What’s In and What’s Out for Brand Experiences in 2025?
Experiential marketing pros share key best practices—and what to leave behind—for designing successful activations this year.
Experiential marketing is a valuable opportunity for brands seeking to create meaningful connections with consumers in 2025. The marketing channel has bounced back from its pandemic lull, as nearly three-quarters of all Fortune 1000 companies expect to increase their experiential budget this year.
To design events that drive brand lift and ROI, marketing teams must be intentional about which strategies and trends they leverage. BizBash gathered insights from event professionals around the globe to uncover what’s in and what’s out for successful brand experiences this year. From hyper-personalization and sustainable materials to static and overly promotional activations, experiential marketers are keeping these best (and worst) practices top of mind.
What’s out: Alcohol-centric experiences
The sober-curious movement has made its way to events, with food and beverage professionals citing innovative mocktails as a catering trend to watch this year. Louisa O’Connor, managing director at Seen Presents, said that brands should explore alternatives to cater to demographics that don’t want to imbibe.
“Alcohol is out. With Gen Z, two things are clear: They prioritize wellness and love capturing every aspect of their lives on camera. Being under the influence of alcohol doesn’t align with either,” said O’Connor. “When organizing experiences, we’ll need to cater to those needs by incorporating more innovative and locally inspired food and beverage options that promote well-being.”