WXO

Using Audience Insight for Impact: A Barbican Immersive Case Study (Late)
2026-05-20 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
What if you could use audience insight to make better creative decisions, and see the results in visitor numbers, ticket sales, and funding?
This session draws on frameworks and research methods from Barbican Immersive, showing how insight shaped their digital arts strategy and fed directly into the development of Feel the Sound and the upcoming In Other Words immersive exhibitions.
What you’ll learn:

Ideas for how to use audience insight to create better experiences.
Confidence that insight delivers results: visitor numbers, ticket revenue, audience reach, funding and touring income.
Inspiration from seeing your work through the audiences eyes.

About Sonia Joao:
Sonia is a Research Director with over two decades of experience helping clients use consumer and audience insight to create brilliant products, brands, content and experiences. Her clients come from Media & Entertainment, FMCG, Arts & Culture and range from Paramount and General Mills, to Barbican and Barbie and everything in between. She is passionate about bringing together diverse insight collaborators to help clients understand their target audiences in eye-opening ways. From audience and brand strategy, to content and production development, to advertising and comms.
In this Campfire, Sonia will bring her experience running research and delivering tangible impact for the Barbican Immersive team over the last three years, delivering research to inform audience strategy, brand positioning, comms, and show development.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech: Lessons Learned From 900+ Immersive Experiences (Early)
2026-05-27 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
When we talk about immersive experiences, technology can sometimes dominate the conversation.
But after encountering 900+ immersive works across three continents in three years, Katrina noticed a recurring pattern: tech alone doesn’t determine quality.
In this Campfire, she introduces her AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – a qualitative lens for thinking about how immersive experiences function and why they land. Rather than scoring or ranking work, AURA offers a shared vocabulary for reflecting on agency, world-building, resonance, and craft.
Whether built with cutting-edge tech or almost none at all, this session offers an experience-first perspective on designing work that holds together and connects with audiences.
Key takeaways:

The AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – A practical qualitative lens participants can use to think more clearly about immersive design choices, regardless of scale, budget, or technology.
A clearer distinction between technology and experience quality – A sharper way to identify when tech is adding value versus when it’s compensating for weak design.
Patterns observed across 900+ immersive works – Recurring design strengths and common pitfalls drawn from extensive firsthand experience across formats and contexts.
Language to advocate for experience-led decisions – Clear vocabulary to help teams communicate why certain design choices matter, especially when navigating stakeholder pressure around technology.

About Katrina Lat:
Katrina is a Toronto-based Experience Designer, producer, and client strategist operating at the intersection of creativity + commerce across events, immersive experiences, and cultural programming. She holds an HBA from Ivey Business School.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

High Tech, Low Tech, No Tech: Lessons Learned From 900+ Immersive Experiences (Late)
2026-05-27 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
When we talk about immersive experiences, technology can sometimes dominate the conversation.
But after encountering 900+ immersive works across three continents in three years, Katrina noticed a recurring pattern: tech alone doesn’t determine quality.
In this Campfire, she introduces her AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – a qualitative lens for thinking about how immersive experiences function and why they land. Rather than scoring or ranking work, AURA offers a shared vocabulary for reflecting on agency, world-building, resonance, and craft.
Whether built with cutting-edge tech or almost none at all, this session offers an experience-first perspective on designing work that holds together and connects with audiences.
Key takeaways:

The AURA Framework (Agency, Universe, Resonance, Artistry) – A practical qualitative lens participants can use to think more clearly about immersive design choices, regardless of scale, budget, or technology.
A clearer distinction between technology and experience quality – A sharper way to identify when tech is adding value versus when it’s compensating for weak design.
Patterns observed across 900+ immersive works – Recurring design strengths and common pitfalls drawn from extensive firsthand experience across formats and contexts.
Language to advocate for experience-led decisions – Clear vocabulary to help teams communicate why certain design choices matter, especially when navigating stakeholder pressure around technology.

About Katrina Lat:
Katrina is a Toronto-based Experience Designer, producer, and client strategist operating at the intersection of creativity + commerce across events, immersive experiences, and cultural programming. She holds an HBA from Ivey Business School.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Human Tech Under Martial Law: Lightsticks, Flags, Prepayment & BARAM
2026-06-03 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
What do moments of crisis reveal about how people really connect, and how can experience designers learn from it?
On 3 December 2024, South Korea lived through a surreal night: martial law declared, then overturned within hours. What emerged in the streets wasn’t violence – it was K-pop lightsticks, hand-drawn meme flags, and prepaid cups of warm coffee left for strangers.
Drawing on decades of experience research and his own witness of Korea’s recent political upheaval, Jooseok explores these fragile, powerful “human technologies” and what they teach us about designing experiences that make room for people to become the protagonists.
Key takeaways:

