Before the Event

In preparing for the event, are you planning to purchase new clothing, accessories, beauty products, or anything else?

For context, I used to live in Jordan and grew up there in the Middle East. We would come to the US once or twice a year and do all our shopping because we didn't have online shopping. Everything was more expensive back home for the nice stuff that you would get here for a decent price.

When I came to college and got a credit card, I just went crazy with it. I was like, "I can buy anything anywhere. My God, this is great." But when I graduated and my parents stopped giving me an allowance, I realized I couldn't keep spending like that anymore.

This is how I found a happy medium. I tie my shopping to certain times of the year. If I have an event coming up, a trip with friends or family, or if there’s a sale, I’ll shop then. If something is on sale and it's a great deal, I’ll buy it whenever I find it. Normally, I shop out of season—so in the winter or after summer, I’ll shop for summer things for next summer because it’s cheaper. No one wants to buy a swimsuit in winter, but I do. 

At the end of the day, I don’t care about being fashionable in the current season; it’s about practicality for me.

For the soccer match, since we were commuting to the stadium and the first half of the game would be out in the sun, I bought new sunglasses (I also needed a new pair, so two birds with one stone!). I also bought a hat. I debated buying a shirt to wear but figured I’d end up buying a jersey or some form of merchandise at the stadium for sentimental value related to the event (which I eventually did). I also wanted to get new shoes for the event but didn’t find anything of the quality or brand that was worth the price (either too expensive for my price range or not a good brand). Although I love getting new accessories, recently, I’ve been trying to invest in a few signature pieces. 

Where do you go to find new items?

I never buy directly off a social media platform. I use them to discover items, then buy them either where I find the cheapest price (if I'm being cost-conscious) or go straight to the brands website if I really care about quality and authenticity.

How does your group influence your pre-event spending habits?

It depends. If my friends, who are experts in a field, exclusively shop at Hermes, I'm obviously going to take their advice when buying from that brand. Likewise, when visiting a friend in a new place, like Beijing, I'll rely on their local expertise. If I can't privately message someone for advice, I'll assume they're compensated for their recommendation and will do my own research to verify it. 

However, at events with my friends, I can easily be convinced to buy the most random things. The event atmosphere and being with my friends make the logic go away.

During the Event

Which event sponsors captured your attention, and what innovative strategies did they use to engage you and your group?

At the event, not many sponsors stood out, as there were limited opportunities for exploration. Mercedes was the exception, with multiple booths and interactive events that seemed to fit well with the overall atmosphere. They were the only significant presence among advertisers, as I didn't notice any other sponsors with physical booths.

All the ads I interacted with were on screens, and there was a noticeable lack of compelling call-to-action strategies from the sponsors. Delta, American Life Insurance, and other major brands had generic advertising, mainly focused on brand visibility rather than specific products. There were no commercials, just banners and signs and a surprising absence of clothing brands.

After the Event

How tailored to your interests did the communication from brands (through emails and social media messages) appear after the event? Did this influence your view of the brands?

I received a marketing email from Atlanta United congratulating me on joining their ‘tribe’. Obviously its a tactic to get me to attend another game but I still liked the way they phrased the email that now I’ve attended my first game I am officially an ATL United fan by their welcoming email. 

I didn’t get any tailored communications from brands/sponsors but I did get somewhat related ads/content that I enjoyed - more events going on in Atlanta (Hans Zimmerman & a new Rave spot), way more sports content such as NBA, Gymnastics, Redbull sporting events (the one where they build structures and fly them off or peddle them on a narrow road or fall into a river).