BIMA House Day 1: Felt, not watched – why the next competitive advantage is how it feels by Big Group

Digital has become the default, but the brands that cut through aren’t the loudest. They are the ones that engage your senses and leave you with something no screen can replicate.

This session unpacks the shift from passive storytelling to multi-sensory engagement; and what it takes to design for feeling. We’ll dive into a live case study with Mastercard and McLaren, exploring how immersive experiences can take a brand from something you see, to something you feel. There is a reason people say: you had to be there.

What you’ll learn

• How multi-sensory design moves beyond spectacle to drive real emotional and behavioural impact.
• Practical ways to translate brand identity into tangible, immersive environments people can feel.
• A behind-the scenes look at the Mastercard & McLaren experience.
• How to balance narrative, interaction, and consistency across complex live touchpoint.
• The role of touch, memory triggers, and personalisation in creating lasting brand recall.
• Where digital (AI, data, content) enhances physical experiences and where it gets in the way.
• The creative and operational realities of delivery high-impact experiences at scale.
• Emerging industry shifts and why the future of experiences is less about screens, and more about your senses.

Who is it for
• Brand and marketing leaders, experience designers, and event strategists ready to rethink what great experience looks like
• Commercial leaders who want to understand why physical experience is becoming a serious competitive advantage
• Those looking to learn how to measure the impact of physical experience effectively
• Leaders who need to make a strong internal case for investing in physical experience

Speakers

Stuart Brazier, big group creative & strategic innovation leader

helping shape experience design & technology integration in the future of brand and retail experiences.

Matt Richardson, Client Innovation Director at big group

leading the integration of technology, AI and innovation into client strategy by helping brands turn emerging tech into meaningful, measurable experiences.