South Africa, Sept. 11 -- Globally, experiential marketing is well-established, but locally, it's still gaining traction. As budgets tighten, the industry faces a turning point: experiences must be more than memorable, they must be measurable. Emotional engagement alone won't justify investment. To earn a strategic role, experiential must evolve into a business-critical discipline.

Too often, campaigns are judged by surface metrics like footfall or social buzz. While these signal engagement, they don't tell the full story. "Years ago, after unveiling a visually stunning activation, a client asked, 'It looks good. but what does it do?' That question reshaped my approach," says Christie. Even viral moments fall short if they don't drive tr...