A backstage context-mapping method for any audience.
A reusable way to map the “hidden layers” behind behaviour – from 1980–90s democracy movements to 2002 World Cup streets, 2016 candlelight protests and the 2024–25 “revolution of light”. You’ll leave with questions you can use to surface your own city’s historical layers before you design.
A lens for reading symbols as human tech, not props.
How to treat K-pop lightsticks, meme flags, and prepaid cups of warm coffee as serious interfaces for emotion, identity and care – and how to run the same analysis on the objects, memes, and habits your audiences already bring from home.
Design prompts for when people refuse to follow the script.
Concrete prompts to redesign one current project so it anticipates where people will really move: from staying home to coming out, from standing still to studying under streetlights, from consuming to organising heated buses and late-night snacks for strangers.
A pattern library for bottom-up solidarity hacks.
Transferable patterns from Korea’s winter nights – from foil-blanket “Kisses” cheering squads to anonymous donors sending heated buses – that you can adapt to festivals, museums, cities and brands without copying the politics.
A sharper definition of “human tech” for experience makers.
A way to distinguish between digital tools and the human technologies of time, risk and shared belief – plus a closing question set you can use with your team: “Where will we let people become the protagonists here?”

About Jooseok Oh:
Jooseok Oh is a Seoul-based Experience Orchestrator, self-described Neo Polymath, and founder of BARAM Experience. With thirty years across branding and organisational consulting, he has built his practice around a single conviction: that connecting Brand Experience, Customer Experience, and Employee Experience requires not just strategy, but orchestration.
He holds two doctoral degrees but stays firmly in the field, working as a Fractional CXO partner across tech, luxury, content, education, and public sectors – using data to set direction and humanities to move people. His work helps leaders translate brand purpose into designed encounters that last.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

From TikTok to Toyota: How Measurement Can Grow & Protect Event Budgets
2026-06-03 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
Events are always at risk when marketing budgets are under scrutiny.
In this Campfire, event strategist Dax Callner will reveal how global brands from Toyota to TikTok use data to defend and grow their investment in events.
You’ll get actionable tools and insights to help you establish measurable goals, collect credible data and present compelling event reports.
Key takeaways:
• Clear insight on the metrics that matter most
• How to work with stakeholders to establish measurable objective
• Actionable strategies for collecting credible data
• Approaches to build compelling event reports
Who should attend:
• Marketers
• Strategists
About Dax Callner:
Dax Callner is an event and experiential marketing strategist with over 25 years experience, supporting clients like Amazon, TikTok, Vodafone, Google, Toyota, HSBC, Meta, KPMG, Bayer, P&G and many others.
He is also the founder and president of the Event Marketing Measurement Association, a nonprofit focused on helping our industry thrive through measurement standards and education.
In his spare time, Dax also makes music.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

From TikTok to Toyota: How Measurement Can Grow & Protect Event Budgets (Early)
2026-06-10 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
Events are always at risk when marketing budgets are under scrutiny.
In this Campfire, event strategist Dax Callner will reveal how global brands from Toyota to TikTok use data to defend and grow their investment in events.
You’ll get actionable tools and insights to help you establish measurable goals, collect credible data and present compelling event reports.
Key takeaways:
• Clear insight on the metrics that matter most
• How to work with stakeholders to establish measurable objective
• Actionable strategies for collecting credible data
• Approaches to build compelling event reports
Who should attend:
• Marketers
• Strategists
About Dax Callner:
Dax Callner is an event and experiential marketing strategist with over 25 years experience, supporting clients like Amazon, TikTok, Vodafone, Google, Toyota, HSBC, Meta, KPMG, Bayer, P&G and many others.
He is also the founder and president of the Event Marketing Measurement Association, a nonprofit focused on helping our industry thrive through measurement standards and education.
In his spare time, Dax also makes music.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

