DESIGNING FOR A NEW ERA

A new era for experiential activations is emerging in Australia. Where brands and stories are brought to life in ways that are memorable, meaningful, shared, participant-driven and culturally resonant.

Originally presented by our Head of Experience Design, Strategy and Brand, Adam Mortimer, at the 2024 Sponsorship News Summit, we explore how memory-making, brand as culture, and evidence-based frameworks can guide sponsorships and activations to create lasting impact for audiences, rightsholders and brands alike. We offer a global perspective on designing experiences that combine sensory engagement, emotional resonance, and strategic purpose to deliver measurable value, cultural relevance and valued outcomes.

MEMORY MAKING

Experiences play a central role in making memories. Sensory layers, immersion and contextual relevance determine which moments are remembered, with some memories burning brighter when triggered. Understanding memory formation helps brands communicate persuasively through Aristotle’s framework: pathos, appealing to emotion, values and character; logos, engaging logic and intellect; and ethos, building trust, authenticity and credibility. Episodic memories, the personal, autobiographical moments people recall, and semantic memories, the knowledge and facts they retain, both influence how audiences perceive and remember brands. Applying these principles to activations, exhibits and sponsorships ensures experiences resonate, creating meaningful, lasting connections that endure beyond the moment.

BRANDS IN FAVOUR OF SPONSORSHIPS

Sponsorship activation is a key strategy for the world’s leading brands. According to the 2024 Best Global Brands Report, 92 of the top 100 brands actively leverage sponsorship to enhance reputation, fuel growth and build brand communities. Sponsorship allows these brands to engage audiences beyond traditional channels, creating authentic connections and shared experiences that reinforce identity, trust and preference. By investing in sponsorship brands strengthen their visibility, reinforcing relationships with communities, and supporting long-term growth. This audience-centric approach demonstrates that sponsorship is not just marketing, but a strategic tool for reputation, engagement, people connection and sustained business impact.

BRANDS AS CULTURE

A brand is a memorable experience, defined by the value, meaning and moments it creates. The most impactful brands design beyond campaigns to craft experiences that embed themselves into culture, shaping how people connect, celebrate, and express themselves. Experiences build both cultural and commercial capital, with resonance, depth, and layered meaning to drive lasting impact. Designing for memory and shared cultural relevance ensures audiences see themselves reflected, participating in, and assigning valuable personal meaning, turning activations into cultural and community  markers. Aristotle’s memory framework - pathos for emotion, logos for logic, and ethos for trust – applies today - guiding persuasive communication, while episodic and semantic memory structures strengthen recall. By aligning experiences with values, behaviours, and cultural currents, brands move beyond visibility, creating authenticity, belonging, desire and shaping enduring connections that not only reflect culture, but actively shape it.

A new era of experiential activations in Australia.

XDC – EXPERIENCE DESIGN CANVAS

Drawing on global research from the World Experience Organisation and created for the Australian market – to ensure Australian brands aren’t left behind, our evidence-based framework uses five pillars to guide the design of impactful experiences from planning through delivery and beyond. In today’s era, audiences expect creativity, technology, inclusion, authenticity, purpose and belonging – as a baseline. They value exchange, involvement and authenticity, while brands focus on culture, data, metrics, people, efficiencies, business and performance. Against this backdrop, our framework brings structure to ambitious programs of any scale, enabling brands to design experiences that are meaningful, memorable, and measurable. Each solution is tailored to the message, location, and desired audience behaviour, ensuring real-world results.

Activations and experiences are, ultimately – about people. Success and excellence therefore, begins in the heart. The heart of the brand and the heart of the audience. The heart of the event property and the emotion it creates. And ultimately the heart of culture and society.

We believe design is at the heart of great experiences. In this new era, brands are able to design activations that are meaningful, memorable, and measurable. By designing with memory, culture, and audience behaviour in mind, our experiences resonate, build connection, and create lasting value - moving beyond visibility to leave a real and enduring impact.