Experiential marketers are practicing intentionality this year, trading in swiping and touch screens for what’s real. Whether it’s the always-nostalgic anticipation of receiving a heaping scoop of something that’s going to be all yours, or the proprioceptive feedback created by repetitive motions like digging, activation environments are going full tactile. Here’s the scoop.
But first… let’s dig in to the phrase “proprioceptive feedback.” In early learning and therapeutic toolkits, scooping and digging are among “heavy work” where the resistance of materials activates joints and muscles and creates a calming sensation for the nervous system. Simply put, it’s satisfying to feel in tune with our surroundings.
To that end, we’ve taken note of playtime elements, like sandboxes, cropping up in experiences over the last few years including an animated sandbox Breeze Creative offered at Licensing Expo 2024 for attendees to experience its branded IP. As part of a multi-player augmented reality game, attendees reshaped the sand landscape by digging with red shovels and their fingers “in a very tactile and satisfying experience,” our editor described, as a digital overlay morphed with the motions.
Way back when, slime used to be an ooey gooey experience that, today, is a multigenerational hobby and an unexpected boon for ingredients brands. But slime creators like Kawaii Slime Company now specialize in the sensory slime experience, producing themed lines of enticing and imaginative slimes. At Toy Fair 2025, the brand wooed the press with an exclusive ice cream bar engagement, where a staffer behind a whimsical cart scooped ice cream-themed slime into personal containers, letting attendees select their flavor, toppings, and even a cherry on top.
Related:
- Lollapalooza: So Delicious Talks Sensory Sampling in a Giant Pint
- The Brief: The Stella Artois Clay Bar, Maple Streets Biscuit Blaster
Skincare has also become a full-on sensory experience of late. To help make a name for itself in a crowded and investment-rich marketplace, facials company Glowbar for its first-ever experiential activation rolled up its sleeves, secured its own ice cream truck, and distributed free “scoops of skincare” in the form of samples and, of course, complimentary soft serve. Irresistible copywriting and messaging and a welcome treat? Check.
And finally, we know that “learning by doing” boosts retention and activates multiple cortices of the brain for a richer experience, and at a medical meeting like ASCO, where messaging is highly regulated and complex topics abound, Boehringer Ingelheim turned to play. Sails soared overhead, a Lego mosaic invited attendees to feel the impact, and for its Hernexeos lung cancer therapy product, attendees could “get a scoop on what’s new in oncology” with a color-changing spoon and a rolled ice cream treat.
We’ll take more of this delivery mechanism in events, please.