Backrooms: From Creepypasta To Box Office #1 | How the Hit Horror Film Turned Internet Mythology Into Experiential Marketing Gold
2026-06-10 17:55 - 19:00 | Zoom
What happens when a piece of community-created internet folklore becomes the number one film in America?
Backrooms began life as a single unsettling image posted online.
From there it evolved into a collaborative creepypasta or unfiction phenomenon, inspired millions of fan theories, videos and discussions, spawned a hugely successful YouTube series, and has now become a major Hollywood release that opened at #1 at the US box office.
But the success of Backrooms isn’t simply a film story. It’s a masterclass in modern audience-building.
In this Campfire, WXO member and ARGnet (Alternative Reality Gaming Network) senior editor Michael Andersen explores how the film’s viral marketing campaign embraced the film’s online origins rather than replacing them with traditional studio promotion.
By leaning into mystery, community participation, fan speculation, analogue horror aesthetics and the immersive world-building that only ARGs can bring, the campaign has transformed cinema audiences from passive consumers into active collaborators.
Whether you’re an experience designer, a marketer or a storyteller, Michael deep dives into the Backrooms campaign offering an invaluable case study in how participatory culture, online mythology and experiential thinking can combine to create cultural momentum on a massive scale.
You’ll never look at a furniture store the same way again…
Key Takeaways:
• How a single piece of user-generated content evolved into a global entertainment franchise.
• Why creepypasta communities are among the earliest examples of participatory storytelling at scale.
• The role of mystery, ambiguity and audience speculation in driving engagement.
• How the Backrooms campaign blurred the line between marketing, world-building and fan culture.
• What experiential marketers can learn from alternate reality games, analogue horror and internet folklore.
• Why modern audiences increasingly want to participate in stories rather than simply consume them.
• How community ownership can become a competitive advantage rather than a threat to IP.
• Lessons for creating “viral by design” experiences that encourage sharing, discussion and collective discovery.
Who Should Attend?
• Experience designers and creative directors
• Brand marketers looking to build communities rather than campaigns
• Immersive and interactive experience creators
• Entertainment, media and franchise owners
• Audience development and engagement professionals
• ARG, gaming and transmedia storytellers
• Cultural strategists and trend forecasters
• Anyone interested in how internet culture is reshaping marketing, storytelling and audience behaviour.
About the host:
Michael Andersen is a writer, researcher and long-time observer of alternate reality games, immersive storytelling and participatory media. Michael is a Director of Cultural Intelligence at Simon & Schuster, and previously worked in Strategy & Analytics at Digitas Health.
He previously served as an adjunct professor at Villanova University, on the editorial board for the Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine, as a senior editor of the Journal of Law, Technology & the Internet, and has published a number of articles exploring the intersection between business, communications, and the law.
After serving as a staff writer at ARGNet for three years, Michael took over as owner and senior editor in 2009.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:00
Paris: 18:55 – 20:00
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:00
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:00
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:00
New York: 12:55 – 14:00
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:00

We Are All Curators Now
2026-06-17 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
At the STRAAT Museum in the Netherlands, Geoff Thatcher and his wife came across a story about Johanna van Polanen, who became a countess at the age of 11.
The museum gave them the outline. But it left out the question they immediately wanted answered: how old was the count she married?
So they did what more and more audiences now do. They took out their phones, asked AI, checked the answer, and filled in the missing context themselves.
That small moment is the heart of this Campfire.
Thatcher’s argument is that AI is changing the balance of power inside museums, attractions, cultural spaces and live experiences. Audiences are no longer just receiving the story chosen for them. They can question it, extend it, challenge it, compare it, and in some cases re-curate it in real time.
In other words: we are all curators now.
This raises useful questions for anyone designing experiences.

What do professional curators, storytellers and institutions still uniquely provide when the audience has a research assistant in its pocket?
Does AI deepen curiosity, or fragment shared meaning?
How do we design for people who can go off-script at any moment?
And where is the line between audience interpretation and the hijacking of a story?

The piece also draws a provocative comparison with journalism: a profession reshaped by technology, declining trust and the loss of control over distribution. Thatcher asks whether museums and experience designers are about to face a similar disruption.
There is a further layer to this Campfire.
The article this Campfire is based on was originally written as a TEDx Savannah talk. You can read it here » https://geoffthatcher.substack.com/p/canceled-by-tedx-savannah
Thatcher says the talk did not go ahead after he declined to remove a line that an editor considered “provocative and offensive.” This isn’t the reason for running this Campfire, but it does make for an interesting case study: a talk about audiences taking control ran into the content-control process of the platform that was due to host it.
Read the piece before the Campfire and bring your questions, your pushback and your own examples.
We are all curators now. What should we do with that power?

About Geoff Thatcher:
From Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island to the Coastal Heritage Society in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Geoff Thatcher’s work transcends borders.
His career spans brand experiences at FM’s Science & Technology Center, theme parks like Doha’s Quest and museums like the Ozark Mill. Most recently he and his firm led the design of The Humanitarian Center Tour in Salt Lake City.
Other recent projects include the AI experiences at the College Football Hall of Fame, renovation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the JEA H2.O Purification Center.
He got his start in the experience industry as a teenage “clean-up boy” at Utah’s Lagoon Amusement Park and after a brief stint as a journalist later worked on the CNN Studio Tour for Jack Rouse Associates, the Rio 2007 Opening Ceremonies for Five Currents and the Lockheed Martin Space Experience Center for The Brand Experience.
He founded Creative Principals in 2017. Geoff is author of The CEO’s Time Machine, creator of Ask.Buzz, writer on hot topics, podcast guest and a regular speaker at industry conferences.
After leading the groundbreaking work that turned guests into football players, coaches and cheerleaders, he can often be heard online talking and writing about how AI will transform experiences.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

Creating Impactful Experiences: How Story, Technology and Place Can Turn Moments into Memories
2026-06-17 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
What do we value more as a society: moments or memories?
Experiences define our lives. They shape how we connect across cultures and communities, how we grow, and how we remember the people, places and ideas that move us. Today, as technology and consumer expectations evolve, experiences can be more diverse, integrated and convergent than ever before.
Amid this convergence, designers have the opportunity to orchestrate full ecosystems through live engagement, digital access and physical environments — evoking curiosity and emotion while shaping indelible, unforgettable memories.
In this Campfire, Barbara Bouza, FAIA, NOMA, IIDA — CannonDesign’s Executive Director of Market Strategies & Growth – Live, Work, Play and former President of Walt Disney Imagineering — will share insights from her global journey through discovery, impossibilities and storytelling. Her career has consistently fused story, technology and design to create memorable, immersive destinations across the globe, including her work leading the team behind Disney’s theme parks, resorts, cruise ships and immersive entertainment experiences.
Drawing on her experience at Disney and with some of the world’s leading architecture and design firms, Barbara will explore how designers can reimagine their approach to experience design — creating connected experiences that bring people together, respond to changing expectations, and leave space for joy, surprise and wonder to unfold.
Key takeaways

