WXO

The E.M.O.T.I.O.N.A.L Framework For Making Experiences
2024-10-09 10:00 - 23:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Can we interrogate the commonalities between creating experiences?
At the WXO, we definitely think there are processes and frameworks that can be transferred between experiences and sectors. But what does it look like when you take more than 20 years of creating standout experiences and attempt to codify it in one framework…?
Creative Director SERMAD BUNI has been making experiences for over two decades. In this Campfire, he’ll share some of what he’s learned in spearheading experiences – particularly within IP and ticketed experiences – for Icons (The Up House, Polly Pocket House), Squid Games: The Trials, Bravocon, and many, many more, and use it as a jumping-off point to interrogate how we design our own experiences.
He’ll share his E.M.O.T.I.O.N.A.L framework for creating experiences, broken down across a previous experience. The first three stand for Empathy, Motivations, and Obsessions – but you’ll have to join us to hear the rest…
In anticipation, consider these 3 questions:

Do you have an existing experience design framework or methodology?
Can you apply the E.M.O.T.I.O.N.A.L framework to what you are creating?
Are there pieces of the framework missing?

How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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
This earlier Campfire 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: 09:55 – 11:25
Paris: 10:55 – 12:25
Shanghai & Singapore: 16:55 – 18:25
Dubai: 12:55 – 14:25
Sydney: 18:55 – 20:25
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25
Mumbai: 14:25 – 16:55
Tokyo: 17:55 – 19:25

7 Science-Backed Rules for More Impactful Experiences (Late)
2025-09-03 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
What makes an experience truly worth it?
Ask James Wallman – author of Time And How To Spend It (A Financial Times Bestseller) and, of course, CEO of the WXO!
Join us by the Campfire this Wednesday for ‘7 Science-Backed Rules for More Impactful Experiences’
The STORIES checklist is the central idea in James’s book and offers a powerful framework for testing whether an experience delivers meaning, memorability, and transformation.
For the first time ever, James will share it with the WXO community.
You’ll discover

What the STORIES checklist is – and why it matters
Which experiences pass the test
Other practical tools for experience designers, including DARG FUNC and AWESOMER
How to use these frameworks to design more impactful experiences for your audiences

Who should attend?

Experience designers & strategists
Facilitators & workshop leaders
Marketers, CX & EX leaders
Anyone creating experiences that aim to inspire, connect & transform

How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

Awe: A Shortcut to Insight, Connection & Creativity
2025-09-10 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Ever catch yourself asking:
“What am I putting all this effort in for?”
You’re not alone. In fact, moments like this may signal a deeper need: to reconnect with purpose, spark new thinking, and re-ignite your curiosity.
Because when we stop learning, we get stuck.
But when we learn — really learn — our wellbeing improves. Our relationships strengthen. Our work has meaning. We find our why.
And nothing supercharges this more than experiencing awe.
Awe: A Shortcut to Insight, Connection & Creativity
In this live, interactive Campfire, Dorchess de Koning, founder of Awe Academy, invites you to explore how awe fuels personal growth, team synergy, and performance — especially in the workplace.
Instead of long presentations, you’ll take part in experiential exercises designed to spark insight and enhance connection, drawn from Dorchess’s work designing neuroscience based team workshops across government, education, and corporate sectors.
She’ll also share frameworks like Theory U, insights from neuroscience, and the power of embodiment and systemic constellations work — all in a dynamic group format that’s both experiential and evidence-based.
Who Is This For?
This Campfire is ideal for those interested in:

Professional development retreats that combine science and soul
Experiential learning that improves communication and creativity
Outdoor retreats for team building with real personal transformation
Workshops that use awe to reconnect teams with their purpose
Anyone seeking to enhance their impact through purpose-driven work

About Awe Academy
Awe Academy designs immersive, outdoor learning experiences — including offsites, retreats, and workations — that blend personal development with professional growth. Each experience is crafted to help individuals and teams step away from the grind and step into their full potential.
About Dorchess de Koning
Dorchess is a globally sought-after experience design consultant, embodiment coach, and founder of Awe Academy. With a background in mental health science, art direction, and systemic work, she creates neuroscience based team workshops and transformation programs for organisations across sectors.
From the Department of Education to tech innovators and hospitality giants, she’s helped teams rediscover their purpose, improve collaboration, and make sustainable impact. Her approach harnesses group dynamics, creative expression, and deep personal insight to fuel breakthroughs.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

Engage or Fade: Why Cognitive Design is the Future of Events
2025-09-10 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
There is immense competition at the gateway to the minds of audiences in the events industry.
We are at a critical inflection point where attention is fragmented, cognitive overload is the norm, and conventional approaches are no longer enough.
Ben Moorsom is leading a global movement to rethink how we engage. As the creator of Neuroscaping® and a 25+ year pioneer at the intersection of behavioral science and experience design, Ben helps organizations stop wasting effort on legacy tactics and start designing for what really matters: the mind.
In his eye-opening discussion, Engage or Fade, Ben challenges outdated event practices and exposes how many well-intentioned design choices actually drive adverse engagement. For example, branding every surface doesn’t increase brand recall—it teaches the brain to ignore you. And he will reveal what sound level, common at many events, actually reduce comprehension and memory.
Drawing from hundreds of Behavioral Experience AuditsTM, Ben demonstrates how small, strategic changes can lead to profound behavioral impact. This isn’t about more tech, more hype, or louder environments. It’s about making it easier for attendees to engage by reducing cognitive friction and aligning with how the brain processes information. It’s about replacing outdated KPIs with behavioral ones—so that events don’t just feel successful, they are successful in driving meaningful outcomes.
Ben shares practical frameworks like the ALIGN® System, the Audience Priming EffectTM, and the Cognitive ResonanceTM Checklist to equip event professionals with tools they can use immediately to create smarter, more resonant, high-impact experiences.
If you’re still measuring what was easy to count—instead of what truly counts—it’s time to rethink. Reach out to explore how this presentation can elevate your event, your audience, and your outcomes.
About Ben Moorsom
Ben Moorsom is Founder, President and CEO of Debut Group. He is the creator of Neuroscaping® and author of Engagement: Decoded™.
Ben is passionate about audience engagement. He began his career in marketing communications as a producer but early on, he noticed that corporate communications efforts were so often missing the mark and at times, even causing harm. There had to be a better way to reach the hearts and minds of audiences.
Since 1997, Ben has been pioneering the fusion of behavioral science with creative and communications to drive engagement and behavior change. As the founder, president and CEO of Debut, Ben boldly leads debut’s team towards meaningful engagement outcomes for our clients and their audiences. His work has spanned across neuroscience, event psychology, change management, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and even the metaverse.
Ben is a seeker who thrives on discovering and decoding new knowledge and a disrupter who’s made it his life’s mission to deconstruct, recalibrate, and engineer engagement.
To learn more about Ben, visit: www.benmoorsom.com
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

How Immersive Experiences Are Creating a Better Future | Luna Park Sydney
2025-09-17 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Luna Park Sydney is a multi-layered immersive experiences transformation looking backwards to the original 1935 identity and ethos of Luna Park Sydney, to then build a direction forwards for future generations.
Join Luna Park Sydney’s CEO John Hughes and Head of Strategy & Experiences Lucy Keeler to discover the secrets of the transformation of this iconic theme park – and what’s coming next.
You’ll discover:

For the technical minded: What is the optimal tech-stack for an immersive space to maximize capability?
For brand identity professionals: How do you get locals to re-engage with their iconic park, when they’ve overlooked it for many decades?
For the designers: How do you balance a site’s heritage with technology-driven attractions? What do you keep? What do you abandon?

