WXO

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)

The Event Transformation Blueprint: 10 Steps to Events People Trust (Late)
2025-12-10 17:55 - 19:30 (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 #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

R.E.V.E.A.L. – Why Value-Engineering Is a Creative Superpower
2025-12-17 09:55 - 23:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
When a £285K immersive experience became an £850 school-library prototype, experience designer Skye Von discovered that constraint can sharpen creativity rather than limit it.
From that experiment emerged The R.E.V.E.A.L. Framework – a creative pressure simulator that transforms limitation into clarity and confidence.
In this Campfire, experience designer and artist Skye explores how reducing scale and resources can expose blind spots, validate emotional logic, and amplify what connects most deeply with audiences.
“The R.E.V.E.A.L. Pressure Simulator isn’t about tearing down what you have,” says Skye. “It’s about proving what’s strong – and revealing what’s still waiting to emerge.”
Value-engineering isn’t about reduction – it’s about revelation.
What you’ll learn:

How to reframe value-engineering as a creative process of revelation, not reduction
What happens when you take an idea down to 1% of the budget and 25% of the space
How stripped-down prototyping becomes a pressure test that reveals the core mechanics and emotional spine of an experience
Why designing with less can validate your strongest ideas and sharpen their impact
Show how your event supports your organisation’s goals without turning it into a sales pitch

Who this Campfire is for:

Experience designers and creative directors
Brand strategists, marketers, and producers
Storytellers and educators exploring participatory design
Anyone using constraint, creativity, or story to move people through experience\n

About Skye:
Skye Von is an experience designer and artist with over 15 years’ experience shaping immersive environments, brand storytelling, and educational experiences that invite people to play, connect, and transform – from art exhibitions exploring human connection and belonging to family experiences that inspire curiosity and collaboration, and brand activations that spark wonder and shared meaning.
Her work – spanning collaborations with Paramount, Google, and Bulgari, as well as organisations like the Malala Fund and UNHCR – blends storytelling, design, and often emerging technology to create spaces where emotion meets innovation.

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)

What Is Experience Strategy – And What It Definitely Isn’t…
2025-12-17 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
When Dave Norton asked a very distinguished CX leader the question, ‘What is experience strategy?’ he looked at back at him and said, ‘It’s the part of the business strategy that the experience people execute against.”
He was serious. And, according to Dave, he was wrong.
Over to Dave to explain why and what he’ll be preaching at this exclusive Campfire:
“Experience strategy is not CX. It’s not the part of the business strategy that designers, solution providers, technologies, or operations gets done. No, experience strategy IS business strategy – or at least the part of business strategy that describes how value is created for the customer. Which is the most important part.
“The WXO community should remember that the basic premise of The Experience Economyis that experiences create value. Experience strategy, as I shall define it, is all about helping a company to create the most value possible for the customer and the company.”
Aimed at anyone who is or wants to be a better strategist, this session is essential for anyone launching, reimagine or running an experience business – and that means you.
You’ll discover

The four principles of experience strategy
How experience strategy is different from other forms of strategy
Why experience strategy is not design, innovation, creativity, or solutionising
How to articulate your role as a strategist in a business setting

About Dave
Dave Norton is the founder and principal of Stone Mantel, an insights consultancy focused on helping companies create meaningful experiences for their customers. For decades he has been at the forefront of experience strategy. His clients include Coca-Cola, Marriott, Disney, Nike, Walmart, Johns Hopkins, Blue Cross, Royal Caribbean International, and many other well-known brands.
He is also the founder of The Collaboratives, a subscription-based research program that companies participate in annually. The program is designed to conduct primary research into the lives of consumers and discover how technology, meaning making, human behavior, and design will continue to evolve and take shape.
As lead researcher and director of both Stone Mantel and The Collaboratives, Dave Norton has guided thousands of in-depth interviews and in-home observations that are the basis for these insights into modes. His research includes 10 years of quantitative research into the role of technology in consumers’ lives.
Dave is also the author of Digital Context 2.0: Seven Lessons in Business Strategy, Consumer Behavior, and the Internet of Things. Digital context is the data that resides in and between the wide variety of tools that people access. His book helps companies think about their strategy for smart homes, cars, and work environments.
Dave has lectured at Harvard, Columbia Business School, and other academic institutions. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2002 in Rhetoric, Scientific, and Technical Communications, and currently lives in Utah.
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