Insights from a global journey of discovery, impossibilities and storytelling
How connected experiences bring people together across cultures and communities
Why consumer expectations are reshaping the future of experience design
How story, technology and physical environments can create lasting memories

About Barbara Bouza
Barbara Bouza is CannonDesign’s Executive Director of Market Strategies & Growth – Live, Work, Play and the former President of Walt Disney Imagineering. An architect celebrated for shaping inspiring spaces that bring people together across cultures and communities, she focuses on people-centred markets where life, work and play increasingly intersect.
Her career stands out through her ability to fuse storytelling with technology and design, creating some of the most memorable and immersive destinations across the globe. She is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a member of Fast Company’s Impact Council, and serves on the SCI-Arc Board of Trustees.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Functional Experiences: The Multi-Billion-Dollar Opportunity for the Experience Economy
2026-06-18 18:00 - 21:00
What if the most powerful experiences don’t just entertain us but change how we feel, think, and act?
​Join WXO and Pixel Artworks for a special IRL Campfire exploring Functional Experiences: an emerging shift in the Experience Economy where immersive design, technology, sound, space, and storytelling are used not just for spectacle, but for lasting human impact.
​Hosted at the The Lighthouse, this intimate industry gathering will bring together experience professionals to explore how brands and creators can design experiences that outlast the moment – from spatial audio and sensory environments to transformative, wellbeing-led and behaviour-shifting encounters.
​Expect a thought-provoking discussion, examples from the cutting edge of experiential design, and plenty of time to connect with the WXO community inside Pixel Artworks’ immersive studio.
​Read more about the ‘The Unstoppable Rise Of Brain-Boosting “Functional Experiences‘.
​Speakers:

​James Wallman, Founder, WXO
​Miranda Pincott, Managing Partner, Pixel Artworks
​Tom Middleton, Founder, Senzomi

Want to come along?
It’s free to attend. Head to https://luma.com/n1yf0zv4 to RSVP
Priority access to WXO members.

—————–
Details:

When: Thursday, June 18, 2026 | 18:00-21:00 BST
Where: Address will be sent out once your registration is approved.

Beyond Attention: Can Experiences Improve Quality of Life? (Early)
2026-06-24 09:55 - 10:30 | Zoom
The Experience Economy has become remarkably effective at capturing attention, creating engagement and creating memorable moments.
But what if the next frontier isn’t attention, immersion or even transformation?
What if it is quality of life?
Every experience affects us. It can elevate or deplete, connect or isolate, calm or overstimulate. Yet while designers routinely consider safety, accessibility and sustainability, far less attention is paid to the lasting impact experiences have on human health, wellbeing, performance and flourishing.
As advances in neuroscience, psychology, sensory design and immersive technology deepen our understanding of human experience, a new category is emerging: Functional Experiences – experiences intentionally designed not only to entertain or engage, but to create meaningful outcomes for individuals, communities and society.
This isn’t a talk about wellness. It’s a conversation about what happens when the Experience Economy meets the Wellness Economy – and the opportunities and responsibilities that emerge as a result.
As organisations increasingly seek to support engagement, performance, recovery, connection and overall quality of life, experience design is becoming a powerful bridge between memorable moments and meaningful outcomes.
In this Campfire, Tom Middleton, Founder of Senzomi, will explore how brands, destinations, workplaces, cultural institutions and experience creators can move beyond designing for attention towards designing for positive human outcomes.
Drawing on examples from hospitality, entertainment, immersive environments, healthcare, education and sensory design, the session will explore whether quality of life could become one of the most important measures of success for the next generation of experiences.
If experiences shape people, what responsibility do we have for the outcomes they create?
Key Takeaways
• Why Functional Experiences may represent the next evolution of the Experience Economy
• What happens when the Experience Economy converges with the Wellness Economy
• How experiences influence human states, behaviours and quality of life
• Why quality of life may become a new measure of experience success
• The opportunities and responsibilities of designing experiences that leave people better than they found them
About Tom Middleton
Tom Middleton is Founder of Senzomi, an award-winning composer, sensory designer and creative director working at the intersection of science, technology, design and human experience.
His work spans hospitality, mobility, wellness, entertainment and immersive environments, helping organisations create experiences that support health, wellbeing, performance and human connection. He serves on the board of the Global Wellness Institute’s Music for Health & Wellbeing Initiative and is recognised for pioneering approaches that combine sound, sensory design, technology and immersive experiences to improve quality of life.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

