Can Experiential Marketing Grow Further After a Successful 2024?
While the pandemic era feels like a fever dream or a bygone era for many, it wasn’t all that long ago that people were cooped up inside, masks were (supposed to be) worn everywhere, and live events were simply out of the question. Yet today, a short while later, we’re back to where we began. According to Publicis Canada’s research, attendance is up, investment in live events is forecast to hit $128.35 billion by the end of this year (a 10.5% increase from last year), and things are only expected to grow further in 2025. In short, for those who like to get out of the house and enjoy a special occasion in person, the future is looking bright.
Of course, this poses a great opportunity for brands and agencies. If people actively want to get out of the house, why not have experiential marketing (XM) opportunities available to them in order to provide that extra nudge? And, if it just so happens that, per Publics Canada, 89% of consumers feel more connected to brands after attending an event, everyone wins… right?
It’s almost that simple, but not quite. As Chris Desjardins, SVP, partnerships and immersive experiences at Publicis Canada, and leader of its Publicis Sports & Entertainment department points out, this abundance of opportunities has elevated the XM game as of late. Offerings need to be more immersive and authentic than ever before in order to get people’s attention. A live event for the sake of a live event isn’t an inherent win.
So, how does one do this? Where should brands and agencies begin when tapping into people’s craving for tangible, shareable, real-life experiences? That’s what LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Chris to find out, as well as what to expect in the coming year.
LBB> It’s clear that live events are entering a renaissance post pandemic. What factors are driving this, and why specifically right now?
Chris> Over the past few years, we’ve seen a strong desire for people to reconnect and participate in shared experiences, whether that’s attending concerts, engaging in sports, or enjoying local festivals and community events with friends and family. There’s a collective sense of making up for lost time, and a renewed appreciation for live experiences we once took for granted.
This sentiment has fuelled the current momentum we’re witnessing. While the rebound from the pandemic has taken time – the return was initially slow and cautious – over the past year, attendance levels have steadily climbed back to pre-pandemic figures.
Additionally, beyond the resurgence, brands that were previously hesitant to spend have recognised the importance of integrating live moments into their strategies, further driving this.
LBB> Going into the numbers, over the past year, live event investment saw a rise of 10.5%. Did you expect this? And what sort of financial projections are we looking at for 2025?
Chris> We’re cautiously optimistic about this trend continuing. Earlier this year, I attended an insightful IMI session titled ‘Live Will Thrive in '25’, which highlighted that not only have we returned to pre-pandemic levels, but this upward trajectory is expected to persist through to next year.
In terms of specifics, based on what we’re observing from our client partners and industry benchmarks, I anticipate we’ll see double-digit growth again in 2025, reflecting the continued confidence and investment in live events.
LBB> What’s driving these investments? Why are brands more eager than ever to get involved with these sorts of opportunities?
Chris> Some brands have gone years without engaging directly with their target audience beyond the screen. Live events offer a unique opportunity for one-on-one consumer engagements and immersive brand experiences.
Experiential marketing (XM) allows consumers to touch, feel, smell, and try a product firsthand, creating tangible connections. More importantly, it fosters emotional engagement, allowing consumers to connect with a brand on a deeper, more meaningful level. This interaction is invaluable in building brand loyalty and driving long-term impact.
LBB> With that in mind, is this something all advertisers and brands should be looking to get involved in? How does one get started in this sphere of marketing?
Chris> Every brief is designed to meet specific brand and business objectives, so the first step is always to ask our clients, ‘What does success look like for you?’.
While XM alone may not address all business goals, when integrated with other channels, it becomes a powerful component of the overall strategy. This is especially true when sitting in a creative agency position, which allows us to create ideas at the intersection of storytelling and experiences!
XM’s versatility is one of its greatest strengths. It can take many forms: a physical or digital engagement with consumers, a content-driven stunt, or a loyalty initiative for superfans and lucky winners. The possibilities are endless.
Our role here at Publicis Sport & Entertainment is to create the platform – or playground – for brands to leverage these moments as catalysts for broader content and storytelling. With the right amplification strategy, these experiences can engage thousands in person while reaching millions online, driving impact far beyond the event itself.
LBB> Notably, 89% of consumers say they feel more connected to brands after attending an event. How do you strike the balance between capitalising on the opportunity and promoting the brand, without being too in your face?
Chris> For us, the key is to ensure our brand partners show up in a way that feels authentic and adds value to the consumer experience. We take a meticulous approach, carefully planning every aspect of the event or activation (considering the target demographics, event dynamics, and other key variables) to seamlessly embed the brand into the DNA of the experience.
It’s about being in the right place at the right time, and showing up in the right way. Our goal is to thoughtfully enhance the event for attendees, rather than overpower it. By leveraging insightful strategy and collaborating with strong creative partners, we strike the balance between capitalising on the opportunity and promoting the brand in a meaningful, impactful way.
LBB> Can you give us some examples of how you’re doing this at Publicis? What does your approach look like?
Chris> At Publicis, our approach starts with thoroughly dissecting the brief to ensure we have the right foundation to build from. Once we’re grounded in a strong strategy, we collaborate closely with our creative teams to ideate, always guided by the key questions:
- Who are we talking to?
- What message are we delivering?
- Where are we finding our audience?
- How are we showing up?
All of this ladders up to a clear goal: understanding the action or emotion we want to evoke and defining the key takeaway from the experience. By being intentional at every step, we ensure that each activation resonates with the audience and delivers meaningful impact for the brand.