About John & Lucy:
John Hughes was engaged to transform Luna Park Sydney from a rare, iconic, heritage amusement park to the number one experiences destination in APAC. John and Lucy have created, commissioned and produced seven immersive experiences in the past two years and developed a multi-experience partnership with Netflix. Squid Game: The Experience at Luna Park was designed and developed by Lucy and her team was sold out for 5 months and according to Netflix, ‘the best performing, best reviewed Squid Game Experience in the world’.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

Bompas & Parr: The Future of P-Leisure 2026 | Nightlife
2025-09-17 17:55 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Bompas & Parr presents a vital new chapter of their Future of P-Leisure series, diving into the uncertain future of nightlife.
P-Leisure reimagines pleasure in the public realm – from museums to placemaking – and now turns to nightlife for the latest findings around what we do together in public.
As 65 clubs closed in 2024 alone, this timely and urgent discussion is framed to decipher the emerging new forms of togetherness and ‘public leisure’.
Originally presented at the Barbican Centre on 8th July 2025, the latest Future of P-Leisure report continues Bompas & Parr’s mission to map how we gather, party and connect in the 21st century.
Download report here >> Link
About Bompas & Parr
Bompas & Parr is a creative studio made up of artists, architects, chefs, designers, marketeers, strategists and technologists.
Through consultancy, delivering Location Based Experiences (LBEs) and writing publications, the studio challenges the world around us with radical creativity and a thirst for provoking innovation. The studio works with cultural institutions, attractions, governments, developers and brands to deliver this work.
Bompas & Parr works with brands such as Coca-Cola, Johnnie Walker, Mercedes, and LVMH as well as cultural institutions such as The Barbican, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. The studio is based in The Barbican, but has realised projects on practically every continent.
How to watch this Campfire

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

How to Design Experiences for Gen Z (Early)
2025-09-24 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
How often have you been in a brainstorm or been sat on a webinar where a Millennial or Gen Xer starts talking about how to appeal to Gen Z?
Designer and illustrator Mia Thatcher from Creative Principals says this need to stop – now!
Why? Because Mia is a Gen Z experience designer and she is fed up of being told what she is meant to like.
Join Mia as she offers a genuine Gen Z perspective on experiences based on both her love of theme parks and her work on projects like Space Center Houston and College Football Hall of Fame.
The idea for today’s Campfire session was born when a boomer volunteered Mia to prepare a presentation on what every experience designer should know about her generation. As he said, “We are all talking about how to design for young people, but you are the only one in the room under the age of 23!”
And thus a Campfire was born!
Mia will explore:

What “old people” get wrong about Gen Z
Gen Z’s well-documented love of nostalgia​
Why they’d rather spend four hours watching a video essay instead of reading one…
Why they want to feel like they are part of something bigger (kind of like the WXO).
What bugs Gen Z (and what excites them)
Plus she’ll share ways to find common ground without pandering

The Campfire will include practical tips based on both personal experience and on-the-job research.
As well as Gen Z, Mia will explore the latest experience trends on the generation that’s coming up next – Gen Alpha (or, as she calls them, ‘Sticky iPad babies’…)
About Mia Thatcher and Creative Principals
Mia interned for three summers at Creative Principals before joining the company full-time as a designer and illustrator in June 2024 after graduating from Savannah College of Art & Design.
From concept art for the Temple Square in Salt Lake City to storyboards for Qiddiya’s Mercedes-AMG World of Performance, Mia has quickly proven herself as one of the rising creative voices in the experience industry.
Other projects have included designs and storyboards for the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, the FM Claims Experience, J. Kruse Education Center and Abu Dhabi’s Winterfest.
Mia also just closed a deal to design and write a graphic novel with a major American publisher.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

How to Design Experiences for Gen Z (Late)
2025-09-24 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
How often have you been in a brainstorm or been sat on a webinar where a Millennial or Gen Xer starts talking about how to appeal to Gen Z?
Designer and illustrator Mia Thatcher from Creative Principals says this need to stop – now!
Why? Because Mia is a Gen Z experience designer and she is fed up of being told what she is meant to like.
Join Mia as she offers a genuine Gen Z perspective on experiences based on both her love of theme parks and her work on projects like Space Center Houston and College Football Hall of Fame.
The idea for today’s Campfire session was born when a boomer volunteered Mia to prepare a presentation on what every experience designer should know about her generation. As he said, “We are all talking about how to design for young people, but you are the only one in the room under the age of 23!”
And thus a Campfire was born.
Mia will explore:

What “old people” get wrong about Gen Z
Gen Z’s well-documented love of nostalgia​
Why they’d rather spend four hours watching a video essay instead of reading one…
Why they want to feel like they are part of something bigger (kind of like the WXO).
What bugs Gen Z (and what excites them)
Plus she’ll share ways to find common ground without pandering

The Campfire will include practical tips based on both personal experience and on-the-job research.
As well as Gen Z, Mia will explore the latest experience trends on the generation that’s coming up next – Gen Alpha (or, as she calls them, ‘Sticky iPad babies’…)
About Mia Thatcher and Creative Principals
Mia interned for three summers at Creative Principals before joining the company full-time as a designer and illustrator in June 2024 after graduating from Savannah College of Art & Design.
From concept art for the Temple Square in Salt Lake City to storyboards for Qiddiya’s Mercedes-AMG World of Performance, Mia has quickly proven herself as one of the rising creative voices in the experience industry.
Other projects have included designs and storyboards for the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, the FM Claims Experience, J. Kruse Education Center and Abu Dhabi’s Winterfest.
Mia also just closed a deal to design and write a graphic novel with a major American publisher.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

Designing for Emotion: How Music & Sensory Storytelling Drives Subconscious Experience Design (Early)
2025-10-01 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
What if you could subconsciously elevate audience emotions and create brand stickiness, seamlessly and beautifully?
Artist, wellbeing-tech entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and experience designer Jeena Earthiva shows us how to use music and sensory storytelling, to make the audience feel like heroes in an immersive story.
Learn why emotional elevation matters more than the “wow” factor.
Who should attend
1. Experience Designers & Event Producers (who want to touch people’s hearts)

To discover new tools and approaches for creating multisensory, emotionally transformative experiences.
To turn their events into interactive story worlds – that evoke emotion and deepen audience engagement. Help audience feel that they stepped into a story – almost like in a game.

2. Brand Leaders & Marketers

To co-create subconscious and conscious design that creates positive emotional associations to drive loyalty, recall, and deeper brand love. (using music and sensory cues)

3. Innovators in Music, Entertainment, Wellness

To curate musical, sensory experiences, soundscapes blending high-energy electrifying moments with calm reflective ones.

4. Innovators in Tech & Gamification

To gamify (or enhance game design) player and user journeys with neuroscience-based engagement tools.
Creative direction that blends fun, artistic elements, music, science, mechanics and more.

