Elevate Mentoring on why the most powerful experiences happen offline
Late last month, Elevate Mentoring hosted its latest Inspiration Session at Protein Studios in Shoreditch. This live and in-person monthly gathering brings together members of the Elevate community to share tools, insights and inspiration. Specially curated by the Elevate team, these sessions go beyond theory, delivering human-first experiences that connect people and spark ideas.
The July session, titled Unfiltered: The Return of Real, did exactly that. The event featured two powerful talks from Lisa James, Founder of The Wentworth Collective, and Louisa O’Connor, Founder and Managing Director of Seen Presents. Both speakers made the case for why, in a world increasingly driven by screens and algorithms, the most meaningful moments still happen in real life.
From the moment the doors opened, the theme of real connection played out in the room. Conversations flowed before the talks even began. The Q&A sparked such a buzz it could have easily run long into the evening. The message landed: people are hungry for something deeper – slower, messier, more human
Louisa O’Connor: Experiences that make you feel
Taking the stage next was Louisa O’Connor, Founder and Managing Director of Seen Presents. Her agency is behind some of the most talked-about brand activations of recent years, including Netflix’s immersive rooftop takeover at Cannes Lions – a screen-free, story-led playground where shows like Bridgerton and Squid Game were brought to life.
Louisa reframed the conversation around brand experiences with one powerful question: “How did you feel at your first gig? Now, how did you feel when you saw your first advert?” The difference was clear – emotion creates memory, and memory is the ultimate measure of impact.
She challenged the idea that brand experiences are just about creating shareable moments. Instead, they’re about creating moments people want to share because they felt something real. Her mantra: feelings outlast impressions.
In a world where audiences are exhausted by digital noise, real-world experiences offer a sense of presence, tactility and depth. The most successful activations aren’t flawless, they’re emotionally resonant. She encouraged brands and experience-makers to prioritise authenticity over polish, meaning over perfection and human connection over digital reach.
As Louisa said, “We don’t need more content. We need more memory.”
What Louisa taught us:
Design for emotion, not attention: If it doesn’t move someone, it won’t stick
Keep it real: Audiences can tell when something’s fake
Let the moment lead: Beautiful, joyful moments don’t need a prompt to go viral
Prioritise memory over perfection: Imperfection often makes experiences more human
Think multi-generational: Don’t over-segment. Let generations mix
Create experiences, not events: Events happen. Experiences stay with you
Together, Lisa and Louisa made a compelling argument for why real-world experiences matter more than ever because they make people feel alive, connected and seen. That’s the return of real.