Unpacking The Uncertainty Toolkit: From kitchen table to Netflix documentary to behavioural change framework
2026-01-07 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
In this session, authors and neuroscientists Sam Conniff (Be More Pirate) and Katherine Templar Lewis (Kinda Studios) chart the journey of their new book The Uncertainty Toolkit.
From a kitchen COVID project to the world’s first interactive documentary, The Uncertainty Experts, funded by Netflix, scientifically proven to change people’s uncertainty tolerance (with an immersive neuroaesthetic soundtrack by Morcheeba) and finally turned into a book, Sam Conniff and Katherine Templar Lewis discuss the journey of bringing together unforgettable stories of smugglers and gangsters with cutting edge neuroscience to create an multimedia experience like no other.
What started as a passion project has now become a fully-blown, evidence-based behaviour change framework perfect for experience designers, whether you’re looking to understand your own audiences or testing your approaches to creativity and business.
Looking to grow your work in 2026? Uncertain of how to approach that challenge? The Uncertainty Toolkit can help.
Come along to a thought-provoking and practical session to kick off Season 15 of WXO Campfires.

About The Uncertainty Toolkit:
What can an ex-gangland boss, a recovering addict and a refugee teach you about thriving in the face of uncertainty?
It’s the ‘Do you have five minutes?’ message from your boss. The ‘We need to chat’ from a loved one. Those spiralling thoughts at 3 a.m. and buzz of yet another breaking news alert. The potential coming waves of AI, climate change and unstable governments.
For most of us, uncertainty is paralysing. But learning to navigate it effectively means more confidence, less anxiety and deeper connection with others.
The Uncertainty Toolkit is a pioneering, evidence-based guide to doing just that. Drawing on the world’s most extensive study into ‘uncertainty tolerance’, led with professors from University College London, it explains the science behind how we cope with the unknown. This research is combined with the radical expertise of an unlikely group of experts – former addicts, hostages, gangland bosses and prisoners – who’ve turned their experience of extreme uncertainty into major mainstream success.
The result is a detailed, practical blueprint that will help anyone turn unpredictability into personal and professional growth.

About Sam Conniff:
Sam Coniff is the author of the international bestseller and ‘modern life-bible’ Be More Pirate, and the writer and co-presenter of Uncertainty Experts. He was the Co-Founder of multi-award-winning social enterprise Livity, pan-African youth empowerment program Digify, and Bafta-winning content studio, Don’t Panic. Sam has won Entrepreneur of the Year, Agency of the Year, The Queens Award and turned down an MBE in 2020.

About Katherine Templar Lewis
Katherine Templar Lewis is a cognitive scientist, neuroscience consultant and science communicator. Co-presenter and lead scientist on The Uncertainty Experts and Audible Originals podcast Beyond Five Senses, she often appears as an expert and contributor across media outputs, including Sky, BBC, NBC, The TODAY show, Radio 4, VICE and the HuffPost. She is co-founder of women-led Kinda Studios and Lab, which translates neuroscience into design to drive wellbeing.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

Why Escape Rooms Are More Than You Realize (And How Everyone Needs To Learn From Them)
2026-01-07 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Escape rooms have come a long way from the days of being locked in a room filled with padlocks and riddles.
So says David Spira, co-founder of RoomEscapeArtist.com and the escape room industry’s most prolific voice.
These live action, site-specific adventures are defying genres by cross pollinating with immersive theater, haunts, board games, and video games.
Join David for an exploration of the breadth and depth of escape rooms and a breakdown of the core lessons that creators across the immersive arts are ignoring at their own peril.
Who should attend

Experience creators and designers
Experience business owners
Aspiring business owners in the immersive industry

What you’ll learn

The lay of the land of the global escape room market
An understanding of the underlying business models of escape rooms
Exploration of the difference between art and product design
Tips for how to suck less as an immersive creator!

About David Spira
David is the co-founder of RoomEscapeArtist.com and the escape room industry’s most prolific voice. For over a decade, he has been shaping the immersive games ecosystem through his writing, event production, and podcasting.
He co-hosts the Reality Escape Pod and leads the Reality Escape Convention, a gathering for immersive creators. David’s work spans humanitarian design for the UN, to puzzle-led branding campaigns for tech companies, and designing educational escape rooms.
Known for his clarity of thinking and his deep respect for both creators and players, David brings expertise in the psychology, business, and mechanics of real-world games.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