What you’ll learn
1. Subconscious Design Blending Music & Sensory Storytelling: Creating Impact People Feel Without Realizing Why
Discover how to use soundscapes and sensory cues to positively influence people on a subconscious level – elevating emotions without them even realizing why.
2. How to Make Your Audience Feel “I Stepped Into a Story Where I Was The Hero”
Treat your events as an interactive story: make people the heroes. People remember experiences where they feel seen, heard, and actively involved. Learn the importance of designing events like immersive stories or games – where people feel like they can make autonomous choices, engage with fun, and leave feeling like the hero of the journey.
3. Why We Need More Experiential Keynotes – Layering Sound, Emotion, Mental Journeys
Ever sat through a long keynote wishing you could escape for coffee? Experiential keynotes change that. Discover how combining soundscapes, emotional cues, and guided mental journeys can turn a typical keynote into an immersive experience that engages the mind, heart, and senses. Don’t just listen, experience through your senses.
4. Emotional Elevation vs. The “Wow” Factor: Designing Moments That Last
You can create moments that make people go “Oh wow” – and yes, that can be memorable. But will it make them do something, feel something deeper? Or are they just impressed, with the feeling fading the next day?
Explore the impact of intentionally generating positive emotional associations with your brand/experience, beautifully and seamlessly.
5. Why Events Need Both Excitement and Calm: Adding Wellness Without Boring-ness!
Ever been at a high-energy event with no space to breathe, connect, or have a meaningful conversation? Now imagine the opposite: a beautifully slow-paced wellness event that drifts into abstract ideas, leaving you restless.
The neuroscience is clear – we need the balance of both excitement and calm.
How to create events that balance electric, high-energy moments with calm, reflective pauses.
About Jeena
Jeena Earthiva is an artist, wellbeing-tech entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and experience designer who creates immersive, multisensory experiences that elevate mental fitness and wellbeing.
Founder of Conscious Music Code, she blends music, soundscapes, storytelling, and sensory design to craft experiences that inspire & energize audiences. She is also a co-founder of startups across gaming, corporate wellbeing, events and conferences, working at the intersection of experience design, neuroscience, technology and mental wellbeing.
As an Indian-born, Belgium based entrepreneur, she works with diverse teams across the globe, committed to make deep global impact through creative experiences that enrich minds.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

Designing for Emotion: How Music & Sensory Storytelling Drives Subconscious Experience Design (Late)
2025-10-01 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
What if you could subconsciously elevate audience emotions and create brand stickiness, seamlessly and beautifully?
Artist, wellbeing-tech entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and experience designer Jeena Earthiva shows us how to use music and sensory storytelling, to make the audience feel like heroes in an immersive story.
Learn why emotional elevation matters more than the “wow” factor.
Who should attend
1. Experience Designers & Event Producers (who want to touch people’s hearts)

To discover new tools and approaches for creating multisensory, emotionally transformative experiences.
To turn their events into interactive story worlds – that evoke emotion and deepen audience engagement. Help audience feel that they stepped into a story – almost like in a game.

2. Brand Leaders & Marketers

To co-create subconscious and conscious design that creates positive emotional associations to drive loyalty, recall, and deeper brand love. (using music and sensory cues)

3. Innovators in Music, Entertainment, Wellness

To curate musical, sensory experiences, soundscapes blending high-energy electrifying moments with calm reflective ones.

4. Innovators in Tech & Gamification

To gamify (or enhance game design) player and user journeys with neuroscience-based engagement tools.
Creative direction that blends fun, artistic elements, music, science, mechanics and more.

What you’ll learn
1. Subconscious Design Blending Music & Sensory Storytelling: Creating Impact People Feel Without Realizing Why
Discover how to use soundscapes and sensory cues to positively influence people on a subconscious level – elevating emotions without them even realizing why.
2. How to Make Your Audience Feel “I Stepped Into a Story Where I Was The Hero”
Treat your events as an interactive story: make people the heroes. People remember experiences where they feel seen, heard, and actively involved. Learn the importance of designing events like immersive stories or games – where people feel like they can make autonomous choices, engage with fun, and leave feeling like the hero of the journey.
3. Why We Need More Experiential Keynotes – Layering Sound, Emotion, Mental Journeys
Ever sat through a long keynote wishing you could escape for coffee? Experiential keynotes change that. Discover how combining soundscapes, emotional cues, and guided mental journeys can turn a typical keynote into an immersive experience that engages the mind, heart, and senses. Don’t just listen, experience through your senses.
4. Emotional Elevation vs. The “Wow” Factor: Designing Moments That Last
You can create moments that make people go “Oh wow” – and yes, that can be memorable. But will it make them do something, feel something deeper? Or are they just impressed, with the feeling fading the next day?
Explore the impact of intentionally generating positive emotional associations with your brand/experience, beautifully and seamlessly.
5. Why Events Need Both Excitement and Calm: Adding Wellness Without Boring-ness!
Ever been at a high-energy event with no space to breathe, connect, or have a meaningful conversation? Now imagine the opposite: a beautifully slow-paced wellness event that drifts into abstract ideas, leaving you restless.
The neuroscience is clear – we need the balance of both excitement and calm.
How to create events that balance electric, high-energy moments with calm, reflective pauses.
About Jeena
Jeena Earthiva is an artist, wellbeing-tech entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and experience designer who creates immersive, multisensory experiences that elevate mental fitness and wellbeing.
Founder of Conscious Music Code, she blends music, soundscapes, storytelling, and sensory design to craft experiences that inspire & energize audiences. She is also a co-founder of startups across gaming, corporate wellbeing, events and conferences, working at the intersection of experience design, neuroscience, technology and mental wellbeing.
As an Indian-born, Belgium based entrepreneur, she works with diverse teams across the globe, committed to make deep global impact through creative experiences that enrich minds.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

The Spark and a Sense of Wonder (Early)
2025-10-08 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
We are delighted to welcome author Terry Stevens to the Campfire for a session on the tourist experience.
Terry’s most recent book, The Spark and a Sense of Wonder – quoting the WXO! – is a guide for creating and enjoying inspirational tourist experiences. He will expand on his research, talking about the importance of psychogeography to the tourist experience and identifying great examples of best practice.
Terry on The Spark and a Sense of Wonder
“In December 1970, the former Editor of Fortune, Alvin Toffler, published Future Shock. His chapter entitled The Experience Makers provides an explosive, brilliant, picture of how society will consume culture and leisure experiences in the new millennium. It is astonishingly accurate in its predictions. For example, he states that ‘simulated and non-simulated experiences will be combined in ways that will sharply challenge man’s grasp of reality as we move towards interactive films….. If you can’t serve it up real, find a vicarious substitute.’
“This body of work is enlightening and a must read for all of us working in the tourism and entertainment industries.
“Toffler’s vision is extraordinarily accurate. His predictions about the dominance of virtual reality and technology in our lives is countered with a desire to see the new technology-driven experiential world balanced with real, authentic, experiences.
“With the publication of The Spark & a Sense of Wonder in July 2025, my co-author (Dr Alan Sandry) and I demonstrate how to create and enjoy great tourist experiences. We set out the importance of psychogeography in this process, we celebrate change-makers, we identify 20 great examples of best practice and we nominate 18 people to form the world’s first ever Hall of Fame for Great Experience Creators.”
To read more about The Spark and a Sense of Wonder, visit https://www.tourism-futures.com.
About Terry
Professor Terry Stevens is an award-winning international tourism consultant who has been lucky to have worked with creators in 55 countries. He is continually in awe of the creativity, passion and wisdom of these alchemists who are able to inspire, amaze and thrill those who visit their communities and engage with their storytelling. His own memorable experiences include floating with local boatmen down the Dunajec River in Slovakia on hand-made wooden rafts, an impromptu concert by Slovenian favourite musician Andrej Šifer in a wine cellar near Ljubljana and a behind-the-scenes tour at Barcelona’s Camp Nou with his five grandsons, led by Museum Director Jordi Penas Babot.
Originally from East Coker in Somerset, his book about the unique heritage of Coker Canvas, Bucked in the Yarn, has been awarded the prestigious Alan Ball Prize as the 2024 local history book of the year.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