Beyond Attention: Can Experiences Improve Quality of Life? (Late)
2026-06-24 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
The Experience Economy has become remarkably effective at capturing attention, creating engagement and creating memorable moments.
But what if the next frontier isn’t attention, immersion or even transformation?
What if it is quality of life?
Every experience affects us. It can elevate or deplete, connect or isolate, calm or overstimulate. Yet while designers routinely consider safety, accessibility and sustainability, far less attention is paid to the lasting impact experiences have on human health, wellbeing, performance and flourishing.
As advances in neuroscience, psychology, sensory design and immersive technology deepen our understanding of human experience, a new category is emerging: Functional Experiences – experiences intentionally designed not only to entertain or engage, but to create meaningful outcomes for individuals, communities and society.
This isn’t a talk about wellness. It’s a conversation about what happens when the Experience Economy meets the Wellness Economy – and the opportunities and responsibilities that emerge as a result.
As organisations increasingly seek to support engagement, performance, recovery, connection and overall quality of life, experience design is becoming a powerful bridge between memorable moments and meaningful outcomes.
In this Campfire, Tom Middleton, Founder of Senzomi, will explore how brands, destinations, workplaces, cultural institutions and experience creators can move beyond designing for attention towards designing for positive human outcomes.
Drawing on examples from hospitality, entertainment, immersive environments, healthcare, education and sensory design, the session will explore whether quality of life could become one of the most important measures of success for the next generation of experiences.
If experiences shape people, what responsibility do we have for the outcomes they create?
Key Takeaways
• Why Functional Experiences may represent the next evolution of the Experience Economy
• What happens when the Experience Economy converges with the Wellness Economy
• How experiences influence human states, behaviours and quality of life
• Why quality of life may become a new measure of experience success
• The opportunities and responsibilities of designing experiences that leave people better than they found them
About Tom Middleton
Tom Middleton is Founder of Senzomi, an award-winning composer, sensory designer and creative director working at the intersection of science, technology, design and human experience.
His work spans hospitality, mobility, wellness, entertainment and immersive environments, helping organisations create experiences that support health, wellbeing, performance and human connection. He serves on the board of the Global Wellness Institute’s Music for Health & Wellbeing Initiative and is recognised for pioneering approaches that combine sound, sensory design, technology and immersive experiences to improve quality of life.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Inside The Story Codex: Introducing A New Framework for Narrative in Experiences (Early)
2026-07-01 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
Why are immersive storytellers still using tools built for film and TV?
Designed by Professor of Dramatic Writing at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Abigail Taylor-Sansom, The Story Codex is a new narrative framework designed specifically for immersive storytelling – equally suited to linear, branching, and open-world experiences. It is built to empower collaborators across disciplines, writers and non-writers alike, to shape the narrative design of an experience.
This Campfire will open your eyes to the urgent need for new narrative tools that are designed specifically for immersive storytelling.
Key takeaways:

A new definition of “story” as not a linear plot and cast of characters, but a collection of rules and why this shift changes how you approach narrative design.
A practical introduction to the Story Codex method of developing stories as rule sets, with ideas for how to adapt it to your own projects.

About Abigail Taylor-Sansom:
Abigail is a Professor of Dramatic Writing at SCAD and a writer with a passion for work that is immersive, inventive, and above all, entertaining. Her career spans an eclectic range of creative adventures – travelling cross-country by train as an Amtrak Writer in Residence, showrunning murder mystery games for Hunt A Killer, and crafting boundary-breaking XR experiences with UNSHUT.
She has also made magic as a Walt Disney Imagineer, bringing the craft and storytelling standards of one of the world’s most celebrated creative institutions to everything she does.
Today, she channels that expertise into the next generation of storytellers at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), teaching writing for immersive and interactive media on the SCADnow virtual campus. Her students have gone on to roles at Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, HBO Max, Amazon MGM, Lucasfilm, FX, Tyler Perry Studios, and beyond.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

Inside The Story Codex: Introducing A New Framework for Narrative in Experiences (Late)
2026-07-01 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
Why are immersive storytellers still using tools built for film and TV?
Designed by Professor of Dramatic Writing at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Abigail Taylor-Sansom, The Story Codex is a new narrative framework designed specifically for immersive storytelling – equally suited to linear, branching, and open-world experiences. It is built to empower collaborators across disciplines, writers and non-writers alike, to shape the narrative design of an experience.
This Campfire will open your eyes to the urgent need for new narrative tools that are designed specifically for immersive storytelling.
Key takeaways:

A new definition of “story” as not a linear plot and cast of characters, but a collection of rules and why this shift changes how you approach narrative design.
A practical introduction to the Story Codex method of developing stories as rule sets, with ideas for how to adapt it to your own projects.