How Experience Design Can Transform Corporate Events (Early)
2026-01-14 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Most corporate events consist of endless PowerPoint slides and business strategy that gets forgotten the minute the attendees remove their lanyards.
So what if we added experience design into the mix?
Projectory turns corporate events into interactive, strategy-internalizing, and smile-inducing fun experiences. By staying mostly analog, we help people get their heads out of their phones and into conversations with their peers.
Through in session facilitated sessions using individually controlled helium balloon devices (?!) to magic word spewing Venting Machine fridge-magnet-poetry gone wild, Projectory fosters the rarely seen at corporate events: Genuine Smiles.
This Campfire session is all about what happens when you combine distinctive expertise from three very different co-founders with a shared passion for experience design. It’s about how real magic is technology agnostic. And it’s about how corporate strategy doesn’t have to be mind numbingly boring.
Who should attend:

Corporate Event Planners
Heads of HR, People, or Culture
Strategy and Innovation Leaders
Learning and Development Teams
Experience Designers and Creative Producers
Corporate Communications Teams
Executives running Offsites or Retreats

What you’ll learn:

Why analog-first experiences unlock deeper engagement
How Projectory turns corporate strategy into something people actually feel
The surprising power of playful tools like helium devices and “Venting Machines”
What happens when three distinct disciplines collide around experience design

About Paddy Harrington:
Paddy is a design innovator and storyteller who helps organizations discover and express their core purpose and long-term ambition. He is the founder of Frontier, a Design Office that collaborates with clients to creates strategic stories, brand strategy and identity, and physical and digital experiences.
Paddy is also co-founder of Projectory, a live event engagement company. He is also a member of WXO, a global network of experience leaders and practitioners who shape the future of human experience.
With nearly 20 years of experience in the design field and degrees in literature and architecture, Paddy has worked with diverse and influential clients, like PepsiCo, Unilever, the Sacramento Kings, and the Holy City of Mecca.
He is design and brand strategist, an award-winning writer and filmmaker, and has spoken at Harvard, Brown, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He is passionate about creating strategic stories that inspire, guide, and empower businesses, people, and the planet to thrive.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

How Experience Design Can Transform Corporate Events (Late)
2026-01-14 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Most corporate events consist of endless PowerPoint slides and business strategy that gets forgotten the minute the attendees remove their lanyards.
So what if we added experience design into the mix?
Projectory turns corporate events into interactive, strategy-internalizing, and smile-inducing fun experiences. By staying mostly analog, we help people get their heads out of their phones and into conversations with their peers.
Through in session facilitated sessions using individually controlled helium balloon devices (?!) to magic word spewing Venting Machine fridge-magnet-poetry gone wild, Projectory fosters the rarely seen at corporate events: Genuine Smiles.
This Campfire session is all about what happens when you combine distinctive expertise from three very different co-founders with a shared passion for experience design. It’s about how real magic is technology agnostic. And it’s about how corporate strategy doesn’t have to be mind numbingly boring.
Who should attend:

Corporate Event Planners
Heads of HR, People, or Culture
Strategy and Innovation Leaders
Learning and Development Teams
Experience Designers and Creative Producers
Corporate Communications Teams
Executives running Offsites or Retreats

What you’ll learn:

Why analog-first experiences unlock deeper engagement
How Projectory turns corporate strategy into something people actually feel
The surprising power of playful tools like helium devices and “Venting Machines”
What happens when three distinct disciplines collide around experience design

About Paddy Harrington:
Paddy is a design innovator and storyteller who helps organizations discover and express their core purpose and long-term ambition. He is the founder of Frontier, a Design Office that collaborates with clients to creates strategic stories, brand strategy and identity, and physical and digital experiences.
Paddy is also co-founder of Projectory, a live event engagement company. He is also a member of WXO, a global network of experience leaders and practitioners who shape the future of human experience.
With nearly 20 years of experience in the design field and degrees in literature and architecture, Paddy has worked with diverse and influential clients, like PepsiCo, Unilever, the Sacramento Kings, and the Holy City of Mecca.
He is design and brand strategist, an award-winning writer and filmmaker, and has spoken at Harvard, Brown, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He is passionate about creating strategic stories that inspire, guide, and empower businesses, people, and the planet to thrive.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

Magic Memory: The Art of Memory as Experience Design
2026-01-21 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
For millennia, people used the art of memory to remember what mattered.
During the Renaissance, it converged with the Hermetic tradition, an esoteric knowledge stream that braided memory with ritual practice, natural magic, astrology and alchemy, forming what is known as Magic Memory.
This session shows how we can translate principles of Magic Memory into a contemporary method of designing experiences that stay with audiences.
On this Campfire, London-based creative producer, strategist and storyteller Victor Lander will unpack the core techniques of Magic Memory, reveal how they work and understand how they can be used in experiences nowadays.
Who should attend:

Experience designers
Experience strategists
Spatial designers
Architects

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

About Victor Lander:
Victor Lander is a London-based creative producer, strategist and storyteller with focus on all things immersive.
Researcher into creativity, narratives and memory structures, he is the founder of Secret Society, a visionary circle of creatives, and Landerlander, a family partnership specialising in cultural placemaking and destination marketing.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

Magic Moments: How to Intentionally Engineer Transformative Experiences
2026-01-21 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Every magic moment, every deeply positive experience, has psychological roots.