The Spark and a Sense of Wonder (Late)
2025-10-08 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
We are delighted to welcome author Terry Stevens to the Campfire for a session on the tourist experience.
Terry’s most recent book, The Spark and a Sense of Wonder – quoting the WXO! – is a guide for creating and enjoying inspirational tourist experiences. He will expand on his research, talking about the importance of psychogeography to the tourist experience and identifying great examples of best practice.
Terry on The Spark and a Sense of Wonder
“In December 1970, the former Editor of Fortune, Alvin Toffler, published Future Shock. His chapter entitled The Experience Makers provides an explosive, brilliant, picture of how society will consume culture and leisure experiences in the new millennium. It is astonishingly accurate in its predictions. For example, he states that ‘simulated and non-simulated experiences will be combined in ways that will sharply challenge man’s grasp of reality as we move towards interactive films….. If you can’t serve it up real, find a vicarious substitute.’
“This body of work is enlightening and a must read for all of us working in the tourism and entertainment industries.
“Toffler’s vision is extraordinarily accurate. His predictions about the dominance of virtual reality and technology in our lives is countered with a desire to see the new technology-driven experiential world balanced with real, authentic, experiences.
“With the publication of The Spark & a Sense of Wonder in July 2025, my co-author (Dr Alan Sandry) and I demonstrate how to create and enjoy great tourist experiences. We set out the importance of psychogeography in this process, we celebrate change-makers, we identify 20 great examples of best practice and we nominate 18 people to form the world’s first ever Hall of Fame for Great Experience Creators.”
To read more about The Spark and a Sense of Wonder, visit https://www.tourism-futures.com.
About Terry
Professor Terry Stevens is an award-winning international tourism consultant who has been lucky to have worked with creators in 55 countries. He is continually in awe of the creativity, passion and wisdom of these alchemists who are able to inspire, amaze and thrill those who visit their communities and engage with their storytelling. His own memorable experiences include floating with local boatmen down the Dunajec River in Slovakia on hand-made wooden rafts, an impromptu concert by Slovenian favourite musician Andrej Šifer in a wine cellar near Ljubljana and a behind-the-scenes tour at Barcelona’s Camp Nou with his five grandsons, led by Museum Director Jordi Penas Babot.
Originally from East Coker in Somerset, his book about the unique heritage of Coker Canvas, Bucked in the Yarn, has been awarded the prestigious Alan Ball Prize as the 2024 local history book of the year.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

The Art & Science of Designing Unforgettable Experiences (Early)
2025-10-15 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
EXCLUSIVE BOOK REVEAL! Take a frock ‘n’ roll tour of the art and sciences needed to unleash the building blocks of experience design.
Join Pigalle Tavakkoli (School of Experience Design) on a frock ‘n’ roll tour of her career in theatre, fashion, and science.
Discover how her path led to developing a comprehensive experience design system with science-backed methods, to empower you to design emotions and memories for maximum impact.
Pigalle will also share two key building blocks from her new guide book, The Experience Design Building Blocks – The Art & Science of Designing Unforgettable Experiences. She will also cover other Building Blocks from the book and read select pages aloud.
Along the way, she’ll reveal anecdotes working with superstar DJs at Ministry of Sound, Lee Alexander McQueen, and renowned neuroscientist Anil Seth.
Key takeaways from this session:

Pigalle’s definition of an experience and transformation.
Takeaway a practical method how to harness emotions for impact.
Shift perspective with thought provocations.
Inspiration to combine the arts and sciences for a multidisciplinary approach.

About Pigalle
Pigalle Tavakkoli is an experience design strategist, consultant, and award-winning educator.
She has 15 years’ expertise producing collaborations between artists and scientists, and creating immersive story worlds across live and digital platforms for leading scientific, cultural, and arts organizations.
As an educator for more than 12 years, she co-created the UK’s first course in Experience Design at the University of the Arts London, and founded the School of Experience Design.
Pigalle consults and delivers bespoke training for global brands including Apple, Philips, The Guardian, L’Oréal, Unilever, is an international keynote speaker, and Council Member for WXO, Jury Member for Conventa Best Events Awards, Board Member for World Futures Awards.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

The Art & Science of Designing Unforgettable Experiences (Late)
2025-10-15 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
EXCLUSIVE BOOK REVEAL! Take a frock ‘n’ roll tour of the art and sciences needed to unleash the building blocks of experience design.
Join Pigalle Tavakkoli (School of Experience Design) on a frock ‘n’ roll tour of her career in theatre, fashion, and science.
Discover how her path led to developing a comprehensive experience design system with science-backed methods, to empower you to design emotions and memories for maximum impact.
Pigalle will also share two key building blocks from her new guide book, The Experience Design Building Blocks – The Art & Science of Designing Unforgettable Experiences. She will also cover other Building Blocks from the book and read select pages aloud.
Along the way, she’ll reveal anecdotes working with superstar DJs at Ministry of Sound, Lee Alexander McQueen, and renowned neuroscientist Anil Seth.
Key takeaways from this session:

Pigalle’s definition of an experience and transformation.
Takeaway a practical method how to harness emotions for impact.
Shift perspective with thought provocations.
Inspiration to combine the arts and sciences for a multidisciplinary approach.

About Pigalle
Pigalle Tavakkoli is an experience design strategist, consultant, and award-winning educator.
She has 15 years’ expertise producing collaborations between artists and scientists, and creating immersive story worlds across live and digital platforms for leading scientific, cultural, and arts organizations.
As an educator for more than 12 years, she co-created the UK’s first course in Experience Design at the University of the Arts London, and founded the School of Experience Design.
Pigalle consults and delivers bespoke training for global brands including Apple, Philips, The Guardian, L’Oréal, Unilever, is an international keynote speaker, and Council Member for WXO, Jury Member for Conventa Best Events Awards, Board Member for World Futures Awards.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

