Experiential Marketing Summit ‘23: We Came, We Saw, We’re Commenting
Experiential Marketing Summit (EMS) made its biggest post-pandemic splash to date, and we were honestly . . . relieved! World Health Organization announced an end to the global health emergency during our three days spent on a show floor that felt busier than a city block (which is saying something coming from its host city, Las Vegas). Talk about full circle. Three days learning from peers and industry leaders. Each day spent experiencing a new thing. My colleague, Sara, and I couldn’t help but look at one another and take a deep breath at the end of it all. So much to digest.
After catching up on some quiet back in Texas, we’re ready to dive into our key takeaways, favorite & not-so-favorite elements from this year’s summit. To those who shared our journey, curious, did you walk away with the same sentiments?
Key Takeaways (Because who doesn’t love a Top 3?)
Start with the human element.
In an industry obsessed with trends and creating the unimaginable, we’re all sometimes guilty of getting lost in the “what,” when the “why” should not only be the driving force but the starting point. Opening Keynote Brian Solis reminded us of this (whose timing was all too fitting). “Experience is a human emotion. Start there.” It’s so obvious, isn’t it? Here at RED VELVET, many of our high-touch experiences push our laser focus on this piece, but EMS leading with human emotion somehow up-leveled my love behind the “why.” “If experience is the product, innovation is the strategy,” Brian continued. He then went on to say all innovation is inspired by human behavior. Again, such an obvious yet oh-so-good reminder. I returned to the agency looking through a lens newly wiped clean. Distraction is what’s woven into our days living in 2023. So even more important that this leading behavior is kept top of mind if we want anyone to slow down enough to experience what we’ve created. We must ignite a sense of wonder. That may be the only key to slowing anyone down these days (outside of life circumstance and sheer exhaustion).
Tech, data and their place in experiential.
If we start with human emotion, where do we begin to integrate tech? We all have clients whose main goal is to feature the latest cutting-edge technology. Maybe it’s our means of igniting wonder. But it certainly shouldn’t be the thing you showcase just for the sake of showcasing. This isn’t a dig at tech. This is a dig at all of us who, at one point, didn’t let tech do enough for us. You know, that big screen you slapped on a wall, because the client wanted attendees to experience their way of life instead of the 360 room of panels or VR design that could’ve fully immersed them in the client’s way of life. Same with data. How many iPad surveys have attendees taken at the end of an experience? Could there be a more engaging way to capture those results through AI? We know the answer. It’s yes. We just have to carve out the time to thoughtfully ideate a piece that has become so streamlined. Then maybe, just maybe, we could ignite wonder even in our data capture.
Doing more with less.
Possibly the most relieving part of EMS (outside of the great comeback) was the transparency our peers and panelists carried throughout the experience. Just when we’ve gained our footing after 2020 shook the ground from underneath us, we face an incredibly uncertain economy, and if we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, we understand that the industry as a collective can rise together. Does our year look different than we all thought? Yes. Are brands wanting more than ever? Yes. Is our industry cost escalation outpacing inflation? Yes. Is experiential still worth the spend? Also yes. Together, we have a responsibility to educate our clients on all of these considerations. Experiential may seem like an easy budget to cut, but it’s the vertical that gains the most traction post-campaign. *Insert claps and stomps to wake up the people in the back.* Utilized correctly, you can acquire digital and social content, PR coverage, generated data, brand assets and more. That’s in addition to your experience goals! Cost is a hurdle, but brands can still meaningfully connect with community. It just takes (to really bring it home) a little innovation.
Not-So-Favorite Element (We’ll start here because we love ending on a high note)
Would we be in this industry if the details didn’t stand out to us all? Not sure we would. Some details did, and we so appreciated them. Some didn’t and they stuck out like blue dye in champagne. (Sorry, we had to!) The exhibit hall takes the cake, though. While full and lively, the show floor felt overstimulating. This was manageable until the thought-provoking conversations began. Then we couldn’t think. Not deeply. This isn’t a roast — it’s an opportunity.
Favorite Element
This one’s really why we both love experiential marketing in total — bridging the strategy, the creativity and the tactical. One can’t happen fruitfully without the other, and it’s invaluable to learn, share and experience the same with industry peers, partners, competitors and mentors. Guards were down, vulnerability happened, and we all benefited from it. May we always keep this in mind when we are together and continue to lift each other — and our brand partners — up.
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