“See me. Feel me. Touch me. Heal me.” These words sung by The Who at Woodstock in 1969 and later in the rock opera “Tommy” are becoming the mantra of event marketers looking to engage consumers with sensory experiences. Events have traditionally tapped into our sense of sight hearing and taste with arresting visuals catchy tunes and tasty product samples. Now they are adding new sensations especially touch and smell to facilitate a deeper connection.

Most people know at least one self-proclaimed king of air guitar. The act of strumming an invisible stringed instrument has been a favorite pastime for decades. Now thanks to the proliferation of in-home gaming products like Nintendo Wii Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation everybody (of every age) is doing it.

The luxury sector like mainstream America for the first time in decades has fallen on hard times. Layoffs in banking and finance have slowed sales of diamond-encrusted Swiss watches designer apparel and sleek sports cars sending holiday sales of high-end goods tumbling 27.6 percent in December compared to 2007 according to a report by MasterCard SpendingPulse. Luxury car sales fell 21 percent in 2008 according to sales tracking firm Autodata which predicts another decline this year.

Most stroke and heart attack victims never see it coming. And for survivors no matter how many times they recount the experience they can never fully recapture the moment for a doctor or a family member. To help healthcare providers get a better understanding of the stroke or heart attack experience Pfizer is using a 3D theater at its industry events to bring the life-threatening moments to life.

It may seem counterintuitive but a growing number of trade show marketers are leaving their products at the office. They’re paring down displays and demo stations (some by more than 50 percent) cutting back text-heavy signage weeding out clutter and presenting just a smattering of the products they need to sell in order to stay in the black in the coming year.