A few years ago, ‘experience’ in marketing was often shorthand for something loud, shiny and instantly shareable. If it spiked impressions and fed the social algorithm, it worked. But in the aftermath of this performative era, a different kind of appetite is emerging, less driven by virality, more anchored in meaning. The consumer of today and, more importantly, the future consumer isn’t looking to be dazzled. They are looking to be seen. Experiences are no longer evaluated by the scale of the stunt or the size of the screen but by whether they create emotional connection and cultural relevance. If the last decade was about the moment, the next is about the memory.
This shift is especially visible in fast-evolving markets such as the Middle East, where global ambition meets deep cultural roots. In Riyadh, Dior’s Designer of Dreams exhibition did more than showcase couture; it created a cultural bridge, weaving heritage and high fashion into a space that felt grounded in its setting and resonant with its audience.
Sephora’s recent Dubai takeover invited thousands into a sensory-rich playground of beauty and identity. Attendees weren’t just spectators; they were participants, curators and storytellers in their own right. Icons of Porsche, year on year, invites, grows and rewards their community for showing up and that has become an integral part of the success formula.
Further west, London’s rise in immersive theatre, from Elvis Evolution to Peaky Blinders: The Rise signals a growing desire for audiences to live inside the narrative, not just watch it unfold. Meanwhile, Netflix’s permanent “Houses” for Stranger Things, Bridgerton and Squid Game blur the lines between entertainment and environment proof that when story and space collide, memory follows. Its not just customer led, its also touching the industry ecosystem, a notable mention to the recent SXSW London edition and the Experience week run by WXO.
These aren’t isolated moments; they reflect a broader transformation. Across regions, brand experiences are evolving from campaigns into communities. They are no longer backdrops for content they are rituals of identity, connection and belonging.
This evolution demands a new kind of thinking, what I am calling as a brand’s experiential quotient (EQ). Like emotional intelligence in people, EQ reflects a brand’s ability to sense, respond and create meaning. It’s not about the volume of activity, it’s about the depth of connection. Brands with high EQ don’t chase attention. They earn it through care, craft and cultural fluency.
Experience used to be an executional layer; now, it has become core to a brand’s strategy. McKinsey’s recent consumer insights confirm that while global audiences remain cautious with spending, they are actively choosing to invest in experiences that feel personal and purposeful. More than 70 per cent of CMOs across major markets, including the GCC, report increasing their experiential budgets. Over 90 per cent of attendees share these experiences organically, citing emotional connection as a key driver.
In the UAE and the Kingdom, where innovation, design and culture are rapidly converging, this shift is particularly pronounced. Retail environments are being reimagined as lifestyle destinations. Hospitality brands are blending seamlessly with fashion, tech and wellness and collaborations between global brands and local creatives are producing ecosystems that stretch far beyond the bounds of a single activation. Here, audiences expect not just relevance but resonance. They want to feel reflected in the brands they support and engaged in the process of shaping what those brands stand for.
The future consumer is informed, expressive and values-led. To reach them, brands must move with clarity and care. That means designing experiences that reflect real human insight, not just trends. It means viewing audiences as co-creators, not consumers. And it means forging partnerships not for media mileage, but
for mutual value.
This approach also requires a recalibration of what success looks like. Visitor numbers alone are no longer the victory lap. The real win lies in cultural traction, when people internalise a brand experience as part of their own identity and expression.
Because at the end of the day, attention fades, the feed moves on. But what stays with people is how something made them feel and in a world saturated with content, the most powerful thing a brand can offer is genuine connection.
Real experiences don’t just entertain, they anchor. They become reference points in our memory, cues in our identity and shared stories that bind us to one another. That’s what the future consumer is truly seeking: not another campaign, but a sense of place, purpose and presence. For brands willing to invest in that level of resonance, the reward is far greater than visibility.
By Saheba Sodhi, Global Head of Strategy & Experiential, MCH Global.
