The Future of Experiential Marketing: Intentionality, Emotion, and Human-Centered Design
08.01.25
Insights from EMS Executive Forum 2025
The future of experiential marketing: Intentionality, emotion, and human-centered design
When it comes to building brand love today, creating great experiences is more important than ever. People aren’t just buying products—they’re choosing how they want to feel, connect, and belong. That’s why experiential marketing is such a powerful tool for brands that want to stand out and stay relevant.
At a recent panel hosted by our agency, we brought together some of the smartest minds in the space:
Stacey Gromlich, Senior Director of Global Audience Engagement at Siemens
Jimmy Knowles, Global Head of Experiential at Canva
Michael Barclay II, Chief Events Officer at Sundial Media Group
They shared how they’re building meaningful, memorable experiences—and where they think the future of brand experience is headed. Here's what we learned:
Why experience matters more than ever
The best experiences do more than entertain. They leave a lasting impression. As Jimmy Knowles from Canva said, “Brand experience is the emotional aftertaste… It’s about creating that emotional connection.”
It’s that feeling you’re left with after a great event, a thoughtful campaign, or even a small brand touchpoint. For Michael Barclay from Sundial Media, experiences are a way to tap into the senses and tell stories that stick. “We feel it through sensory experiences that drive emotion,” he explained. It’s not just about being flashy—it’s about making people feel something real.
Be intentional: design with purpose
If there’s one word that kept coming up in the conversation, it was intentionality. Stacey Gromlich from Siemens explained it well: “We have to really lean into what the heck does that mean to innovation… We made a huge impact by humanizing the stories and the brands we help bring to market.”
Whether Siemens is talking to engineers or Fortune 500 companies, they think carefully about who they’re speaking to and what they want that person to feel or do next. As Barclay put it, “As long as we know the deep insights, we can create authentically for each audience.”
In other words, great experiences don’t happen by accident. They’re designed with clear goals in mind—whether it’s sparking curiosity, building trust, or encouraging someone to take action.
Personalization: listen and respond
Today’s audiences expect more than one-size-fits-all marketing. They want brands to understand them—and show it. Canva takes this seriously. At their most recent Canva Create event, they actually built the whole keynote around user feedback. “It was a love letter to our community,” Jimmy said.
They didn’t just talk about new features—they showed users that their ideas were heard and made real. One fan-favorite moment? A musical number that granted 45 user wishes live on stage.
At Siemens, Stacey shared how they’ve shifted from talking like a traditional industrial company to telling more human, relatable stories. “We’ve had to think completely differently,” she said. That meant understanding cultural differences across regions and using insights to tell stories that matter to their U.S. audience.
Let data guide you
All three panelists agreed: data is key. It helps them know what’s working, what’s not, and how to keep improving.
Stacey explained how Siemens doesn’t look at events as one-offs anymore. “We look at that particular experience as a chapter,” she said. They use audience behavior and feedback to guide everything—from content and format to how they follow up afterward.
Michael Barclay also shared how his team uses data to stay relevant. Whether it’s music festivals, cultural summits, or pop-ups, they look at what audiences care about and use that information to shape the entire experience.
And as Jimmy from Canva pointed out, AI is making personalization even more powerful. From custom swag stations to dynamic product tools, brands now have more ways than ever to meet people where they are—and make them feel seen.
Build community, not just events
Another big theme? Experiences are about more than just engagement—they’re about connection. Stacey said it best: “We are changing the world by enabling people… from clean water solutions to sustainable manufacturing.” Siemens is using its platform to tell stories about real impact, not just products.
Barclay added that community-building is central to everything they do. Whether it’s Essence Festival or Girls United, his team focuses on creating experiences that are culturally relevant, emotionally resonant, and rooted in real community needs.
And for Jimmy, it’s about being consistent without being cookie-cutter: “It’s not about being a monolith,” he said. “It’s about knowing the deep insights and creating for each audience authentically.”
What Marketers Should Take Away
So what does all this mean if you’re building brand experiences?
Be intentional. Don’t create just for the sake of it. Know what you want your audience to feel and do.
Tap into emotion. People remember how you made them feel more than anything else.
Use your data. Look for the insights that tell you what’s working—and what’s not.
Personalize wherever you can. Make people feel like the experience was made just for them.
Focus on community. Experiences should build relationships, not just impressions.
Ultimately, the most successful experiences are the ones that feel thoughtful, human, and true to your brand. They’re not just moments—they’re memories. And as this panel made clear, that’s the kind of marketing that truly lasts.
Want to learn how your brand can create meaningful experiences like these? Get in touch through your Invision Account Director or info@iv.com —we’d love to help.