Beyond Storytelling: The Power of Narrative in the Experience Economy (Early)
2025-10-22 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
In Beyond Storytelling: The Power of Narrative in the Experience Economy, Theron Skees challenges experience creators, designers, and brand leaders to rethink the role of story—not as an artistic layer, but as a strategic engine that builds meaning, consistency, and trust across every brand touchpoint.
Through his framework, Narrative Experience Design – an experience-centric method that begins with purpose and integrates audience insight and business goals – Skees reveals how to connect brands and customers through emotionally resonant expressions across digital, physical, and human channels, transforming them into engaged audiences.
The result is cohesion and clarity: one lived narrative that teams align behind and audiences return to, again and again.
Because the future of our craft lies beyond storytelling—in designing narratives that don’t just entertain, but transform.
About Theron
Theron, a former senior creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, has spent his career infusing brand stories and narrative into theme parks, destination experiences, and organizations worldwide.
Having directed global projects valued in the billions, he now applies his 30+ years of expertise as the founder of The Designer’s Creative Studio applying Narrative Experience Design to transform customers into engaged audiences, drive business growth, and enhance brand equity.
Theron partners with brands worldwide through consulting, coaching, and speaking. His work demonstrates that story and experience are foundational to an organization’s identity, shaping how people connect wherever they live, work, eat, shop, or play.
To discover more about Theron and The Designer’s Creative Studio, visit https://www.designerscreativestudio.com.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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 Storytelling: The Power of Narrative in the Experience Economy (Late)
2025-10-22 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
In Beyond Storytelling: The Power of Narrative in the Experience Economy, Theron Skees challenges experience creators, designers, and brand leaders to rethink the role of story—not as an artistic layer, but as a strategic engine that builds meaning, consistency, and trust across every brand touchpoint.
Through his framework, Narrative Experience Design – an experience-centric method that begins with purpose and integrates audience insight and business goals – Skees reveals how to connect brands and customers through emotionally resonant expressions across digital, physical, and human channels, transforming them into engaged audiences.
The result is cohesion and clarity: one lived narrative that teams align behind and audiences return to, again and again.
Because the future of our craft lies beyond storytelling—in designing narratives that don’t just entertain, but transform.
About Theron
Theron, a former senior creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, has spent his career infusing brand stories and narrative into theme parks, destination experiences, and organizations worldwide.
Having directed global projects valued in the billions, he now applies his 30+ years of expertise as the founder of The Designer’s Creative Studio applying Narrative Experience Design to transform customers into engaged audiences, drive business growth, and enhance brand equity.
Theron partners with brands worldwide through consulting, coaching, and speaking. His work demonstrates that story and experience are foundational to an organization’s identity, shaping how people connect wherever they live, work, eat, shop, or play.
To discover more about Theron and The Designer’s Creative Studio, visit https://www.designerscreativestudio.com.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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 Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical: How Secret Cinema Built a Living Musical World (Early)
2025-10-29 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
💃 Grease, as pretty much anyone out there will know, is the word. 🕺
No one knows this more than Secret Cinema‘s Matt Costain, the Olivier-award winning creative director responsible for this summer’s Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical which transformed London’s Battersea Park into Rydell High for one extra long summer night.
School’s now officially out – so time to look back on the experience and see what worked, what didn’t and just what it was like to direct a 30-strong cast, stage spectacular dance numbers and put on that iconic National Bandstand Day Carnival.
In this WXO Campfire, Matt will take us on his journey, exploring how he and his team brought the love story of Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson to life – and exactly what made this format Secret Cinema’s most ambitious yet.
In times where audience expectations for a large-scale music experience are tough to match – especially one with a beloved IP at its core – Matt’s session is perfect for any Experience Economy professionals currently dealing with live music experiences, narrative design, large scale productions and, of course, the ability to do the hand jive.
About Matt:
Matt Costain is an Olivier-award winning actor, aerialist and creative director. Matt’s credits for Secret Cinema include Dirty Dancing, Bridgerton, Diablo: The Gathering, Stranger Things and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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 Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical: How Secret Cinema Built a Living Musical World (Late)
2025-10-29 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Grease, as pretty much anyone out there will know, is the word.
No one knows this more than Secret Cinema‘s Matt Costain, the Olivier-award winning creative director responsible for this summer’s Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical which transformed London’s Battersea Park into Rydell High for one extra long summer night.
School’s now officially out – so time to look back on the experience and see what worked, what didn’t and just what it was like to direct a 30-strong cast, stage spectacular dance numbers and put on that iconic National Bandstand Day Carnival.
In this WXO Campfire, Matt will take us on his journey, exploring how he and his team brought the love story of Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson to life – and exactly what made this format Secret Cinema’s most ambitious yet.
In times where audience expectations for a large-scale music experience are tough to match – especially one with a beloved IP at its core – Matt’s session is perfect for any Experience Economy professionals currently dealing with live music experiences, narrative design, large scale productions and, of course, the ability to do the hand jive.
About Matt:
Matt Costain is an Olivier-award winning actor, aerialist and creative director. Matt’s credits for Secret Cinema include Dirty Dancing, Bridgerton, Diablo: The Gathering, Stranger Things and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

Building a Civic‑Scale Immersive Installation: Lessons from the HeadMaze Launch (Early)
2025-11-05 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Due to open on Chicago’s waterfront destination Navy Pier, HeadMaze is the first in a series of monumental interactive art installations exploring our relationships with ourselves, each other, and the world around us.
Unfolding over a 20-room mind-bending maze of our subconscious and dreams sat across four stories, HeadMaze is squarely aimed at connection, mental health, and the human experience. A multi-level labyrinth taking visitors across emotion and imagination as the mind explores itself, throughout the many rooms, passages and stairwells, visitors will be invited to explore a rich world of puzzles, performance and hidden treats.
With a focus on mental health, HeadMaze is less an attraction and more an experiential deep-dive into the nature of cognition, consciousness and society. As a civic impact platform, it proposes a live, evolving alternate reality that communities can co‑create.
In this Campfire, Jon Levy (Co‑CEO, HeadMaze) will share the bold vision behind HeadMaze, the operational blueprint behind the project, and reveal how he sees collaborators plugging in next.
What Jon will discuss:

Open‑ended storytelling at civic scale: How to architect a “living” narrative that can unravel in real time without collapsing ops.
Impact × Profit: Revenue stack options (admissions, programming, partnerships, sponsorship/grants) and an accompanying impact model (mental‑health partnerships, community metrics, KPIs).
Can impact and profitability ever can be truly synergized, or is they always a trade‑off?
When — if ever — could commercially-minded immersive narratives be open‑ended and unravel in real time?
If you build part of the world and then hand people the shovel, will they build too?

Who this is for:

Experience designers
LBE producers
Museum & cultural programmers
Civic placemaking teams
City partners
Anyone exploring how to combine public art, immersive storytelling, and sustainable operations.

About HeadMaze:
HeadMaze is a four‑storey, interactive “meditating mind” – a 40‑foot head that opens to reveal a crystalline inner being with 20 rooms of immersive art and performance exploring cognition, consciousness, and community. Positioned as the first in a series of monumental interactive installations, HeadMaze is coming soon to Navy Pier, Chicago.
About Jon Levy:
Jon Levy (Co‑CEO, HeadMaze Inc.) is producer, exec, and entrepreneur across immersive and animation/VFX. Former United Talent Agency agent and in‑house entrepreneur (first agent specializing in Immersive Entertainment & Animation), where he incubated, financed, and helped run dozens of projects/companies with $200M+ in secured capital. Principal at Immerse Yourself Entertainment; creative director/lead producer of Contact: A Multi‑Sensory Journey Celebrating Daft Punk (eight sold‑out LA shows; 5,000+ attendees). Partners span Meow Wolf, The Jim Henson Company, Fever, Thinkwell, and others. California Bar; NYU Law; MA International Business (University of Florida).
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

Building a Civic‑Scale Immersive Installation: Lessons from the HeadMaze Launch (Late)
2025-11-05 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Due to open on Chicago’s waterfront destination Navy Pier, HeadMaze is the first in a series of monumental interactive art installations exploring our relationships with ourselves, each other, and the world around us.
Unfolding over a 20-room mind-bending maze of our subconscious and dreams sat across four stories, HeadMaze is squarely aimed at connection, mental health, and the human experience. A multi-level labyrinth taking visitors across emotion and imagination as the mind explores itself, throughout the many rooms, passages and stairwells, visitors will be invited to explore a rich world of puzzles, performance and hidden treats.
With a focus on mental health, HeadMaze is less an attraction and more an experiential deep-dive into the nature of cognition, consciousness and society. As a civic impact platform, it proposes a live, evolving alternate reality that communities can co‑create.
In this Campfire, Jon Levy (Co‑CEO, HeadMaze) will share the bold vision behind HeadMaze, the operational blueprint behind the project, and reveal how he sees collaborators plugging in next.
What Jon will discuss:

Open‑ended storytelling at civic scale: How to architect a “living” narrative that can unravel in real time without collapsing ops.
Impact × Profit: Revenue stack options (admissions, programming, partnerships, sponsorship/grants) and an accompanying impact model (mental‑health partnerships, community metrics, KPIs).
Can impact and profitability ever can be truly synergized, or is they always a trade‑off?
When — if ever — could commercially-minded immersive narratives be open‑ended and unravel in real time?
If you build part of the world and then hand people the shovel, will they build too?

