Four Lessons from the Experiential Marketing Summit
I’ll never forget the first time I went to Disney World.
It was Disney’s 25th anniversary. Cinderella Castle had been transformed into a giant birthday cake. It wasn’t what I expected to see, and that’s exactly why I still remember it. The smells, the sounds, the sights, all combined to give me a feeling of magic in my young little soul. I don’t remember how long we waited in line or what time the park opened. But I remember how I felt.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but Disney had quietly set my expectations for what a great experience could be. Decades later, I found those same principles echoed throughout this year’s Experiential Marketing Summit (EMS). Different brands. Different audiences. The same challenge: creating experiences people remember because they made them feel something.
A few of us from Posture attended EMS to learn how some of the world’s most recognizable brands approach experience design in an age increasingly shaped by AI and automation. Ironically, many of the most impactful sessions weren’t about technology at all. They were about creating moments that make people feel seen, understood, and connected.
Whether you’re planning an event, designing a brand experience, producing content, or launching a marketing campaign, it all comes down to one simple question:
How do you want people to feel?
Here are four lessons we learned from the Experiential Marketing Summit that reminded me the most powerful marketing experiences are deeply human.
1. Design Future Memories
Everyone wants their event or brand experience to be memorable, but too often we’re talking about that too late in the process. Throwing a hashtag on a table tent and asking attendees to post a photo isn’t enough. Human connection requires intentionally designing the moments people will remember long after the event is over.
Some of my favorite sessions at EMS weren’t necessarily the ones with the most groundbreaking content, they were the ones that created memorable learning experiences. One presenter had the audience snap folding fans open in unison, creating a sound far more memorable than applause. Another used a live electric violinist to demonstrate the emotional power of music. A third kicked off the session by passing out tequila shots!
None of those moments were gimmicks. They reinforced the lesson being taught.
Before planning the logistics of an event, ask a different question:
What do we want people to remember six months from now?
2. Lead with Emotion
One of the most insightful ideas I heard at EMS was this:
“We don’t design feelings. We design the conditions for feelings.”
You can’t force someone to feel excitement, wonder, nostalgia, or joy. What you can do is thoughtfully create an environment where those emotions naturally emerge.
I saw this firsthand during a behind-the-scenes tour of Universal Horror Unleashed. With the lights on, much of the “magic” disappeared. The scares weren’t active, but the intention remained. The creative team showed how lighting, textures, sound, smells, pacing, and environmental details all work together to create anticipation and emotion.
What struck me most was that fear isn’t created through louder noises or darker rooms. It’s created through thoughtful details working together toward a single emotional outcome.
Whether you’re creating an event, a website, a video, or a brand activation, people may forget what they saw, but they’ll remember how they felt.
3. Embrace Analog
One of the strongest themes throughout EMS was somewhat unexpected: as technology becomes more advanced, people are increasingly craving experiences that feel less digital.
Pinterest summed it up best: “You can’t AI your way to joy.”
Despite being a platform that exists almost entirely online, Pinterest’s recent activations encourage people to put their phones away. At Cannes Lions, The Pinterest Manifestival, invited attendees to complete an analog-style quiz that unlocked personalized trend cards. At Coachella, Pinterest’s phone-free “Joy Ride” invited guests to create, craft, and simply be present.
For a company whose business lives online, that’s a bold choice.
But that’s exactly why it worked. The experience wasn’t about driving downloads or QR code scans. It reminded people what it feels like to create with their hands, connect with others, and enjoy the moment without a screen between them.
Sometimes the most innovative thing a brand can do is help people disconnect.
4. Make People Feel Seen
A common thread running through nearly every session at EMS was belonging. People want to be heard. Technology will never replace human connection.
That showed up in discussions about listening to employees, not just customers. It showed up at Universal Horror Unleashed, where the team’s most important success metric isn’t ticket sales, it’s guest experience surveys. It showed up in Canva’s World Tour, where product launches are collaborative experiences rather than one-way presentations.
One speaker shared an example that brought me right back to Orlando, Florida, circa 1996: if Mickey Mouse handed you a brochure for Disney +, it would ruin the magic. The same principle applies to brands of every size. When every interaction feels like a sales pitch, people tune out. When people feel seen, heard, and included, they lean in.
Personalized swag became a tangible expression of that idea throughout EMS. Attendees lined up for embroidered hats, screen-printed apparel, personalized gifts, and interactive experiences made just for them. The appeal wasn’t the swag itself, it was what it communicated: We made this for you.
In a world of automation and generic messaging, recognition is memorable. Walking away from EMS, I realized these lessons aren’t just about events. They’re about people.
Thirty years later, I still remember the birthday cake castle. I don’t remember the wait times or what we ate for lunch. I remember how it felt. That’s the real lesson I learned from the Experiential Marketing Summit.
Whether we’re designing an event, building a website, producing a video, or launching a campaign, our job isn’t simply to communicate a message. It’s to create an experience worth remembering.
