Imagine that you've been given the good fortune to meet your hero - that celebrity, sports star, influencer, humanitarian who inspires and invigorates you. Go ahead, daydream a little. Can you feel the anticipation? The thrill? Now, imagine that you could duplicate this perfect, imaginary meeting sentiment and make it a reality for young consumers and their influence on purchasing (oh, trust me – they have power)? Wouldn't you like to harness that level of exhilaration and deliver it to kids and families and the brands you represent?

You can. And it's easy.

When planning family activations, sometimes the simplest elements can be forgotten or lost in the quest for more sophisticated technology and shinier toys, yet these “simple” executions often deliver the most impactful engagements with kids resulting in strong brand affiliation for both child and caregivers.

Who is that waiting in the wings to steal the show? Cue the meet and greet. Yes, at the most basic level, we are talking about human beings dressed up in oversized costumes offering hugs and high fives, but to kids, they are seeing heroes.

Meet and greets with popular characters don't just drive attendance and support a brand - they also generate excitement and add an air of theatricality to the event space. Depending on the popularity and mass appeal of the character appearance, these meet and greets often attract media outlets. Additionally, brand awareness and consumer sales thrive with characters on hand. More importantly? The photos and digital memories families capture expand the reach of your event with each click and share. When you bring those analytics to your client post-event, you won't hesitate to ask yourself who's the hero now?