Who this is for:

Experience designers
LBE producers
Museum & cultural programmers
Civic placemaking teams
City partners
Anyone exploring how to combine public art, immersive storytelling, and sustainable operations.

About HeadMaze:
HeadMaze is a four‑storey, interactive “meditating mind” – a 40‑foot head that opens to reveal a crystalline inner being with 20 rooms of immersive art and performance exploring cognition, consciousness, and community. Positioned as the first in a series of monumental interactive installations, HeadMaze is coming soon to Navy Pier, Chicago.
About Jon Levy:
Jon Levy (Co‑CEO, HeadMaze Inc.) is producer, exec, and entrepreneur across immersive and animation/VFX. Former United Talent Agency agent and in‑house entrepreneur (first agent specializing in Immersive Entertainment & Animation), where he incubated, financed, and helped run dozens of projects/companies with $200M+ in secured capital. Principal at Immerse Yourself Entertainment; creative director/lead producer of Contact: A Multi‑Sensory Journey Celebrating Daft Punk (eight sold‑out LA shows; 5,000+ attendees). Partners span Meow Wolf, The Jim Henson Company, Fever, Thinkwell, and others. California Bar; NYU Law; MA International Business (University of Florida).
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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 Design to Production: A Step‑by‑Step Guide to Staging a Large‑Scale Production (Early)
2025-11-12 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Large‑scale staging isn’t just “a bigger show.” It’s an experience designed to connect people to story and culture, give them identity, and create meaning.
In this Campfire, Sergio Ramírez Rivera (CEO, Demiurgo LBX) will walk through a practical, end‑to‑end method for taking an idea from first sketch to opening night—without losing the heart of the narrative along the way.
Using examples from ‘Immersive Día de Muertos Altar’ (a story‑driven installation combining tradition, projection, and sound design to connect visitors to cultural memory) and ‘El Libro de Navidad’ (a seasonal narrative brought to life with a full‑surround 720° immersive canvas and synchronized media), Sergio will ask – and answer – such questions as:
¿Is production a logistical issue?
¿Does every production start with a story?
¿Is large‑scale staging is about size?
What you’ll learn:

Start with meaning: How to articulate the identity shift you want audiences to feel, then translate that into a story spine and moments map.
Blueprint the experience: Dramaturgy for space; wayfinding and audience flow; accessibility and inclusion baked into design.
Feasibility & safety: Site assessment, capacity & egress, permits, HSE/compliance, risk registers, and contingency planning.
Choose the right tools for the job: When to use projection mapping/LED, 720°/360° environments, AR/VR layers, interactive sensors, and spatial audio—and how these choices serve story (not the other way around).
Content pipeline: From concept art and 2D/3D animation to show control; rights, localization, and approval workflows.
Production management: Roles, RASICs, vendor matrix, budget envelopes, technical riders, load‑in/out plans, rehearsal strategy.
Run and learn: Show operations, failure modes and backups, measurement (impact, sentiment, earned media), and the post‑mortem loop.

Who this is for:

Creative directors
Live event/experience producers
Museum & cultural programmers
Festival and city event lead
Anyone tasked with turning vision into a safe, resonant, large‑scale experience.

About Demiurgo LBX:
Demiurgo LBX is a creative technology studio that designs and produces immersive, interactive experiences – blending narrative, design, and advanced media such as VR/AR, videomapping, LED environments, and spatial audio. The team cites 20+ years in the field, 400+ projects, 30M+ audience reach, and substantial earned media across culture, education, and entertainment.
About Sergio Ramírez Rivera:
A Latin American multicultural business developer and lawyer by training, Sergio Ramírez Rivera is a storyteller, transmedia/experience producer, and entrepreneur in immersive technologies. He champions technology adoption, innovation, skills development, and digital transformation with social impact.
Sergio’s work spans law, immersive applications, electronics, and ICT across education, professional training, culture, entertainment, health, industry, security, marketing, and social impact – delivered in Spain, the UK, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and other Latin American countries.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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 Design to Production: A Step‑by‑Step Guide to Staging a Large‑Scale Production (Late)
2025-11-12 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Large‑scale staging isn’t just “a bigger show.” It’s an experience designed to connect people to story and culture, give them identity, and create meaning.
In this Campfire, Sergio Ramírez Rivera (CEO, Demiurgo LBX) will walk through a practical, end‑to‑end method for taking an idea from first sketch to opening night—without losing the heart of the narrative along the way.
Using examples from ‘Immersive Día de Muertos Altar’ (a story‑driven installation combining tradition, projection, and sound design to connect visitors to cultural memory) and ‘El Libro de Navidad’ (a seasonal narrative brought to life with a full‑surround 720° immersive canvas and synchronized media), Sergio will ask – and answer – such questions as:
¿Is production a logistical issue?
¿Does every production start with a story?
¿Is large‑scale staging is about size?
What you’ll learn:

Start with meaning: How to articulate the identity shift you want audiences to feel, then translate that into a story spine and moments map.
Blueprint the experience: Dramaturgy for space; wayfinding and audience flow; accessibility and inclusion baked into design.
Feasibility & safety: Site assessment, capacity & egress, permits, HSE/compliance, risk registers, and contingency planning.
Choose the right tools for the job: When to use projection mapping/LED, 720°/360° environments, AR/VR layers, interactive sensors, and spatial audio—and how these choices serve story (not the other way around).
Content pipeline: From concept art and 2D/3D animation to show control; rights, localization, and approval workflows.
Production management: Roles, RASICs, vendor matrix, budget envelopes, technical riders, load‑in/out plans, rehearsal strategy.
Run and learn: Show operations, failure modes and backups, measurement (impact, sentiment, earned media), and the post‑mortem loop.

Who this is for:

Creative directors
Live event/experience producers
Museum & cultural programmers
Festival and city event lead
Anyone tasked with turning vision into a safe, resonant, large‑scale experience.

About Demiurgo LBX:
Demiurgo LBX is a creative technology studio that designs and produces immersive, interactive experiences – blending narrative, design, and advanced media such as VR/AR, videomapping, LED environments, and spatial audio. The team cites 20+ years in the field, 400+ projects, 30M+ audience reach, and substantial earned media across culture, education, and entertainment.
About Sergio Ramírez Rivera:
A Latin American multicultural business developer and lawyer by training, Sergio Ramírez Rivera is a storyteller, transmedia/experience producer, and entrepreneur in immersive technologies. He champions technology adoption, innovation, skills development, and digital transformation with social impact.
Sergio’s work spans law, immersive applications, electronics, and ICT across education, professional training, culture, entertainment, health, industry, security, marketing, and social impact – delivered in Spain, the UK, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and other Latin American countries.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

Eat with your Ears: A Practical Guide to Designing Experiences With Taste & Sound (Early)
2025-11-19 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Immersive experiences are too often reduced to screens. To create lasting, mind‑shifting states, we have to design beyond vision. However when we combine taste and sound…
Vision is overloaded. Sound – one of our fastest, most immediate channels – cuts through the noise.
Eating is our most intimate ritual. For millennia, shared meals have anchored memory, community, and meaning.
In this Campfire, Caroline Hobkinson – sensory designer, anthropologist, and immersive director – shows how taste and sound interact to alter perception, deepen memory, and drive meaning. You’ll discover how audio modulates perceived sweetness, bitterness, texture, and tempo – and when you should use it.
You’ll leave with practical tools to unlock memory, heighten awareness, and calibrate a new mind-body axis – tools you can apply immediately to make your current project more memorable, measurable, and moving.
Who this is for:

Experience designers and producers
Brand/creative strategists
Storytellers
F&B and hospitality innovators
Cultural programmers
Anyone shaping experiences that move people.