In this WXO Campfire, we explore how extraordinary experiences don’t happen by accident – they are intentionally designed.
Drawing from decades of expertise in Disney Imagineering and global UX leadership, authors Joe Lanzisero and Johannes Robier reveal how extraordinary moments can be crafted with intention and how anyone can apply these methods to business, leadership, customer relationships, and everyday life.
Grounded in scientifically proven research from psychology, behavioral science, and experience design, this session introduces the Magineering Framework, which brings all these insights together into one practical model.
You’ll discover the essential elements and dimensions to include in your stories, products, and experiences to intentionally create extraordinary, transformative moments with lasting emotional impact.
What you’ll learn:

Foundations to know before designing for a positive experience
The 5 Dimensions of Enthusiasm, a framework that helps you break down the complexity of human experience into practical levers you can use.
The 5 Experience Boosters, simple yet powerful tools to elevate ordinary interactions into extraordinary memories.

About Magic Moments:
Magic Moments: How to Intentionally Engineer Transformative Experiences is a groundbreaking book that blends storytelling, science, and strategy to show how unforgettable experiences can be designed – not left to chance.
Drawing from decades of expertise in Disney Imagineering and global UX leadership, authors Joe Lanzisero and Johannes Robier reveal how extraordinary moments are crafted with intention and how anyone can apply these methods to business, leadership, customer relationships, and everyday life.
Through a unique “two-sided” approach – magical narratives on one side, practical frameworks on the other – Magic Moments gives you the tools to transform ordinary days into memories that last a lifetime.

About Joe Lanzisero:
• 37 years at Walt Disney
• Started at Walt Disney Animation
• Grew to SVP of Walt Disney Imagineering
Joe’s creative career can simply be described as magical spectacular journey with 37 years at Disney, Joe began as an animator and worked his way up to the top of Imagineering. He’s served as creative lead on over $9B in marquis projects to date but more importantly his work inspires and brings joy to generations of guests around the globe.
Joe played a key role in bringing projects like Mickey’s Toontown, Toy Story Land, and Mystic Manor to life. Now retired, Joe continues his storytelling journey with Magic Moments and his new children’s book, Lemonade the Yellow Bear.

About Johannes Robier:
• Founder & CEO of youspi Consulting
• Organizer of the World Usability Congress
• 20+ years in UX/CX strategy & design
Johannes’s career is defined by his passion for human-centered design and innovation. As Founder of youspi Consulting and Organizer of the World Usability Congress, he’s spent over two decades helping global brands bridge creativity, business, and technology.
Johannes’s work unites leaders, designers, and thinkers to build more meaningful, inclusive experiences. Together with Joe Lanzisero, he co-authored Magic Moments, celebrating the power of empathy, creativity, and collaboration in shaping a better world.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

Collaboration Campfire #1 (Jan 2026)
2026-02-04 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Introducing WXO Collaboration Campfires

A confidential, member-led clinic to workshop live projects and share practical advice. Bring a challenge, leave with practical next steps.
Alongside toolkits, frameworks and case studies from the Experience Economy’s brightest minds, WXO Campfires are also valued for the quality of the attendees as much as the guest voices. Practitioners who are generous with their thinking and direct with their advice.
A community of creators coming together, sharing the air about their current projects before taking practical insights and inspiration from that week’s sessions away to solve the challenges they’re facing right now
We hear of so many collaborations born from our Campfires. Attendees going from a scribbled note in a breakout discussion to a post-Campfire partnership that simply would not have happened without that Campfire.
And so to Collaboration Campfires.
This week’s early Campfire session is a test of a brand-new format.
Think of it as a practical working session, led by attendees rather than guest speakers. The aim is simple: help each other move current projects forward.

How it works:
• No special guests – the expertise is in the room.
• Bring one challenge from a live project. Keep it specific: what you’re doing, what’s stuck, and the kind of help you’re asking for (ideas, references, critiques, introductions, etc.).
• Simply share your challenge and exactly what help you need.
• No deck required. A clear brief is enough.
• This is time-boxed, chaired discussion. Each challenge gets the time it needs, up to 15 minutes.
• We’ll go round the group until we reach the end of the list or the 90-minute limit.
• No challenge this week? Come anyway – the session only works if people bring their experience, judgement and candour. We’d love you to come along and contribute your expertise.

