The findings, drawn from a survey of 4,051 people in the US and UK carried out by dcdx in July 2025, are highlighted in new analysis from Boston Experiential Group, part of emc3 Collective, which argues the appetite is real, but holding attention once people show up is getting harder.

The same study found 74% of Gen Z say in-person experiences matter more to them than digital ones, even as 46% are limiting their screen time, and 73% say they’re more likely to attend an event tied to a cause they care about. Forbes has described the pattern as a “third space boom,” echoed by VIVA Creative’s July event exploring why in-person experience may matter more as AI reshapes work.

That appetite doesn’t guarantee attendance at any one event, though: a brand activation still competes with a gig, a run club or an evening on the sofa. Separate research from EventTrack found 61% of consumers felt more inclined to purchase after interacting with a brand at an event, with trying and understanding the product the two most common reasons given, and most went on to tell friends or family about it afterwards.

Boston Experiential Group’s own reading of the data: ambition and investment work best together, an experience people choose to spend time with, a product they have reason to remember, and a next step they can actually take.

Author: Adrian Pragnell

Source: Conference News