Future of Brand Experience Design Report Unveiled at SXSW 2025

Exploring How Brands Will Be Lived, Felt, and Shared in a Rapidly Evolving Landscape 

NEW YORK, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At SXSW 2025, SoHo Experiential, SOON Future Studies, and The Taboo Group unveiled The Future of Brand Experience Design Report, offering a visionary look into how brands can create immersive, participatory, and emotionally resonant experiences. This groundbreaking report maps the shift from storytelling to story-living, drawing on expert interviews, real-world case studies, and future-focused research. 

"We crave the new, we bond over the unexpected, and we remember the extraordinary," said Reece Hobbins, Culture Futures Director at SOON Future Studies. 

SXSW Unveiling: Immersive Insights into Experiential Marketing   

The report premiered during the SXSW session, "The Future of Brand Experience Design: How Brands Will Be Lived, Felt, and Shared," on March 9, 2025, in Austin, TX leaving attendees with actionable strategies to future-proof their brands. Led by industry leaders Reece Hobbins (SOON Future Studies) and John Millward (SoHo Experiential), the interactive session explored how cultural shifts, emerging technologies, and human behavior are reshaping brand experiences.  

Key Trends Include: 

• The "Prison of Joy" Effect – Hyper-personalization creates algorithmic comfort bubbles that risk isolating consumers in predictable, repetitive experiences.
• Bittersweet Nostalgia – Nostalgia's emotional power lies in its duality—blending warmth for the past with a sense of loss.
• Curated Authenticity & the "Fourth Wall" – In the digital age, the push for radical requires a balance between openness and strategic storytelling.

"Brand experience design that integrates memory science, nostalgia, AI-driven personalization, and shared experiences will forge deeper, more enduring connections, transforming moments into lasting memories," said John Millward, Chief Creative Officer at SoHo Experiential. 

To download the report, visit www.soonfutures.com or www.sohoexp.com.   

Industry Leaders Shaping the Report: 

• Kelly Knowlen – VP, Sales Engagement & Special Events, Hilton
• Ian Fettinger – SVP, Experiential Marketing, Citi
• Allison Varone – VP, Channel & Customer Marketing, Campari Group

About SOON Future Studies 
SOON Future Studies specializes in cultural trends and human insights to inform future-forward strategies. Learn more at www.soonfutures.com. 

About The Taboo Group 
The Taboo Group is an independent Melbourne-based creative agency known for breaking norms and delivering impactful brand experiences. Learn more at www.tabboo.com.au.  

About SoHo Experiential 
SoHo Experiential is a New York City-based independent marketing agency specializing in bold, immersive brand experiences. Learn more at www.sohoexp.com. 

Media Contact: 
SoHo Experiential: [email protected] 
SOON Futures: [email protected] 

SOURCE SOHO Experiential