It used to be a common belief that PR was all about wine-ing and dining, a little black book of media contacts. And while we still treasure those one-on-one lunches and coffee catch-ups, with both longstanding journalist relationships and fresh faces in the industry, there’s no denying the landscape has shifted. Today’s media are more time-poor than ever, and traditional touchpoints alone are no longer enough to capture attention or secure meaningful coverage.

In this new environment, virtual and experiential PR strategies are redefining how we connect with journalists, influencers, and potential customers. From immersive product launches to interactive virtual events, modern campaigns are not only competing for attention, they’re crafting memorable experiences that create emotional resonance and measurable results.

This feature unpacks the evolving art of PR event strategy, exploring how to design, manage, and measure impactful experiences across virtual, hybrid, and live platforms. From event design and audience engagement to creative activations, technology integration, and post-event ROI, these are the tools driving modern public relations forward.

The evolution of PR events: from physical to virtual to hybrid

In a world that is shifting from physical to digital and from local to global, the most successful events acknowledge these challenges and bridge these gaps. Virtual activations accelerated rapidly in recent years, from livestreamed launches to online workshops. While the early experiments varied in success, they paved the way for today’s hybrid models, which combine the intimacy of in-person experiences with the accessibility of digital.

Man watching a virtual event on screen — *Source: Canva*

Today, major design platforms continue to explore hybrid models, blending on-the-ground activations with digital amplification to extend reach. A press dinner, for example, can be paired with a livestream or digital content drop to broaden storytelling beyond the event space.

Hybrid strategies now offer PR teams fresh opportunities to reach both niche audiences and global communities simultaneously. PR event strategies should now look to consider both avenues to boost reach and offer additional opportunities for brand storytelling - perhaps an intimate press preview dinner, followed by an Instagram Live announcement to the wider public.

Experiential Marketing in PR: definition & impact

At its core, experiential marketing is about creating immersive moments that allow audiences to experience a brand’s values, story, and offering. It’s marketing that you can feel, interact with, and share. In contrast to traditional campaigns that speak at an audience, experiential marketing invites people to step into the brand and become part of the narrative. Whether that’s through a bold brand activation or a stunning immersive installation, the aim is to spark an emotional connection and deepen brand awareness through direct engagement.

For PR professionals, this approach is an increasingly powerful tool. In an industry where success often hinges on creating stories that resonate with both media and potential customers, experiential marketing offers a compelling, newsworthy hook. Journalists are far more likely to cover campaigns that offer a fresh angle or immersive twist - especially if there is a strong visual element, interactive experience, or tech-driven innovation at play. These moments become stories themselves: ones that are easy to photograph, fun to describe, and memorable enough to revisit.

An example is our work for Iris Ceramica Group at Clerkenwell Design Week 2024. As part of the official programme, we hosted an interactive press event in the form of a WAX Atelier workshop. Led by the Atelier’s founder, multidisciplinary designer Lola Lely, media guests were invited to dip flora and fauna into hot wax, creating long-lasting decorative bouquets. This hands-on, sensory experience mimicked the longevity and sustainability of ICG’s ceramic surface solutions, offering attendees a meaningful way to connect with the brand’s core values. The activity struck the perfect balance: light-hearted and creative, while deeply tied to the product story. Guests left not only with a beautiful, tangible takeaway, but with a lasting impression of the brand ethos, something no press release alone could achieve.

Importantly, experiential PR isn’t limited to physical experiences. Virtual and hybrid events can offer just as much impact. Whether it’s a product demo with a live Q&A, an interactive workshop streamed to a global audience, or a branded online experience, the same principles apply: offer value, evoke emotion, and create engaging experiences that people want to talk about.

By embedding experiential tactics within PR strategies, brands not only generate buzz but also build trust and foster lasting relationships with their target audiences. In a media climate increasingly driven by content, experience-led PR provides the fuel that keeps conversations alive long after the event ends.

Designing Memorable & Immersive Experiences

Turning an event into a truly immersive experience begins with bold design choices that engage all the senses: sight, sound, scent, texture, and scale. Take, for instance, Lavazza’s “Source of Pleasure” immersive installation during Milan Design Week 2025, showcasing their new Tablì system. Built in the historic courtyard of Palazzo del Senato, the 18m-diameter structure drew visitors into a carefully curated sensory journey. Visitors moved through a tunnel of evocative aromas, textures, colours, and sounds, before arriving at a serene interior space featuring a water fountain - a symbolic celebration of coffee, life, and ritual. The circular, contemplative layout, which was free from overt branding, allowed the brand narrative to emerge subtly, reinforcing the innovation of a 100% coffee tab while aligning with Lavazza’s artisan legacy.

So, what makes these activations so effective for PR? First, they’re visually arresting and authentically branded, making them irresistible to journalists, influencers, and social media-savvy audiences. They’re also multi-sensory, which boosts emotional retention and adds layers for storytelling. Third, they’re site-specific, showing intentional experimentation and environmental awareness, qualities that resonate during design weeks. And finally, they transcend static displays, fostering curiosity and audience engagement through exploration and discovery.