About Abigail Taylor-Sansom:
Abigail is a Professor of Dramatic Writing at SCAD and a writer with a passion for work that is immersive, inventive, and above all, entertaining. Her career spans an eclectic range of creative adventures – travelling cross-country by train as an Amtrak Writer in Residence, showrunning murder mystery games for Hunt A Killer, and crafting boundary-breaking XR experiences with UNSHUT.
She has also made magic as a Walt Disney Imagineer, bringing the craft and storytelling standards of one of the world’s most celebrated creative institutions to everything she does.
Today, she channels that expertise into the next generation of storytellers at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), teaching writing for immersive and interactive media on the SCADnow virtual campus. Her students have gone on to roles at Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, HBO Max, Amazon MGM, Lucasfilm, FX, Tyler Perry Studios, and beyond.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Why PR Stunts Matter: How Forming a Roman Legion for the Launch of The Last Days of Pompeii Delivers Feelings and Tickets
2026-07-08 09:55 - 11:30 | Zoom
In a world of endless online campaigns and “Fever-style” messaging, how can cultural projects and live experiences still stand out?
Stage Magic’s Peter Monbailleu explores why PR stunts matter – not as gimmicks, but as strategic moments that create attention, emotion, conversation and sales.
Using such experience launches such as The Last Days of Pompeii as a starting point, he will unpack how bold real-world ideas are built: the relationships, permissions, logistics, timing, trust and last-minute decisions that turn a simple concept into something audiences and media want to share.
From Romans on the Brussels Grand Place to recreating Christmas in Summer, this session looks at how to compete for attention without simply adding more noise.
Sometimes the answer is not more “360”, more channels or another promise of immersion. Sometimes it is a clearer idea, a stronger network and the courage to make something real.
Read Peter’s deep dive into the launch event for the Last Days of Pompeii:
https://www.shakalaka.be/stories/the-substances-i-inhale
What you’ll take away

How PR stunts can help cultural projects compete for attention in a crowded market
Why strong relationships are often the hidden engine behind successful marketing and PR
How to turn a live idea into a moment that media, audiences and partners can understand quickly
What it takes practically to work with cities, public spaces, officials, suppliers and creative teams
Why “real-life” experiences can be more powerful than over-designed “immersive” promises
How to think beyond virality and build moments that create feeling, sharing and ticket sales
Why respect – for audiences, partners, places and collaborators – is central to making bold ideas work

About Peter Monbailleu:
“I have been running and promoting events as long as I can remember. My mother was the one who put me (quite to my disliking) on stage at a very early age. I travelled the world with Up With People when I was 18 and that is something I can recommend to anyone. I still benefit from that one year every single day. In everything I do I want to blow minds. Time and time again. I listen. I respect. I take a different look. I share and I give it all I’ve got to create events and campaigns that rock.”

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:25 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:55 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

REMARKABLE’s Evolution: What an ROX Framework Reveals About Experience Design
2026-07-08 17:55 - 19:30 | Zoom
The old playbook of evaluation metrics no longer applies.
The experiential industry has been honing in on how we capture Return on Experience. ROX informs everything from event goals and design, to marketing and financing, but are the current fixations with data, automation, and optimization getting in the way? ROX is ultimately a metric about emotional resonance. It requires human intelligence and interpretation; it is both process and product.
In this Campfire, Laura expands on her work with the REMARKABLE™ framework and her latest experience report to unpack a multilayered approach for understanding ROX, the tools it requires, and how it applies to every stage of experience design.
You’ll learn what’s beyond KPIs and how REMARKABLE supports the ROX ecosystem to design impactful, resonant experiences.
Key takeaways:

Which elements inform ROX and how they work together
How to develop emotional fluency and build a shared language
REMARKABLE’s role as both a diagnostic and evaluative tool

Download REMARKABLE and the 2026 update here: https://www.remarkable-experiences.com/
About Laura Hess:
Laura is an award-winning strategist and ROX specialist (Return on Experience), helping brands, agencies, entertainment studios, and cultural institutions transform their vision into impactful, memorable moments for guests and audiences.
As the founder of Reuleaux, an experiential consultancy in Los Angeles, her interdisciplinary portfolio includes experiential marketing, themed entertainment, participatory theatre, film, VR, and installation art across physical, digital, and hybrid environments.
She’s also the creator of the REMARKABLE™ framework, a diagnostic and evaluative tool that offers deeper, specific insight into event sentiment and emotional resonance. It quantifies ROX alongside traditional evaluation metrics and emergent biometric data. Now, with two reports and an industry index of 800+ productions, it has become an essential asset for all stages: ideation, development, testing, and postmortem evaluation.
Laura is a founding member of the WXO, the former arts editor of No Proscenium, and was named a “Power 10” in Blooloop’s 2025 Immersive Influencer List.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25

