In a world drowning in synthetic content, authenticity is currency. 💡 GMR's Chief Strategy Officer Elke Jones explores how AI is forcing brands to rethink everything — and why IRL is the new competitive advantage in 2026. The full piece is linked below. 🔗 #ExperientialMarketing #BrandStrategy #IRL #AI
🎉We're thrilled to announce that Xfinity's Extra Bar activation is a finalist for the 2026 Cynopsis Sports Awards in the Marketing & Fan Engagement category. At WrestleMania, GMR helped hashtag#GMRClient Xfinity transform 50K+ fans into creators—giving them the chance to become WWE Superstars. The result? 1,000+ participants, 80% opt-in, and proof that magic happens when fans become the superstars. #CynopsisSportsAwards #FanEngagement #SportsTech
🔍 We Analyzed Every Coachella Activation. Here Are the 5 That Won. Two StoryMakers were on the ground at Coachella Weekend One, auditing 50+ brands using SOLE Science™—our proprietary framework measuring: 🔊 Sensory Immersion: The number and intensity of senses engaged within the experience. 🎯 Relevance to Context: The degree to which the brand and experience align with the event and deliver against the audience's passions and interests. 🤝 Level of Engagement: The number of touchpoints a person is invited to interact with. These five brands topped the rankings across all SOLE metrics.
GMR's Cultural Strategist Lis Webber captures it perfectly in her recent piece on Coachella: "I've never had so much FOMO from an event I was actually at." On the latest episode of the Voice of Experience, Elke and Max dig in further, unpack why Coachella may be losing the plot, and introduce a new marketing lens for brand consideration: B2I (Business-to-Influencer). But the general consensus remains—when fans become the background, everyone loses. 🌵 🎙🎧 Listen here: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gfpGWGDr Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gBiT3U2y #podcast #Coachella #influencermarketing
Advertising used to traffic in symbolism. Today's consumer wants outcomes. Our Chief Experience Officer Max Lenderman is calling this shift the Transformation Economy—and it's reshaping brand strategy right now. Here's the reframe: Duolingo isn't selling a language app. It's selling your more cosmopolitan self. Lululemon isn't selling leggings. It's selling personal evolution. The pattern: Experience is the medium. Transformation is the product. In a world where AI handles utility, meaning is the only moat. And that changes everything about how experiential marketing works. Read Max's full piece to see why brands that help people become will win.
We’re proud to join the Green Sports Alliance community and continue our commitment to sustainability and meaningful partnerships as we strive to build a more sustainable future — one experience at a time. 🌱 #Sustainability #ExperientialMarketing
"Invest in a footprint, not a fortress." 🌵 GMR's Cultural Strategist Lis Webber attended Coachella 2026 and is breaking down brand activations, influencer culture, and why Justin Bieber's stripped-down set was the most important marketing lesson of the weekend. The full breakdown is below. ⬇️ #Coachella2026 #ExperientialMarketing #BrandActivation #Coachella #StoryMakerExperiences
History was made at the Credit One Charleston Open with $2.5 million in equal prize money. 🎾 But beyond the trophy, one moment said everything about the power of great experiences. Janel Riegleman, GMR's Marketing and Communications Manager, reflects on what made the event memorable. #CreditOneCharlestonOpen #ExperientialMarketing #StoryMakerExperiences
Did you know GMR Marketing is Great Place to Work® Certified? 🏆 This recognition is a direct result of the StoryMaker experience we intentionally prioritize and the unstoppable culture we've built together. Since 1979, we've been pioneering experience marketing — tapping into music, sports, entertainment, and more of life’s IRL moments to create memories that last. None of it happens without the people behind them. Thank you to every StoryMaker who makes GMR what it is. 🚀 #GPTW #GreatPlaceToWork #BestWorkplaces #CompanyCulture #ExperientialMarketing
We recently helped longstanding #GMRClient Stryker Joint Replacement and Stryker Active showcase the power of Stryker in New Orleans. Guests joined Stryker's faculty for two evenings of networking and exploration, faculty-led presentations, and hands-on demos. The power of experience was at play as guests learned about Stryker’s innovative joint replacement product portfolio.
