Tom Salamon on Why Experiential Marketing Hits Harder than Any Ad

Tom Salamon is a pioneer of immersive theater, starting with his first production Accomplice: New York, widely regarded as an influential work in the early days of immersive experiences. In the years since, his productions have been attended by 2.5 million attendees and surpassed sales of $40 million. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Time Out New York, The LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter, LA Weekly, Gizmodo and New York Magazine, and he has written and directed work in New York City, London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington DC, Glasgow and San Diego.

Highlights include:

• Large scale IP-based adaptations (Bluey, Disney's Encanto, The Little Mermaid, Trolls)
• Experiential marketing activations for Amazon Prime (The Boys, The Expanse), Netflix(The Witcher) and Starz (Outlander)
• Original immersive work for Tony-Award winning theaters (Accomplice for the Menier Chocolate Factory, The Grift for La Jolla Playhouse)
• Walt Disney Imagineering development for immersive work inside the parks, cruise lines and tours

A creative and innovative thinker with a vast knowledge of the immersive world and experience design, with the ability to conceive unique projects and lead and collaborate with a large team to see them through to execution, Tom stays ahead of the curve and sets new trends in immersive engagements.

LBB> Why do you think Experiential production is growing at such a quick pace? Why should more agencies and brands be getting into this space?

Tom> The emotional impact a compelling experience can achieve is going to profoundly affect the participant and linger with them long after the experience itself has ended. Modern research has shown that people value active experiences more than purchases. In other words, memories are more valuable than things. If agencies and brands can give people an unforgettable and engaging experience, it will stay with them much longer — and affect them more deeply — than a passive campaign.

LBB> What makes live events/Immersive/Experiential campaigns challenging? Why are they different from other marketing campaigns?

Tom> First you have to come up with the killer concept that is going to engage and thrill people. As I say above, you have to make it memorable and compelling; that’s not as easy as it sounds. Next, you have to be able to make it accessible to all kinds of people: young, old, eager or sceptical. If you can create something that allows all personality-types to engage at their own comfort level, that’s when you’ve really got something. And third, the event itself has to pop so much that participants are going to share it and increase the reach far beyond the physical footprint.

LBB>What elements of a brief sets one apart from the other and what sort of briefs get you excited to execute them?

Tom> A brief that shows the client is looking to do something unique and not just follow what’s been hot already always gets me juiced. Frequently events are just following the latest trend, but that just makes a participant feel like ‘oh this is just like that other thing.’ I’m eager to set a new trend, show people something they haven’t seen before, give them something new. If a client is open to that, it’s endlessly inspiring.

LBB>How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Tom> I like to look at it from the perspective of the participant: what is the user experience? When I’m in it, what am I seeing, what am I hearing, and most importantly, what am I feeling? I like to paint that picture as clearly as possible when developing a treatment, placing you at the centre of the action.

LBB>If the brief is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?

Tom> A deep dive is absolutely essential. I pride myself in capturing the voice of a brand or an IP as if I’d been working with that material for years. Tone is tricky and so essential, and it takes a lot of research. I will always, ahem, immerse myself in research.

LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for an XM director to have with another person in creating a campaign? And why?

Tom> Excitement in an idea and the discipline to get it there. Collaboration is always a ‘yes, and’ game, and you want to work with people who will plus-up the idea, make it better, sharper, more thrilling. It does not come easy—there’s always a push and pull—so you have to be willing to keep going until it gets good and then keep going until it gets great.

LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?

Tom> Film is my first love, and still the medium I love most, and I think my work has reflected that. I’m always trying to make attendees feel like they’re in the centre of their own movie, and my love and study of film has enabled me to incorporate a lot of filmmaking methods into my productions, utilising all the elements of film: lighting, sound, narrative, dialogue, music, pacing, tone, and so on.

LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?

Tom> I would say it’s easy to get pigeonholed into whatever the last big thing you did was. For me, lately, it’s been family-based IP (Bluey, Encanto, The Little Mermaid) and so that’s what I get offered at the moment. But prior to that I’d done site-specific work for adults (a hotel in London, multiple venues in Hollywood) and clue-based mystery experiences, and then that’s what people think you do. I’ve done virtual experiences online, I’ve written TV spots for celebrities, I’ve done brand activations, and so on. I think people who are interested in doing unique work are inspired by different opportunities and mediums, and rise to the occasion when presented with new challenges.

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Tom> At the end of the day the client needs to be happy and satisfied, so you always have to put that first. The best scenario is if you can make a case for your best ideas, getting the client excited, while also taking any and all notes from many voices and incorporating them into the project, hopefully in a way that makes the whole endeavour better. A successful collaboration takes trust and confidence on all sides.

LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?

Tom> I come from a theatre background — my early days in experiential were working with world-class theatres — which has always fostered an environment of inclusivity and diversity. This has been much more progressive than in the workplace, which took years to catch up. So I learned long ago that it’s essential to include diverse voices and talent so that a production be holistic and representative. And certainly I’ve worked with extraordinary talent with experience far beyond my own, and I learned everything I could from them. I am always happy to share whatever I’ve learned with those that are eager and inspired.

LBB> What role does film making play in live event production? Can these two mediums work together?

Tom> When I look at an immersive experience, I look at it as the participant is IN a film. That’s what it makes you feel like if it’s working, that they’re the protagonist and everyone is an extra in their story. So film — my first love — is always a huge inspiration, and I try to incorporate many aspects of filmmaking into my productions.

LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work?

Tom> I think being overly reliant on tech for experiential can get dicey. For one, tech can fail and if you’re reliant on it your experience falls apart. Secondly, our lives are constantly tech driven all day every day. I think the human element — connection — can be much more impactful.