In the age of thoughtful takeaways and vibe checks, consumers are lining up to have their “energy” captured, visualized, and interpreted at events. Let’s take a reading on how personalized color assignments, once relegated to wellness fairs and spiritual subcultures, are generating personalized, shareable and slightly mystical engagement at events.
But first, the Why. Unlike fortunes, which are “told” and serve up a framework for the future, aura readings offer a real-time and physical engagement focused on “the self.” It’s immediate and easy to react to, much like a mood ring. Aura readings are typically created using photography setups that combine biometric sensors with genAI imaging, producing vibrant portraits. (Psychic interpretation would be another method, though we haven’t seen that in events quite yet.)
For some event marketers, aura readings tie nicely into human-centric messaging. T-Mobile activated the Maison Magenta cabana experience at Cannes Lions 2025 themed around the “Meet Every Moment” message with attendees invited to “meet themselves” via an aura photography activation.
For others, aura readings are trending “swag” that map back to creative, personal expression. Last fall, cannabis brand Spherex hosted one of its Skate with Spherex events for Halloween in Denver, CO, which included games, vendors, dispensary partners, djs, and prizes. New for this event, the brand added aura photographers and airbrush tattoo artists to help attendees celebrate and enhance their looks.
Aura readings are transformative, helping participants look inward. At Sundance Film Festival’s last hurrah in Park City, UT, Hyatt activated a “World of Hyatt” sponsorship program reinforcing the benefits of travel. The activation space featured intentional wellness experiences like Peloton workouts, and Headspace meditation sessions, and an Aura Photography class to help attendees become energy artists and practitioners themselves.
And most recently at Natural Products Expo West, Simply Pop boosted engagement by creating a soft entry point to the sampling experience and inviting attendees into the Aura Bar. There, they could get their “aura reading with a twist,” with each aura color associated with one of the brand’s flavors. Delicious, and self-serving.
iStock/PepeLaguarda
