment is sticky in their memory and on social media.

And the data backs it up:

✅ 79% say online shopping lacks the magic of in-person discovery

✅ 63% of younger consumers have bought something just because of the packaging

✅ 73% of Gen Z and Millennials look forward to getting print catalogs (yes, really).

People don’t just want to see your brand; they want to experience it. Feel it. Personalize it. And show it off.

🥳 IRL Beats URL (But Together, They're Magic)

This isn’t about ditching digital. It’s about pairing digital with something real, tactile, and totally share-worthy. A guest picks out a custom patch at your activation? Boom: instant social content.They tag your brand, wear your swag, and talk about the experience long after the event wraps.

IRL activations spark UGC, deepen brand love, and become the highlight that attendees remember (and post about).In other words: the swag isn’t just the giveaway — it is the experience.

🌟 Make It Memorable (And Touchable)

For DMCs, marketers, and planners, the takeaway is simple: skip the forgettable pens and logo stress balls. Give your guests something they can create, not just collect.From live screen printing to custom patch bars and leather stamping, Hip Hues turns giveaways into real brand moments — and real brand connections.

Because in 2025 (and beyond), IRL isn’t competing with URL — it’s amplifying it. And that just feels right.

Ready to bring your brand to life? Let’s make something memorable together → Book your IRL Activation now!