Emotional quotient: people’s ability to understand their feelings and those of others. Stimulating the EQ through emotional experiences is one of the most sought-after objectives among brands that want to create a valuable connection with consumers, contributing to the memorability of their brand.

The study by GMR (an agency belonging to Omnicom Experiential Group) highlights that in the interaction with brands, the value of the experience is undeniable.

For 72% of people, the possibility of seeing, hearing, touching and interacting first-hand with the brand is a fundamental aspect of establishing a relationship of trust.

So we asked ourselves: what does it take to make an experience work at its best and what are the necessary ingredients to boost the Experiential EQ? In this sense, the Fuorisalone 2022 was the perfect stage to study and experiment with new ways of living experiences.

Also this year brands have tried to emerge through urgent content, impactful and exciting technologies; and finally live, after two years of stopping. What hanno in comune quelli che sono riusciti a farlo davvero?

Un esempio di come far vivere a pieno la Brand Experience lo ha mostrato Elle Decor che ha deciso di comunicare i propri valori attraverso una progettazione meticolosa dello spazio, creando composizioni studiate per ogni angolo del percorso.

Creating a space that attracts attention and at the same time amplifies the echo of the event itself has become a must for an impactful experience.

The same goes for Hermes, with an installation that celebrated the concept of ethereal elegance. Here, as if by magic, visitors were welcomed by a calm sensation of well-being, enveloped in a collection suspended in time. Beautiful. Simple. Elegant. But above all, Instagrammable. It seems obvious but what has certainly played a leading role in this rediscovered edition of Design Week, and which is now part of every experience we live, is the search for the Instagram Opportunity. Creating a space that attracts attention and at the same time amplifies the echo of the event itself has become a must for an impactful experience.

Let’s not forget to mention another very important theme when talking about Design and the future: sustainability. In a circular design perspective, brands like Plenitude have created interactive installations that show the public – through the five senses – that it is possible to have fun and be sustainable at the same time. With Feeling the Energy, there is vision and collaboration, a look to the future and global content. The use of sustainable materials to build the experience is becoming a characteristic element for many brands, as attention to this theme grows.

It is possible to have fun and be sustainable at the same time

One of the leaders in this sense is IKEA, which we find among the brands that stood out most during the Fuorisalone.
This year, in addition to the theme of sustainability, with its IKEA Festival, the Swedish company reminded us of the value of fun by stepping on the sharing button so much so that it became the protagonist of the Stories of the IG profiles of anyone who found themselves in front of it. Coloured balls in a calendar full of events, in which there was no lack of comparison with deeper themes to tell the future of Retail and Design.

Another feature that should not be underestimated in building an effective brand experience is immersion. There was no shortage of 360° experiences capable of catapulting the visitor into new and unexplored landscapes. Rooms within rooms, as in the case of Haier’s Home Switch Home, whose immersive installation was able to reflect the continuous attention to technological innovation, artificial intelligence and Design of the three international brands Candy, Hoover and Haier.
The mix of Instagrammability, fun and immersion proved to be a winner this year too, but we have already experimented and tested it on several occasions.

For example, we recall a monumental installation accompanied by a design bar resulting from the collaboration between Inventa TRO and designer Marc Ange for the St-Germain brand: a complete sensory experience that allowed consumers to get closer to the world of the brand. Or the experiential path that we implemented in the 11 windows of the Biraghi store in Piazza San Carlo in Turin that led consumers on a journey to rediscover the flavours of tradition and the brand itself.

The last 2 years have added a component to the winning mix – omnichannel. In fact, from a cherry on the cake it has become a must, a starting point for building every valuable experience.
In TRO we have developed the Virtual Experience Platform precisely to facilitate interactivity and help brands engage the user 360° in a new era for Live Communication activities.

Now we capitalize on the insights and look ahead, ready to design and program the next experiences, aiming for the future with the desire to return more engaging than before.

Credits: Viola Incerti, Julia Sokolova, Nicole Felet