A Year of Adjustments and Strategic Creativity in Experiential Events

By Andy Ashton, Founder, Jubba Limited

As we approach the close of 2024, it would appear that experiential has had a strong year. Experiential has become a go-to solution, offering value from a media, content, and engagement perspective. While this year brought some shifts, including tighter budgets, these challenges have sparked incredible creativity and innovation. Brands and agencies have risen to the challenge with many turning to this approach for its ability to create memorable moments that resonate with audiences while providing strong ROI. It’s exciting ?to see how experiential will continue to drive impactful campaigns and set the stage for ?more creativity & innovation in 2025.

Emphasis on Storytelling

One major takeaway from 2024 has been the amplified importance of storytelling in experiential marketing. As clients adapt to new media needs, we’ve heard repeatedly that an event must tell a compelling story to warrant coverage and engagement. For PR agencies and communications professionals, this means that campaigns must now focus not just on the ‘what’ of an event, but on the ‘why.’ At Jubba, we’ve found this approach to be our strength—infusing every activation with a strong narrative that resonates across platforms. We see this trend continuing into 2025 as brands seek deeper connections with their audiences and look for experiences that can extend beyond a single moment.

Shift Towards Quality Over Quantity

Brands have leaned towards hosting more intimate, carefully executed experiences that prioritise meaningful engagement over scale. This trend speaks directly to the need for events that leave lasting impressions, whether through exclusive guest lists or highly personalised interactions. For PR teams, this means opportunities to leverage smaller, tailored events that still achieve big results in terms of sentiment and brand loyalty.

The Impact Of The Economic Landscape

This year has been marked by a reduction in event budgets, reflecting economic pressures across the marketing landscape. Brands, agencies and production have had to get more strategic, creative and focussed. Which in turn has had a positive effect as events are working harder for their budget, but also becoming more popular as they deliver across content, media and social – allowing for a strong ROI for clients. We are also seeing multi-use-moments for the events we create; with them not only being external facing, but how they are being used for internal comms, stakeholders and content as well.

Trends to Watch in 2025

Looking ahead, here are some key trends we anticipate will shape the experiential landscape in 2025:

Story-Driven Experiences

Storytelling isn’t just a trend of 2024; we predict it becoming an essential pillar of event marketing. We predict that narrative-focused experiences will only grow in importance as brands seek to create moments worth sharing. This aligns with media’s evolving needs for content that engages audiences across multiple channels. Events that can tell a compelling story, complete with shareable elements and takeaways, will stand out in 2025.

Sustainability and Eco-Conscious Events

With sustainability remaining a pressing global concern, we anticipate a stronger push for eco-conscious event practices. Brands and attendees alike are becoming more aware of environmental impacts, and 2025 will likely see a rise in events that prioritise low-waste setups, local sourcing, and eco-friendly materials. For brands and PR agencies, embracing these practices isn’t just good for the planet—it’s good for business and brand reputation.

Creative Budget Solutions

Budget constraints offer exciting opportunities for creativity, and 2025 will see even more innovative approaches to event and experiential planning. Partnerships will play a vital role in amplifying budgets and expanding reach, while community-driven storytelling will continue to grow in popularity, adding authenticity to activations. Events and experiential campaigns will also work hard to connect and engage across a range of stakeholders, both internally and externally, ensuring alignment and maximum impact. Challenges are simply chances to push boundaries, and we thrive on finding news ways to create, deliver, and bring bold ideas to life.

Targeted Audience Appeal

Finally, we predict an increased focus on reaching more targeted audiences for deliver against objectives and budgets. With all generations expecting innovative, engaging interactions, brands will need to stay on top of cultural trends and preferences. This is something all agencies and brands should consider as they strategise for the coming year.

Final Thoughts

2024 has been a year of challenges, but it’s also been a year of learning, adaptation, and growth. As we move into 2025, the focus will remain on quality, strategic storytelling, and creative solutions that balance budget with impact. For PR agencies and brands, staying ahead means being flexible, innovative, and prepared to connect with audiences in unique ways.

We’re excited to continue leading the way in creating experiences that resonate, inspire, and leave a lasting impression.