No one can build a world of their own quite like children can. They’ll dress up as astronauts, using colanders for helmets and backpacks for space suits, while encountering aliens (stuffed animals) and collecting samples (rocks and leaves) from the “moon.” Or they’ll hold a lavish wedding ceremony under the kitchen table for Barbie and G.I. Joe, with dozens of Pokémon in attendance. Luckily, for those of us in experiential, we never have to have to grow out of that joy.
For grown-ups, experiential world-building is about more than just imagination — it’s about crafting stories that suck your guests in and engage all of their senses. And Michael Barclay II, Executive Vice President of Experiential at Essence Communications Inc., Ron Goldenberg, VP of International Marketing & Innovation at BSE Global and Ariel Foxman, VP of Brand & Experience for the Boston Seaport at WS Development, are those grown-ups. Instead of just playing with toys on the kitchen floor, they create real, interactive experiences in spaces and places across the globe.
Keep reading to uncover how experiential world-building crafts 3D stories and indelible memories, as defined by Barclay, Ron and Ariel onstage at the XP Fronts.
Experiential world-building is all about the details
It ensures that everything, from the temperature of the drinks to the size of the LED screens, creates a memory or emotional response. At Essence Festival, the vibrant celebration of Black culture that just celebrated its 30th anniversary in New Orleans, Barclay and his team craft panel discussions, self-guided activities and performances that ensure all 170,000 attendees have an unforgettable experience.
“Experiential is 3D storytelling. So, we’re world-building by telling stories — in our environment, programming and planning — from the minute details all the way up to the big extreme installations,” says Barclay.
Similarly, BSE Global, the parent company of Barclays Center, the New York Liberty, and the Brooklyn Nets, focuses on storytelling to set its brands apart. After moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn, the Nets’ identity fused with the borough’s unique culture. When they took the Nets to Paris for an exhibition game, Ron and his team recreated iconic experiences like a Biggie orchestra tribute and a pop-up pizzeria, letting fans connect with Brooklyn’s vibe in a whole new way.
“When we think about world-building outside of Brooklyn, we think about how we can take what makes Brooklyn Brooklyn and bring it to other markets around the world,” says Ron. “That way, they can experience [the borough] in a way that they otherwise couldn’t unless they were in there.”
Experiential world-building isn’t just about physical spaces
It’s about creating narratives that resonate on multiple levels. Boston Seaport’s transformation shows how world-building can change perceptions and create lasting sensory memories. What used to be a parking lot is now a bustling neighborhood with over 500 free activities, such as fitness classes, book readings and markets.
“We really took our biggest bet with a holiday market,” says Foxman.” We thought, how do you get people here and experience all five senses? We opened the market three years ago and, the first year, maybe 300,000 people came in seven weeks. And this past year, over 1.2 million people came through and created memories in Boston Seaport.”
World-building is the art of crafting immersive, multi-sensory environments that tell a story and evoke emotions. It requires meticulous planning and attention to detail to ensure every element fits the overall narrative, creating memorable experiences that stick with audiences long after the event ends.
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