XP Op-Ed

If We Can’t Name It, We Can’t Grow It

The experiential industry doesn’t have a demand problem. It has a language problem.  We’re building brand worlds, billion-dollar attractions, sold-out tours, traveling festivals, immersive shows, and hybrid digital-physical experiences. And we still can’t clearly explain what industry this is. Everyone says “experiential.” Everyone means something different: When a CMO says experiential, he means brand activations. When a CFO says it, she means an expense line. When an investor hears it, they struggle to model risk. When an artist says it, they mean something visceral and human. When a less ambitious marketer hears it, they picture a cocktail party with branded napkins. That confusion isn’t cosmetic — it’s economic. Because unified language is how industries get funded. It’s how projects get greenlit. It’s how categories earn respect. ONE WORD, MULTIPLE BUSINESS MODELS One breakthrough in a recent XP Council conversation was this: not all experiential businesses operate on the same economic engine. In some cases, the experience is the product. Attractions, tours, festivals, cultural gatherings, live spectacles. Tickets are sold. Revenue is direct. In other cases, the experience drives demand for another product. A platform. A subscription. Brand affinity. Media value. But our worlds are colliding and converging So here’s where...