While the climate tech sector booms, there’s one area that’s often overlooked: the storytelling technologies and tools to help people grasp the enormity of challenges ahead — after all, even after the warmest year on record, a narrative can make all the difference when it comes to action.
The Power of Experiential Technology
The experiential technology sector of the economy is only poised to grow in the coming years, reaching $63 billion in 2030. Whether it’s the arrival of the Apple Vision Pro or the fact that Gen Z spends more money on experiences than any previous generation, the reality is that effective storytelling – driven by technology – will garner the most attention in a noisy world.
Experiential technology is particularly adept at creating immersive and engaging consumer experiences that can significantly enhance recall, engagement and loyalty. The technology involves a blend of hardware, software, and content that work together to deliver fully immersive experiences to users, effectively bridging the gap between digital and physical worlds for connected “phygital” experiences.
The appeal of experiential technology lies in its potential to create strong emotional connections, and most importantly, act as an inspiring catalyst to change. Whether it’s the ‘Moment Vault’ at Orlando International Airport, which uses 3D motion capture and high-resolution digital content to create personalized experiences for travelers, or ‘Mars: The Next Giant Leap’ at the Carnegie Science Center, which transports visitors to a 300-million-mile space journey, these emotional experiences are unforgettable — and powerful narrative tools in shaping public perception.
The Tree of Life at COP 28
Humans are experiential creatures. We thrive when we have hands-on, tangible experiences that tell us stories. We remember more, we engage more, we connect more. And thanks to technology, we’re able to exponentially increase our ability to connect with the stories that drive change.
This truism was top-of-mind for the 2023 COP28 UN Climate Change Conference, where [INVNT GROUP] was tasked with driving home the pressing need for action to the 280k+ people in attendance.
So rather than implementing something static, we leaned into what works: experiential technology that makes the invisible visible and brings people closer to not just the problem, but also each other.
We asked: what if a tree could communicate with us? The result was The Tree of Life, an iconic 4-meter tall Ghaf tree that leveraged a unique Al-driven digital language to respond to delegates in real-time, transforming inputs into unique artworks to underscore that small changes make a big difference at scale.
The Tree of Life was an interactive beacon to not only catalyze conversations among those drawn to its magnetic presence but also to share with their friends and ultimately drive action. The results were heartening: thousands of attendees signed the digital pledge to contribute to a better world. Combining technology with human touch, the Tree of Life built a bridge between mother nature and humans.
Stories Catalyze Change
The continuous evolution of technology means that new opportunities for innovative applications in experiential marketing are always emerging, making it a growing and highly exciting field. The key to success in this field is collaboration with experts across various disciplines to ensure that the technology-centric experience elicits emotion and tells a story that leaves a lasting impression.
Of course, it takes more than just imagination to change the world – but it’s that imagination that drives action, as people visualize the ways they can effect change and put those into action every day. The wonders of the world, when enhanced with technology, offer opportunities to elevate pressing conversations into clarity, action and purpose.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