A note on confidentiality: Because we’ll be discussing live work that may need to stay behind closed doors, recordings will be shared only with attendees, not released to the wider WXO community.

That’s it. This is a pilot. If it works, we’ll make it a regular feature (without over-engineering it). If it doesn’t, we’ll revert to the standard Campfire format. Either way, we’d like to test it properly – by getting the right mix of challenges and contributors in the room.

We hope to see you there.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

The Future of Storytelling: How Immersive Experiences Are Transforming Our World
2026-02-04 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Storytelling is currently undergoing a radical revolution, from narratives that are passively consumed to stories that you live.
It’s a shift that is already revolutionizing entertainment, communication, marketing, and more.
How can creators adapt to this change? Join Charles Melcher, founder of The Future of Storytelling and author of a new book with the same title, as he explores the key qualities of these “living stories” and explains how they can be used create more immersive, memorable, and transformative experiences.

Who should attend:
• Storytellers of all stripes
• Creative directors
• Producers
• Experience designers
• Marketers & communicators across industries
In this session, you’ll learn:
• How “the people formerly known as the audience” are evolving into an “actience” of co-creators, and why it matters
• A framework for understanding the six qualities that elevate an experience to a “living story”
• Practical pointers on how to tap into these qualities in your work, derived from the most successful examples to date
• How creating living stories has the potential to change the actience’s lives – and our world – for the better”

How to watch this Campfire:

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

Timings:

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

London: 17:55 – 19:25
Paris: 18:55 – 20:25
Los Angeles: 09:55 – 11:25
Santa Fe: 10:55 – 12:25
Chicago: 11:55 – 13:25
New York: 12:55 – 14:25
São Paulo, Santiago & Buenos Aires: 13:55 – 15:25
Auckland: 20:55 – 22:25 (NZST)

The Story Gap: Why Brilliant Experiences Fall Short and How to Fix Them (Early)
2026-02-11 09:55 - 11:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Have you ever gone through a beautifully built experience—technically impressive and to all appearances flawlessly executed—that left you feeling nothing?
Drawing upon her experience pioneering narrative for global teams and experiences, writer and experience director Emma Oliver introduces a practical diagnostic tool to uncover why brilliant experiences fall short and how to fix them.
Designed for use across themed entertainment, live experiences, museums, and branded environments, her guide helps identify gaps between what an experience promises and delivers, arming creative stakeholders with narrative systems to close these gaps and create experiences not only immersive, but emotionally resonant, aligned, and repeatable.
Who should attend:

Creative Directors
Producers
Experience Designers
Marketing Strategists
Investors

What you’ll learn:

A diagnostic tool to identify story gaps undermining guest impact
Example narrative systems to help strengthen guest emotional engagement
Practical guidance for using story as a cost-effective design lever

About Emma Oliver:
Emma Oliver is a writer and director working at the intersection of story, space, and human experience. She creates narrative-driven entertainment designed to spark emotion, meaning, and memory—experiences that stay with audiences long after the lights go down.
With deep roots in themed entertainment and live experiences, Emma knows narrative is the system that makes moments unforgettable.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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

The Story Gap: Why Brilliant Experiences Fall Short and How to Fix Them (Late)
2026-02-11 17:55 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
Have you ever gone through a beautifully built experience—technically impressive and to all appearances flawlessly executed—that left you feeling nothing?
Drawing upon her experience pioneering narrative for global teams and experiences, writer and experience director Emma Oliver introduces a practical diagnostic tool to uncover why brilliant experiences fall short and how to fix them.
Designed for use across themed entertainment, live experiences, museums, and branded environments, her guide helps identify gaps between what an experience promises and delivers, arming creative stakeholders with narrative systems to close these gaps and create experiences not only immersive, but emotionally resonant, aligned, and repeatable.
Who should attend:

Creative Directors
Producers
Experience Designers
Marketing Strategists
Investors

What you’ll learn:

A diagnostic tool to identify story gaps undermining guest impact
Example narrative systems to help strengthen guest emotional engagement
Practical guidance for using story as a cost-effective design lever

About Emma Oliver:
Emma Oliver is a writer and director working at the intersection of story, space, and human experience. She creates narrative-driven entertainment designed to spark emotion, meaning, and memory—experiences that stay with audiences long after the lights go down.
With deep roots in themed entertainment and live experiences, Emma knows narrative is the system that makes moments unforgettable.

How to watch this Campfire:

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

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

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