r/experientialmarketing

Every four years, the World Cup becomes more than a sporting event. It becomes a global stage for brands.

The activations people remember aren't always the biggest ones. They're the ones that understand fans. They create places to gather, celebrate, compete, and feel like they're part of something bigger than the match itself.

The best World Cup experiences don't interrupt fandom, they amplify it.

As we get closer to kickoff, it'll be interesting to see which brands build experiences people actually want to participate in, not just walk past.

Which World Cup activations have stuck with you over the years?

Hi everyone! I’m looking for guidance on transitioning into experiential marketing and would really appreciate advice from people in the industry.

My background: I’ve spent the last few years in product management at a software development firm, working on systems like inventory management, contractor scheduling, and AI-driven tools. More recently, I’ve been reassessing my career direction after some major life changes.

Through this reflection, I’ve realized I want to reconnect with my more creative, narrative-driven side of thinking and work, especially in how people experience brands, spaces, and stories.

Outside of my job, I naturally gravitate toward building stories and experiences—whether that’s curating Spotify playlists or developing an at-home cookie brand where I explored branding, sensory experience, and community-building through product and storytelling. I find myself often attending live events, and I’m now interested in shifting from experiencing them to helping curate and shape them. I’ve realized I’m most energized by live events, immersive environments, and the way brands can build community through shared physical experiences.

That reflection is what led me to experiential marketing. Long-term, I’m interested in either creative strategy or brand partnerships/global collaborations within this space.

I’ve also been actively learning through following brand creators and studying work showcased at Cannes Lions as an educational reference point for how brands build cultural impact through storytelling and experience.

Where I’m at now: early career, open to entry/junior roles, and currently figuring out how to position myself coming from product.

My questions:

• What’s the best way to break into experiential marketing from a non-traditional background?
• What should a strong portfolio include for entry-level roles in creative strategy or brand partnerships?
• Are there specific agencies, roles, or adjacent paths I should target first?

Right now my plan is to build a portfolio, but I’m still figuring out what “good” looks like in this space. I’m also actively looking to connect with people in the industry.

Any advice or direction would be really appreciated! 😄

(NYC/NY based) I graduated last year in Advertising with the expectation of going into art direction at an ad (ideally experiential) agency. I ended up assisting a wedding planner as an event assistant and realized I love more of the production side. I did end up doing an art direction internship at an experiential part of a larger ad agency, and it just solidified my passion is production, hands on, coordination, etc. I've since been on the search for entry level/ junior experiential production, event production, production assistant, event assistant, production coordination jobs and so on. It's ending up being just as hard as my AD job search.

I've also tried cold messaging and networking just to gain some insight from people with experience but nothing seems to land. I'd love some tips on breaking in with some experience but, not quite enough. Places to search, agencies and event/production services to look at, how people might want to chat, groups to join, even job titles I'm not aware of, etc. I'm not married to the agency space and have looked into corporate events for experience as well. I just love the event world and want to get involved (and paid!).

(I am currently working an unrelated customer service job as well as working a few weddings when I can still).