In a world shaped by algorithms, we still choose what passes our lips. It is the last bastion of radical agency. Join Caroline for a high-velocity dive into perception and sensory awakening…
About Caroline Hobkinson:
Born in Cologne and trained at Central Saint Martins (Fine Art) and SOAS (MA Anthropology), Caroline creates sensory installations and experiences in galleries, museums, and public spaces worldwide. She has published and co‑authored research on the neuroscientific workings of eating behaviour and conducted qualitative studies into food and drink rituals. A Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute, she operates at the intersections of tech, food, and the senses, delivering interactive talks and lectures internationally.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

Eat with your Ears: A Practical Guide to Designing Experiences With Taste & Sound (Late)
2025-11-19 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Immersive experiences are too often reduced to screens. To create lasting, mind‑shifting states, we have to design beyond vision. However when we combine taste and sound…
Vision is overloaded. Sound – one of our fastest, most immediate channels – cuts through the noise.
Eating is our most intimate ritual. For millennia, shared meals have anchored memory, community, and meaning.
In this Campfire, Caroline Hobkinson – sensory designer, anthropologist, and immersive director – shows how taste and sound interact to alter perception, deepen memory, and drive meaning. You’ll discover how audio modulates perceived sweetness, bitterness, texture, and tempo – and when you should use it.
You’ll leave with practical tools to unlock memory, heighten awareness, and calibrate a new mind-body axis – tools you can apply immediately to make your current project more memorable, measurable, and moving.
Who this is for:

Experience designers and producers
Brand/creative strategists
Storytellers
F&B and hospitality innovators
Cultural programmers
Anyone shaping experiences that move people.

In a world shaped by algorithms, we still choose what passes our lips. It is the last bastion of radical agency. Join Caroline for a high-velocity dive into perception and sensory awakening…
About Caroline Hobkinson:
Born in Cologne and trained at Central Saint Martins (Fine Art) and SOAS (MA Anthropology), Caroline creates sensory installations and experiences in galleries, museums, and public spaces worldwide. She has published and co‑authored research on the neuroscientific workings of eating behaviour and conducted qualitative studies into food and drink rituals. A Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute, she operates at the intersections of tech, food, and the senses, delivering interactive talks and lectures internationally.
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

Engineering Belonging: How to Turn Product Launches into Living Worlds (Early)
2025-11-26 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
A practical Campfire on using story, symbolism, ritual, and sensory design to build brand worlds people choose to join.
What if a car launch wasn’t just a moment – but the start of a culture?
In this Campfire, The Hanging House co‑founders Anam Ahmad and Husam Haris will take you inside Nissan NISMO’s Red Ring Society – an experiential world where two very different cars live under a single emotional universe.
Anam and Husam will detail how their Dubai-based experimental agency transformed a ‘simple’ product reveal into an unforgettable brand experience into something more.
You’ll learn the key choices, frameworks and sensory signatures on how what started as an audience became a genuine tribe…
Inside the case study: NISMO Red Ring Society

The challenge: How to build one emotional universe from two distinct cars
The approach: Story architecture > Symbol & ritual design > Multi-sensory world‑building
The result: An experience that felt alive, coherent, and repeatable—giving fans identity, not just information

What you’ll learn:

What it takes to build a cinematic, emotionally-driven brand world
How to engineer belonging through story, symbolism, and design
Tools to unite multiple products under a single emotional framework
Practical takeaways to elevate the impact and longevity of your experiences

Who this Campfire is for:

Experience designers
Brand + creative strategists
Experiential producers and world-builders
Brand leaders ready to go beyond campaigns

About Anam & Husam:
Anam Ahmad (Founder and CCO) and Husam Haris (Co-Founder and COO) are co-founders of The Hanging House, an experiential studio reimagining how brands build worlds people want to live in.
She leads the instinct: inventing worlds through story, psychology, and play.
He leads the intelligence: scaling those worlds into reality through strategy, production, and systems.
Together, they’ve built brand ecosystems with cult-like loyalty, from Nissan’s NISMO tribe to GUGU, a rising cultural movement designed to unboring adulthood. Their work proves that when creativity and operational mastery collide, brands stop selling and start shifting culture.
About The Hanging House:
The Hanging House is an independent omnichannel experiential studio working at the intersection of art, tech, and people. Born eight years ago in a garage with four people and a few laptops, it has since delivered 200+ experiences across industries and borders for brands, governments, and culture‑makers—most recently earning shortlists at Campaign Middle East Agency of the Year.
Visit: thehanginghouse.com

How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

Engineering Belonging: How to Turn Product Launches into Living Worlds (Late)
2025-11-26 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
A practical Campfire on using story, symbolism, ritual, and sensory design to build brand worlds people choose to join.
What if a car launch wasn’t just a moment – but the start of a culture?
In this Campfire, The Hanging House co‑founders Anam Ahmad and Husam Haris will take you inside Nissan NISMO’s Red Ring Society – an experiential world where two very different cars live under a single emotional universe.
Anam and Husam will detail how their Dubai-based experimental agency transformed a ‘simple’ product reveal into an unforgettable brand experience into something more.
You’ll learn the key choices, frameworks and sensory signatures on how what started as an audience became a genuine tribe…
Inside the case study: NISMO Red Ring Society

The challenge: How to build one emotional universe from two distinct cars
The approach: Story architecture > Symbol & ritual design > Multi-sensory world‑building
The result: An experience that felt alive, coherent, and repeatable—giving fans identity, not just information

What you’ll learn:

What it takes to build a cinematic, emotionally-driven brand world
How to engineer belonging through story, symbolism, and design
Tools to unite multiple products under a single emotional framework
Practical takeaways to elevate the impact and longevity of your experiences

Who this Campfire is for:

Experience designers
Brand + creative strategists
Experiential producers and world-builders
Brand leaders ready to go beyond campaigns

About Anam & Husam:
Anam Ahmad (Founder and CCO) and Husam Haris (Co-Founder and COO) are co-founders of The Hanging House, an experiential studio reimagining how brands build worlds people want to live in.
She leads the instinct: inventing worlds through story, psychology, and play.
He leads the intelligence: scaling those worlds into reality through strategy, production, and systems.
Together, they’ve built brand ecosystems with cult-like loyalty, from Nissan’s NISMO tribe to GUGU, a rising cultural movement designed to unboring adulthood. Their work proves that when creativity and operational mastery collide, brands stop selling and start shifting culture.
About The Hanging House:
The Hanging House is an independent omnichannel experiential studio working at the intersection of art, tech, and people. Born eight years ago in a garage with four people and a few laptops, it has since delivered 200+ experiences across industries and borders for brands, governments, and culture‑makers—most recently earning shortlists at Campaign Middle East Agency of the Year.
Visit: thehanginghouse.com

How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

Quantum Narratives: The Science Move that Destroys The Old Narrative Playbook in Experience Design (Early)
2025-12-03 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
In her new book Quantum Narratives, acclaimed creative technologist and experiential innovator Stephanie Riggs reveals how deeply our stories rely on Aristotelian Poetics – and why that limits us.
She introduces a bold framework that fuses principles from the physical sciences with today’s generative tools to finally overcome the long-standing narrative paradox.
Revolutionary, research-backed, and practical, this talk reframes everything we think we know about storytelling and offers interactive and spatial creators a transformative new way to build narrative.
What you’ll learn:

Nine techniques from Ancient Greece to Renaissance
Their adaptation into modern methods
Examples of contemporary applications of these methods from around the world
A design toolkit for memorable experiences