There’s a couple of examples I’m proud to share where we collectively showcased this approach. The first is the Heineken ‘Route 0.0’ programme that we activated back in January, here in Toronto. We took the city by storm, carrying out activations over three weekends, and had incredible programme and business results. As a bonus, I’m thrilled to say that it recently won a silver at the Canadian Marketing Awards.
Another example that comes to mind was the Cadillac Fairview campaign, ‘CF Play Makers’. This was an incredible initiative that was really focused on inspiring more kids to get outdoors, active, and involved in play. Our team was tasked with bringing this to life physically with a massive two-storey red slide in the middle of the Eaton Centre. Kids of all ages were encouraged to learn a little about the initiative, engage a little, and slide a lot! It was well embraced, and we were really happy with the results, achieving over 17,000 slides across 13,000 unique riders and 189 million impressions!
LBB> Equally so, what mistakes and pitfalls should marketers avoid making? Are there any that come to mind?
Chris> One common pitfall is treating XM as an afterthought. If your brand and story inherently involve connection, XM should be a key consideration from the outset. Success lies in ensuring the strategy, creative execution, objectives, and amplification are all thoughtfully planned. This not only drives deep consumer engagement but also extends the impact far beyond the event itself.
Another mistake to avoid is chasing every trend without considering authenticity. Consumers today are more discerning than ever and can quickly detect inauthentic brand narratives. Brands should focus on aligning their messaging and activations with their core values and audience expectations. While the bar is high, when done right, XM presents a unique opportunity to build lasting brand loyalty that stands the test of time.
LBB> Clearly, it’s important that one operate with the understanding of the need for elevated XM. How do you ensure your approach evolves with the times?
Chris> We know that progressive XM marketers are not simply measuring their impact on the physical experience. It comes down to the ability to create content, extend the experience, deliver traffic to the activation, and ultimately drive sales. I feel that is one of our biggest differentiators here at Publicis – the ability to offer that end-to-end experience.
This year has been full of exciting firsts for us. At an agency like Publicis, where we’re fortunate to work alongside some of the best strategists and creatives in the business, there’s a constant drive to elevate the work and create meaningful, emotionally connected experiences.
We saw tremendous interactions with consumers through a wide range of immersive experiences. One notable trend was the rise of the ‘hybrid model’ where digital experiences and CGI (consumer-generated imagery) seamlessly integrated with IRL (in real life) activations, creating powerful and engaging moments across platforms. We were able to successfully bring this to life a few times this year with our client partners. A notable example is the Nutella CGI activation that landed at Yonge-Dundas Square, which brought Canadian recipes to consumers (topped with the delicious Nutella spread).
The other, a little more recent, was for Ghiradelli, which saw the sign being stolen from the Square in San Francisco and crashing down at The Well in Toronto. This activation came to life over four days and included a photo opportunity and Ghirardelli samples for consumers to enjoy.
We like to say that we curate experiences at the speed of culture. This means it’s our responsibility to stay ahead of trends, continuously push boundaries, and evolve our approach. By doing so, we help our brand partners stand out in an increasingly noisy and competitive industry.
LBB> As part of this, it’s clear that experiences need to offer greater immersion, while driving emotion, engagement and conversation. How does one create these offerings organically?
Chris> One of the biggest challenges is achieving this in a way that feels both authentic and true to the brand. It requires a deep understanding of its identity and audience, as well as trust from our brand partners that we can communicate with consumers in a meaningful and genuine way. When these all align, the result is an immersive and impactful experience that resonates organically.
LBB> If this continues to be done well, do you think public sentiment and investment will continue to rise? Is there an upper limit on how large the XM space can grow?
Chris> Absolutely – public sentiment and investment in XM show no signs of slowing down. Even as discretionary spending tightens in other areas, consumers continue to prioritise events and experiences. I believe there’s still significant room for growth before we hit that upper limit.
What makes XM so versatile is its ability to deliver engaging experiences across a wide range of budgets. Whether a brand is focused on building awareness, driving consideration, fostering conversion, or cultivating loyalty, XM remains a powerful tool at every stage of the brand lifecycle. The key is staying attuned to cultural shifts and continuously evolving the work to keep it relevant and impactful.
Sponsorships also play a critical role in driving this growth. The rapid expansion of the sponsorship industry is fuelling the XM market, with projections showing global investments growing from $74 billion in 2022 to $151 billion by 2032 (Allied Market Research). This surge underscores the enormous potential still ahead for XM.
LBB> Finally, looking ahead to 2025, what sort of transformations to the XM space are you expecting? Are there any key calendar events you’re hoping to capitalise on, or projects already in the pipeline?
Chris> Looking ahead, we expect to continue pushing the boundaries of thoughtful, immersive experiences. Each year presents new cultural moments, and we plan to lean into these, exploring ways to disrupt and innovate within the experiential space.
While there isn’t a single calendar event we’re specifically focused on, we’re deeply immersed in briefs and planning with our clients to activate at key moments, whether it’s around a holiday, engaging in meaningful collaborations, or creating bespoke experiences.
There is one project in the pipeline we are all buzzing about over here, however. We are currently working on a new innovation for Dr. Oetker in the frozen pizza category that launches this spring. This will be a game changer, and we are all very excited to bring this to Canadians through an experiential campaign.
All in all, the beauty of XM lies in its ability to adapt to each unique brand, brief, and client need. By understanding the diverse challenges each brand faces, we can build tailored campaigns that deliver authentic, engaging experiences, and drive results.