Functional Experiences: The Next Growth Opportunity for the Experience Economy
2026-07-15 09:55 - 11:00 | Zoom
What changes when an experience promises a result?
Most experiences are sold around enjoyment, memory, identity or status. But another category is emerging: experiences designed to produce a specific benefit that people can feel, observe or measure.
Functional food has already made this idea familiar. Products now promise better energy, sleep, digestion, focus or physical performance alongside taste and convenience. Similar thinking is spreading into travel, leisure, socialising, education, healthcare and the home.
Sleep retreats, longevity tourism, circadian lighting, social fitness, AI tutors and sensory experiences designed to support mental wellbeing all point towards the same shift. The experience is not simply enjoyable. It is expected to do something.
At this Campfire, WXO Chief Content Officer Mike Goldsmith will explore the rise of functional experiences and why they could become a major growth area for the Experience Economy.
Mike will introduce a simple way to assess emerging concepts through two lenses:
The seed — the experience itself
Is it better than the alternative, easy to try, compatible with existing behaviour, observable and simple to explain?
The soil — the world around it
Are cultural, technological, economic, scientific, demographic and regulatory conditions helping the idea move towards the mainstream?
Using examples including functional food, Chromasonic, Submersive, Dreamachine, Time Echoes and Room to Breathe, the session will examine how outcome-led experiences are developing across different sectors — and where creators, operators and brands might find new opportunities.
Attendees will explore:

What makes an experience genuinely functional
How functional experiences differ from ordinary leisure or wellness
Why measurable outcomes are becoming part of the value proposition
How to judge whether an emerging idea is ready to grow
Where functional models could appear within their own sector
How to apply the seed-and-soil framework to an existing concept

The Campfire will conclude with a collaborative discussion: what could your next experience help people do, feel or become?
Who is it for?
Experience designers, strategists, operators, venue owners, brand leaders and anyone developing new experience formats or looking for future areas of growth.
About Mike Goldsmith
Mike Goldsmith is Head of Content at the World Experience Organization, where he leads content for its global community and curates London Experience Week.
He has a background in publishing strategy, content creation and live events across music, film, videogames and other creative sectors, alongside agency experience with brands including O2, PlayStation, Sky and the BBC. His work brings the rigour of publishing together with the creativity and cross-sector thinking of the Experience Economy.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:00 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:00 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:00 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:00 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:00 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:00 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:00 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:00 (NZST)

After The Launch: How Competitive Socialising Venues Keep Guests Returning
2026-07-15 17:55 - 19:00 | Zoom
A practical Campfire on increasing repeat visits, refreshing the guest experience and protecting revenue after launch excitement fades.
The problem. Competitive socialising and immersive venues often open strongly. The harder task is sustaining demand once the novelty wears off. Concepts can be difficult to retrofit, menus can become overcomplicated, and discounting can train guests to wait for offers rather than pay full price.
In this 60-minute WXO Campfire – TJ Schier, CEO and founder of SmashSwing and a veteran of BigShots Golf and Chuck E. Cheese – will share practical lessons from his lived experience building and advising gamified entertainment venues. The Campfire session will focus on the operational choices that help venues keep guests returning in Year Two and beyond.
The session will cover how to:

Serve two types of guest
Increase repeat visits and visit frequency
Improve perceived value without relying on discounts
Build concepts that can be refreshed rather than rebuilt
Choose the right food-and-beverage mix
Avoid common causes of the Year Two sales drop
Use the team to deliver more consistent guest experiences

You’ll learn how to build a venue that can adapt, give guests reasons to return and sustain sales beyond its first year.
Competitive socialising is one of the smartest, agile sectors in the experience economy, solving problems before they arise while staying true to the heart of the experience. Come and learn from one of the sector’s most experienced heads, bringing TJ’s learnings into your business – whatever the sector.
Read more about SmashSwing Golf: https://www.smashswing.golf
Read a case study: https://sozolabs.com/smashswing
About TJ Schier
TJ Schier is CEO and founder of SmashSwing. He spent 18 years at Chuck E. Cheese, part of CEC Entertainment. He has also spent two decades consulting in the competitive socialising sector, and 2.5 years helping grow BigShots Golf before its sale. He now speaks, consults and develops attractions for gamified golf and competitive-socialising concepts.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:00
Paris: 18:55 – 20:00
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:00
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:00
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:00
New York: 12:55 – 14:00
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:00

Running On Magic: How To Build Responsive Interactive Experiences Without Heavy Engineering (Early)
2026-07-22 09:55 - 11:00 | Zoom
A practical Campfire on using responsive technology to create interactive experiences that are faster to build, easier to update and more useful after launch.
Technology should support the experience you want to create – not force you to redesign the experience around its limitations.
Yet integrating responsive technology can interrupt the creative process, introduce technical complexity, slow down production and increase costs. It can also leave creative teams dependent on specialist engineers whenever they want to change or improve an interaction.
In this WXO Campfire, IF Magic co-founders Lance Chantiles and Isaac Shelanski will share a practical framework for integrating responsive technology without heavy engineering.
The session will explore how experience teams can use technology to:

Prototype and deploy interactive ideas more quickly
Keep technology aligned with the creative concept
Build responsive interactions without extensive technical expertise
Collect data on how audiences are using an experience
Make informed creative and operational decisions
Update and refine an experience after it has launched
Reduce the time and complexity involved in making changes

Lance and Isaac will share the technical detail while keeping it accessible to people from all technical backgrounds. They will demonstrate real examples and examine what happens when responsive technology is treated as a flexible creative tool rather than a fixed piece of infrastructure.
Experiences already “running on magic” include a life-sized video game at the Museum of Ice Cream, award-winning architectural installations in New York City, classes and design studios at Stanford University, activations at SXSW and the Sundance Film Festival, sculptures at the Whitney ISP and performances at The Getty in Los Angeles.
Lance and Isaac first joined the WXO at London Experience Week 2025, where they activated the event’s welcome tunnel and demonstrated their technology to attendees. They returned in 2026 to lead a hands-on workshop on making interactive technology more accessible to experience creators.
You’ll leave with a clearer way to plan technology-supported experiences that can be built faster, measured more effectively and continually improved.
Who is it for?