Who this Campfire is for:

Experience designers
Creative technologists
Storytellers
AI-haters & AI-lovers

About Stephanie:
Former Disney Imagineer, classical storyteller, and creative technologist Stephanie Riggs has led narrative innovation and immersive tech for more than 25 years. Called “the renaissance woman of the immersive era” by the VRAR Association, she has led ground-breaking work across theatre, theme parks, film, experiential, VR, AR, and AI.
Her approach blends classic storytelling, research-driven development, and world-class technology. Stephanie has collaborated with major media companies (Instagram, Google, Netflix, Amazon), start-ups, non-profits, and universities including Yale, CMU, and NYU. She is the author of the acclaimed books ‘The End of Storytelling’ (SXSW 2019) and “Quantum Narratives’ (SXSW 2025).
———-
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)

Quantum Narratives: The Science Move that Destroys The Old Narrative Playbook in Experience Design (Late)
2025-12-03 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
In her new book Quantum Narratives, acclaimed creative technologist and experiential innovator Stephanie Riggs reveals how deeply our stories rely on Aristotelian Poetics – and why that limits us.
She introduces a bold framework that fuses principles from the physical sciences with today’s generative tools to finally overcome the long-standing narrative paradox.
Revolutionary, research-backed, and practical, this talk reframes everything we think we know about storytelling and offers interactive and spatial creators a transformative new way to build narrative.
What you’ll learn:

Nine techniques from Ancient Greece to Renaissance
Their adaptation into modern methods
Examples of contemporary applications of these methods from around the world
A design toolkit for memorable experiences

Who this Campfire is for:

Experience designers
Creative technologists
Storytellers
AI-haters & AI-lovers

About Stephanie:
Former Disney Imagineer, classical storyteller, and creative technologist Stephanie Riggs has led narrative innovation and immersive tech for more than 25 years. Called “the renaissance woman of the immersive era” by the VRAR Association, she has led ground-breaking work across theatre, theme parks, film, experiential, VR, AR, and AI.
Her approach blends classic storytelling, research-driven development, and world-class technology. Stephanie has collaborated with major media companies (Instagram, Google, Netflix, Amazon), start-ups, non-profits, and universities including Yale, CMU, and NYU. She is the author of the acclaimed books ‘The End of Storytelling’ (SXSW 2019) and “Quantum Narratives’ (SXSW 2025).
———-
How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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

WXO Live Campfire in Amsterdam | Speakers: Don Ritzen (SHIFT) & Sarah Mendes (WONDR)
2025-12-04 18:00 - 20:00 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Miro Fred. Roeskestraat 100, 1076 EE Amsterdam, Netherlands, MIRO, Fred. Roeskestraat 100, 1076 EE, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Join us on Thurs 4 December for a special WXO Live Campfire – our signature, small‑group forum for candid, insight‑rich conversations with leaders in the Experience Economy. We’ll gather at the Miro Discovery Center for talks, discussion, and connection.
Featuring guest speakers:

Don Ritzen (Founder, SHIFT)
Sarah Mendes (Founder & CEO, WONDR Experience)

Both Don and Sarah are Amsterdam residents and will talk candidly about their current projects, the challenges they face and the opportunities they are embracing.
Expect insightful talks, a lively Q&A, curated breakout conversations, and a closing group discussion to surface the evening’s biggest themes. The Campfire will be followed by networking over complimentary ood and drinks.
The night also includes a guided tour of the Miro Discovery Center led by Sid van Wijk (Global Head, Miro EBC & CAB Program). Marc Araujo of Amsterdam‑based experience design studio Downstream will be in attendance to take your questions.
Thanks to our evening sponsor: Miro

Details

Date: Thurs 4 December 2025
Time: 18:00–20:00 (CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME)
Tickets: Free. Spaces are limited to 50 and distributed on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Priority for WXO members. Members are invited to bring a guest subject to capacity (RSVP here)
Location: Miro Discovery Center, Fred. Roeskestraat 100, 1076 EE Amsterdam

RSVP

Please RSVP via our event page.

What is a WXO Live Campfire?
A WXO Live Campfire is an intimate, informal, and highly practical discussion session with the brightest minds in the Experience Economy. You’ll hear frameworks and real‑world case studies, ask speakers your questions directly, and meet fellow experience professionals – so you leave with ideas and strategies you can apply right away.
Building on the success of the WXO’s online Campfires, it will connect the brightest minds in the Experience Economy – because we believe experience matters. Watch for more Live Campfires near you. Announcements will be shared on the WXO members platform and at worldxo.org.

Our speakers:

Don Ritzen | Founder, SHIFT
As co‑founder of investment company Rockstart, Don has guided 250+ startups to a collective value of €1.7B. He founded SHIFT to connect the innovative businesses he’s encountered and to build a “New World Wonder” devoted to sustainability and the pioneers driving change. Don will share how SHIFT plans to orchestrate the greatest comeback in the planet’s history – and what it will take to get there.

Sarah Mendes | Founder & CEO, WONDR Experience
Sarah leads WONDR Experience, the Amsterdam‑based “Instagram museum” renowned for multi‑sensory, high‑impact installations. Alongside WONDR Experience and Pink Beach, the team partners with major IP to bring beloved brands to life. After the recent SpongeBob Special, WONDR’s latest project is Barbie: The Dream Experience – an immersive, multi‑zone walk‑through celebrating more than 65 years of the iconic brand.

The Event Transformation Blueprint: 10 Steps to Events People Trust (Early)
2025-12-10 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
When so much online is uncertain, people trust what they experience together in person. Well‑run events can change minds, build relationships, and lead to real action.
At this Campfire, Sasha Frieze – an award‑winning event strategist with 30+ years of experience and 1,000+ events – shares a clear, 10‑step blueprint you can use to plan and run events that deliver results.
She will detail the three categories to consider when exploring customer journeys, share how to establish your event’s ‘ikigai’ plus strategies to put your participants at the heart of the story.
Her clients include the United Nations Foundation, The Guardian, The BMJ, the Open Data Institute, Raymond James, Incisive Media, and the Royal College of Anaesthetists.
The session draws on her book, The Chief Event Officer’s Playbook – a blueprint for the next generation of events: purpose-led, outcome driven and aligned to organizational goals.
What you’ll learn:

Set a clear purpose and success measures everyone understands
Map three key journeys – before, during, and after – so each stage works together
Put participants at the centre with formats that invite real conversation, not just one‑way talks
Choose speakers and content you can trust, and prepare for honest Q&A
Design practical next steps so the event leads to action, not just applause
Show how your event supports your organisation’s goals without turning it into a sales pitch

Who this Campfire is for:

Event and meeting professionals
Marketers and strategists
Anyone shaping business or professional events who wants clear steps and real outcomes

In a time where events can inspire world leaders, change government policy and redefine the conversation in sectors ranging from immunology to technology, we need a guidebook that helps us create authentic, trustworthy events and experiences that meet these high expectations – for both the organiser and the audience. Welcome to The Chief Event Officer’s Playbook.

About Sasha:
Sasha Frieze is an author and event strategy consultant. Over three decades, she has delivered more than 1,000 events for organisations including the United Nations Foundation, The Guardian, The BMJ, the Open Data Institute, Raymond James, Incisive Media, and the Royal College of Anaesthetists. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Royal Society of Arts, a non‑executive director of the British Society for Haematology, and a visiting lecturer in event management at the University of Westminster.
She is the author of The Chief Event Officer’s Playbook – How to Create Transformational Events.
Learn more: https://mybook.to/TCEOP

How to watch this Campfire:

Link to sign up for this Campfire (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)
