Lessons in Joy and Branded Experiences from Meow Wolf and Blue Man Group Consultant

Title: Unveiling the Secrets of Interactive Performance: Insights from Jeff Wirth

Pop quiz! What do Meow Wolf, Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, Disney Imagineering, and Ringling Bros. have in common? They’ve all sought out today’s guest as a consultant. But today’s master is… actually not a master of marketing at all. In fact, he’s never worked a day in marketing. But he literally wrote the book on interactive performance.

Meet Jeff Wirth, the Co-founder of the Interactive PlayLab, who designs, directs, and consults on interactive experiences, virtual world applications, and live immersive fiction. His claim to fame? Just take a look at the list of companies he’s collaborated with!

Lesson 1: Begin at the end.

When designing your interactive experience, Wirth recommends first thinking about what you want participants to walk away with. Not just a shopping bag full of merch, but something more profound. “What do you want people to understand after the activation that they didn’t understand before?” For Meow Wolf or Cirque du Soleil, it might be discovering a childlike sense of wonder. Wirth emphasizes creating a context within which participants have an opportunity to discover these insights, rather than being told what to understand.

Lesson 2: Empower your participants to think for themselves.

Wirth advises putting the priority on the participant’s capacity to think for themselves. He stresses the importance of not railroading participants into specific conclusions, as this could be both unethical and damaging. Instead, provide enough context for participants to play and feel accomplished without simply following instructions.

Lesson 3: Play is not just for children.

Play can be a powerful component of a live event, but it means different things to different people. Wirth defines play as “make-believe for the purpose of empowerment,” allowing participants to experience authenticity and deeper empathy. Make-believe offers the joy of creating belief without the pressure of winning or losing, ultimately leaving participants with a sense of joy.

In conclusion, Jeff Wirth’s insights on interactive performance shed light on the importance of creating meaningful and authentic experiences that empower participants to think for themselves and engage in joyful play. As marketing leaders invest in branded experiences and interactive activations, Wirth’s lessons on joy, playing, and branded experiences offer valuable guidance for creating memorable and impactful events.

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