Experience designers and creative directors
Producers and production teams
Interactive and spatial designers
Innovation and technology leads
Museum, attraction and cultural experience teams
Brand experience and experiential marketing agencies
Artists and creative practitioners working with physical spaces
Anyone who wants to create responsive experiences without becoming a specialist engineer

About Lance Chantiles
Lance Chantiles is co-founder and CEO of Indistinguishable From Magic, a venture-backed physical computing platform that enables artists, designers, engineers and educators to create interactive experiences quickly and efficiently.
About Isaac Shelanski
Isaac Shelanski is co-founder of Indistinguishable From Magic.
He works with artists, designers, engineers and educators to make physical computing and responsive technology more accessible, helping creative teams develop interactive experiences without the cost and complexity traditionally associated with custom engineering.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #1 is suitable for those in the APAC region or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 9:55 – 11:00 (BST)
Paris: 10:55 – 12:00 (CEST)
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:00 (GST)
Mumbai: 14:25 – 15:00 (IST)
Shanghai / Singapore: 16:55 – 18:00 (CST/SGT)
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:00 (JST)
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:00 (AEST)
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:00 (NZST)

Running On Magic: How To Build Responsive Interactive Experiences Without Heavy Engineering (Late)
2026-07-22 17:55 - 19:00 | Zoom
A practical Campfire on using responsive technology to create interactive experiences that are faster to build, easier to update and more useful after launch.
Technology should support the experience you want to create – not force you to redesign the experience around its limitations.
Yet integrating responsive technology can interrupt the creative process, introduce technical complexity, slow down production and increase costs. It can also leave creative teams dependent on specialist engineers whenever they want to change or improve an interaction.
In this WXO Campfire, IF Magic co-founders Lance Chantiles and Isaac Shelanski will share a practical framework for integrating responsive technology without heavy engineering.
The session will explore how experience teams can use technology to:

Prototype and deploy interactive ideas more quickly
Keep technology aligned with the creative concept
Build responsive interactions without extensive technical expertise
Collect data on how audiences are using an experience
Make informed creative and operational decisions
Update and refine an experience after it has launched
Reduce the time and complexity involved in making changes

Lance and Isaac will share the technical detail while keeping it accessible to people from all technical backgrounds. They will demonstrate real examples and examine what happens when responsive technology is treated as a flexible creative tool rather than a fixed piece of infrastructure.
Experiences already “running on magic” include a life-sized video game at the Museum of Ice Cream, award-winning architectural installations in New York City, classes and design studios at Stanford University, activations at SXSW and the Sundance Film Festival, sculptures at the Whitney ISP and performances at The Getty in Los Angeles.
Lance and Isaac first joined the WXO at London Experience Week 2025, where they activated the event’s welcome tunnel and demonstrated their technology to attendees. They returned in 2026 to lead a hands-on workshop on making interactive technology more accessible to experience creators.
You’ll leave with a clearer way to plan technology-supported experiences that can be built faster, measured more effectively and continually improved.
Who is it for?

Experience designers and creative directors
Producers and production teams
Interactive and spatial designers
Innovation and technology leads
Museum, attraction and cultural experience teams
Brand experience and experiential marketing agencies
Artists and creative practitioners working with physical spaces
Anyone who wants to create responsive experiences without becoming a specialist engineer

About Lance Chantiles
Lance Chantiles is co-founder and CEO of Indistinguishable From Magic, a venture-backed physical computing platform that enables artists, designers, engineers and educators to create interactive experiences quickly and efficiently.
About Isaac Shelanski
Isaac Shelanski is co-founder of Indistinguishable From Magic.
He works with artists, designers, engineers and educators to make physical computing and responsive technology more accessible, helping creative teams develop interactive experiences without the cost and complexity traditionally associated with custom engineering.

How to watch this Campfire:

Campfires are available for WXO members only
To join the WXO, please head to our Application page
The WXO is a global home for the leaders, shapers and doers in the Experience Economy
As a member, you’ll get live access to Campfires like this one plus unlock an on demand library of over 100 Campfire recordings

Timings:
Campfire #2 is suitable for those in the US or Europe, but everyone is welcome! Here’s when we kick off in your time zone:

London: 17:55 – 19:00
Paris: 18:55 – 20:00
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:00
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:00
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:00
New York: 12:55 – 14:00
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:00
