In a world where attention and engagement are scarce, experiences are the new currency.
Why? Because people don’t love seeing or watching ads. In fact, nearly a third of adults use ad blockers at least sometimes, according to eMarketer.
People do love experiences, though. That is a key reason 51% of marketers plan to increase their spend on experiential marketing between now and 2026, per AnyRoad. But experiences don’t have to be big and flashy. Even something as simple as gamification grabs people’s attention and encourages loyalty.
Among active consumers—those who value wellness, achievement, and belonging—the desire for experience has led to an increase in real-world and online communities focused on activity, such as running clubs.
According to Strava’s “Year in Sport: The Trend Report,”2024 saw a 59% boost in running club participation globally as people increasingly turned to sports and fitness to find community, with 58% of survey respondents sharing that they made new friends via fitness groups. But …