Community engagement gives people a chance to feel part of something special. But brands often wonder how to succeed, along with how to start the conversation. That’s where promotional vehicles can make a real difference – giving them a hub that spreads awareness and education.
From mobile surveys and petitions to sampling and safe spaces, here are eight community engagement ideas to inspire your next campaign.
Get people talking by giving them a chance to feel heard.
A promotional vehicle can become a mobile survey point, opinion booth, or interactive kiosk. This empowers you to hear directly from members of the community – and it empowers them to finally speak out on topics that matter.
Data Vandals did exactly this with The Great London Survey, using a bright yellow Piaggio Ape as a mobile kiosk. They also had a sticker board where Londoners could share opinions on a range of topics, from public services to Greggs sausage rolls!
The best community engagement ideas make it easy to get involved.
Whether you're asking people to sign a petition, write a message, or vote on an issue – and promotional vehicles always make great community outreach focal points.
The University of Lincoln’s Strong Roots campaign used a modern Citroen H-Van as a mobile petition, allowing supporters to sign the vehicle directly or scan a QR code to see the online petition. It then headed to Westminster with plenty of support from the public and local MPs.
See the University of Lincoln's petition van in action.
Because difficult subject matter demands the right environment.
Whether your community engagement idea is about promoting mental health or a specific lifestyle, a vehicle can become a welcoming space away from the crowds. It works even better when you invite people to sit down, relax, and chat away.
For Movember, Pringles created a mental health awareness space with a relaxed interior. Rather than being clinical or overly serious, guests could naturally talk about their feelings, chat with like-minded people, and even play a board game or two.
Join Shani inside the Pringles mental health lounge.
You can’t wait for your audience to visit a fixed exhibition.
Instead, give communities somewhere to discover information at their own pace. It’s one of the best ways to combine experiential marketing with community outreach, and in our experience, the more immersive the space, the more enticing it will be.
Take Experian’s Library of No Returns, for example. They asked us to turn an exhibition vehicle into a mobile library for kids, complete with book displays, fairy lights, foliage, and a mirrored ceiling to give the illusion of space.
Take a look inside Experian's whimsical library bus.
A simple incentive can open the door to meaningful engagement.
Free sampling is one of the most popular types of experiential marketing, and one of the most powerful community engagement ideas on this list. Not only can it draw crowds, but you may find that people are more receptive to learning about what you do – and they might even share their experience on social media!
My Money Matters used an ice cream van to hand out free ice creams while raising awareness of the financial options available. The ice cream was the hook that led to plenty of meaningful moments.
Hear from My Money Matters in our customer journey video.
Showcasing your rich history can help build trust and forge connections.
Promotional vehicles can help you communicate with the people who matter, even if it’s just to your employees. This was proven by the Ardonagh Community Trust (ACT), who used a double-decker bus to show off their years of charity work.
The bus travelled between offices across the UK and Ireland, so employees could step aboard and discover stories, displays, props and audio content. It was highly immersive and a powerful tool to get staff to really care about what they do.
Step into ACT's engagement exhibition bus.
When your audience feels welcome, they’re more likely to take action.
Looking for community engagement ideas that will encourage people to sign up to a course, fund or initiative? Make sure they can see themselves as part of an important group with achievable goals.
The Army Cadets have used promotional vehicles for this very purpose, with a mobile exhibition taking centre stage to connect with young people.
Explore the Army Cadets promotional meetup vehicle.
Eco-friendly ideas are easy to understand when displayed in real life.
Over 80% of consumers care about climate change, and they expect the brands they choose to do their part for the environment. Rather than simply explaining your initiatives, why not bring them to life as part of an experiential marketing campaign?
BiOrbic tasked us with creating a mobile exhibition to showcase how bio-based materials can be used in everyday life. The inside was made using eco-friendly materials, while the bus itself was powered sustainably. This project was so effective that it won Gold at the FMBE Awards.
Learn all about BiOrbic's sustainable campaign below.
From raising awareness to gathering opinions and covering difficult subject matter, the right promotional vehicle can help you connect with communities in a way that feels genuine, fresh, and exciting.
With us, you'll know exactly where to start. Our pricing calculator offers a quick way to explore the potential cost of vehicle hire and start building a budget for your idea.