Experiential and Immersive are two industry buzzwords being dropped into every piece of marketing copy, press release and client pitch. The two are used interchangeably, sometimes even in the same sentence. So lets have a look at what these words actually mean. Is there even a difference between them? When should you use one or the other? Can understanding this difference improve campaigns and events?

I believe that Experiential and Immersive sit on a Spectrum of Engagement. Here I am going to outline how the spectrum functions, and what tools can be used to shift the dial between Experiential and Immersive. 

Before we jump into the spectrum, let's get a handle on what we are talking about, and what we are not.

We’ll start with Experiential, as it's the clearer of the two. This refers to something physically experienced, typically IRL. Experiential marketing events usually allow users hands-on experience with a product or brand. 

Immersive is a little fuzzier. Most dictionaries and theorists refer to a feeling of deep engagement. Immersive is not so much understood as felt. It is, in short, a Vibe. 

Immersive expert Noah J. Nelson of No Proscenium explains Immersion as a kind of “Hyper-Engagement”, and that true immersive work “puts the audience on the same level as the work itself – Inviting them to become co-authors of the work.”

Now a quick note for what we are not talking about. In the world of Tech, immersive does have a more defined definition, whereby it refers to a computer display that completely surrounds the user. This can be achieved through virtual reality, projection mapping and many other methods. While I do think this technical definition of immersive is useful, I do think it is a divergent use of the word and not relevant to our discussion here. 

The final caveat is to say that we are talking about Form here, rather than Content.  I am speaking about how the Form of an experience can make it more or less immersive. The immersion of Content is more down to the craft and skill of the creatives behind it

Consumption 

This is work which is processed and then immediately forgotten with little to no reflection or impact. This is scrolling TikTok on your phone, having music on in the background or ads on TV. Usually all at the same time. All Consumption requires is our Attention.

Passive Spectatorship

This is the standard audience experience. This is sitting down to intentionally listen to music, a podcast or watch a TV show. Like consumption, it is still fundamentally passive, but we change from Attention to Intention. 

Active Spectatorship

Here Intention is further elevated by the addition of Liveness and Presence. Liveness is bounded by a place in time, presence is bounded by space. Liveness is going to the pub to watch the World Cup Final. Presence is going to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa.

Audiences are further engaged by combining Liveness and Presence. Here you go to a live sporting event, music concert or piece of theatre. When Active Spectatorship is at its most engaging, we see Liveness and Presence coalesce into a sense of Community. 

Experiential

Experiential takes Presence and Liveness and adds new vital ingredients: Participation and Environment. 

Participation is often achieved through Interactivity. This can be simple interactive elements like photo opportunities or interactive exhibits, or high levels of interactivity such as Gamification. 

Environment is a key tool of Experiences, which frequently have a higher level of visual-theming, high-end decoration and theatrical sets than the live events seen in Active Spectatorship.