You know that feeling after a festival or a conference?
You came for the big-name speakers or the headline act, but when you look back, what lingers isn’t always the main event. It’s the surprise DJ tucked away on a side stage, the free taco truck with no queue, or the art installation you nearly walked past – the moments that felt real, unplanned, and personal.
For years, audiences have been quietly craving connection, not just content. And finally, the industry is listening.
Experiential marketing – once a niche tactic – has been gaining serious ground. According to the latest IPA Bellwether reports, budgets are climbing steadily. But with that growth comes growing pains.
The creative tension between traditional advertising and immersive brand experiences has never been clearer than it was at this year’s Cannes Lions.
Cannes Lions: A Festival at a Crossroads
Inside the iconic Palais, the festival held firm to tradition. Award-winning film reels, polished ad campaigns, and beautifully crafted copy were paraded as the pinnacle of creativity.
Yet, just beyond its doors, the energy told a different story. Crowds weren’t lingering over scripts or storyboards. They were queuing for brand activations – pop-up worlds built to be experienced, not just viewed. These were the places where real engagement happened, where people became part of something rather than spectators from afar.
And it wasn’t just the public taking note. The chief creative officer of The Drum Network summed it up powerfully in an open letter: the most potent creative power today isn’t only in the cinematic reels – it’s in the work that pulls people in, that generates cultural conversations, and that ripples long after the moment ends.
This sentiment is echoed by voices across the industry.
One prominent marketing consultant recently criticised campaigns that are all flair but no function – creatively indulgent pieces that solve no real-world problems. And the co-founder of BBH offered a sharp warning: Cannes risks becoming a gallery of hypothetical ideas rather than a platform for genuine cultural relevance.
Together, these critiques converge into one undeniable truth – creativity is no longer defined solely by awards, but by impact. Not just what dazzles a jury, but what resonates with people.
SXSW London: A Lesson in Playing It Safe
If Cannes was the mirror for experiential friction, SXSW London was a masterclass in missed potential.
The brand carried global weight, and curiosity was high. But many who attended felt the spark was missing. Instead of immersive worlds and emotional connections, brands largely opted for functional over flair. The soul of SXSW Austin – its daring, its creativity, its sense of surprise – didn’t fully make the trip across the Atlantic.
And yet, the opportunity was there. Imagine if brands had truly embraced the London edition with bold storytelling, irreverent moments, and world-building experiences that blurred the line between art and commerce.
It’s those very sparks – the unexpected, the authentic – that define SXSW’s magic. And they’re exactly what audiences now expect.
Why Experience Is No Longer Optional
It’s easy to ask why experiential marketing matters now, but perhaps the real question is: why did it take us this long to recognise that it was always the main event?
When brands build experiences that speak to people – not just sell to them – something fundamental changes. Audiences stop being passive consumers and start becoming part of the brand’s story.
These are the moments that feel real, human, and lasting. The kind of moments that people not only talk about – they remember them.
And in today’s creator economy, where everyone is both an audience and a broadcaster, this evolution opens up the industry’s most elite stages to a much broader crowd. Cannes no longer belongs just to agencies and execs. Now, with the right approach, anyone can participate in the conversation. Anyone can be moved. Anyone can amplify.
Designing for Emotion and Culture
But showing up differently means designing differently. Brands need to craft experiences that feel intimate and exciting, while also being culturally relevant and emotionally resonant.
It’s not enough to make someone feel – the feeling must matter. And when cultural relevance meets emotional impact, that’s when the magic happens.
Because long after the activation is dismantled, the DJ packs up, and the tacos are gone, people don’t forget how you made them feel. That’s the kind of creativity that transcends the stage and becomes part of culture itself.
Conclusion: The Future Lives Outside the Palais
As the marketing world evolves, the real power is shifting from the spotlight to the sidelines. Awards will always have their place – but what people share, engage with, and carry with them are the immersive, unexpected experiences that speak to something deeper.
Brands that understand this are no longer designing ads – they’re crafting memories. And as the industry matures, the message is clear: true creative power lies not in the reel, but in the real. Not just in what people see, but in what they feel, remember, and retell.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about being seen. It’s about being felt.