When designing PR-led experiential programming, event managers can borrow these lessons. Aim for environments that:

Evoke a narrative arc: starting with anticipation, building intrigue, and delivering a rewarding climax
Use materials and textures tied to the brand story
Incorporate scent, sound, and tactile elements to deepen connection
Avoid overt branding, allowing the experience to feel genuine and immersive

These principles elevate an event from functional to unforgettable, leaving journalists and guests with a story they want to write and share.

Virtual Engagement Tactics That Work

As audience expectations evolve and digital fatigue sets in, experiential engagement increasingly relies on virtual and hybrid formats. When done well, these offer unprecedented scale, interactivity, and emotional resonance.

Why virtual events are successful for brands in the design sector:

Extended reach and global access: Virtual events break down geographic barriers, letting international journalists and influencers explore immersive design content from anywhere.
Rich, shareable storytelling: these formats offer media-ready experiences that deliver narrative hooks and organic social content.
Active participation over passive observation: Interactive virtual lounges and on-demand workshops empower attendees to co-create their own experience

Incorporating these tactics gives design brands an edge, offering multi-sensory, shareable, and globally accessible experiences that resonate with both media and customers. From virtual trend reports to immersive exhibitions, modern PR engagement hinges on interactive storytelling, creative technology, and purposeful design.

Product Launches & Brand Showcases

In a PR-led experiential strategy, a product launch isn't just an unveiling; it’s a storytelling moment. It’s where design, narrative, and media engagement converge to bring a brand’s latest offering to life. A carefully crafted launch sequence not only introduces a product but also establishes its identity, values, and relevance within broader cultural and industry conversations.

Case study: Martin Moore’s ‘Legacy Collection’ launch

Martin Moore first showcased its Legacy Collection at WOW!house 2024, a high-profile London event celebrating design craftsmanship and innovation. Presenting a bespoke kitchen designed by Studio Vero, the collection reflected pale-washed natural oak, architectural detailing, and artisanal materials.

The launch provided an opportunity for our team to craft storytelling assets and creative content around the brand’s 50-year anniversary. This included curated messaging, press-ready visuals, and digital copy that emphasised the ‘Legacy’ narrative — timeless design for modern living. These content foundations provided consistency across channels and a strong framework for future campaigns.

Why this worked:

Strategic debut at a trusted design platform built aspirational credibility.
Multi-channel activation created layered audience touchpoints.
Aligning design details to the narrative created cohesive, visually rich, and media-friendly messaging.

When planning your own launches for design-focused marketing, think beyond the product alone. Build layered environments, narratives, and engagement touchpoints. Use platforms and formats where your product looks most compelling, and invite media and audiences behind the scenes. Like Martin Moore’s Legacy Collection, great launches excel when craft, story, and audience connection come together in harmony.

Targeting the Right Audience: media, influencers & customers

No matter how immersive, creative, or technically flawless an event may be, its success hinges on who’s in the room (or on the Zoom). One of the most strategic components of any PR-led event is audience targeting: ensuring the right blend of media, influencers, and potential customers is not only invited, but meaningfully engaged before, during, and after the experience.

In today’s crowded media environment, it's more difficult to capture the attention of journalists now than ever before. Traditional tactics like mass press releases or generic event invites rarely cut through. Instead, successful campaigns begin with a focused understanding of your target audience, whether that’s a niche group of interiors editors, a community of sustainability influencers, or design-savvy consumers with high purchasing power.

Tailored invitations, personal briefings, and exclusive pre-event teasers (such as early access to renders or designer interviews) help communicate the value of attending. It’s about creating a sense of relevance, access, and anticipation, all key motivators for busy professionals deciding how to allocate their time.

For media and influencers, the experience must offer more than just product information - it needs a narrative worth sharing. That means visually striking setups, strong brand storytelling, and access to spokespeople or designers. An interactive experience, like a hands-on workshop or guided design tour, gives them something personal to photograph, describe, and recommend.

In the case of design brands, this might include previewing collections ahead of wider public release, or inviting creators to co-host or document part of the event. Influencers in particular thrive on behind-the-scenes content and interactive moments they can tailor to their tone of voice. Meanwhile, journalists benefit from clear, concise messaging and easily accessible media assets post-event.

When it comes to potential customers, the experience must feel inclusive but aspirational - educating them on product value while reinforcing the emotional or lifestyle connection. This might mean live product demos, sensory experiences that speak to materiality and craft, or follow-up content that deepens engagement beyond the event.

For virtual or hybrid events, audience segmentation can be used to tailor breakout sessions or digital content to specific interests, whether that’s design detail, sustainability credentials, or installation know-how.

Strategic Takeaways

Curate your invite list with intention: think quality over quantity and ensure each attendee fits your strategic goal as well as being confident that the concept will resonate with your guests
Design with each group in mind: journalists need stories, influencers need moments, customers need value.
Follow up with relevance: send tailored recaps, assets, or product samples to extend the relationship and build brand loyalty.

The most memorable PR events don’t just fill a room; they bring together the right people, in the right way.

Creative Concepts That Inspire

Innovative, concept-driven events have the power to transcend industry noise and spark genuine engagement, turning typical launches into cultural moments. We’ve been inspired by the work of London-based creative agency Heaps + Stacks, and their fearless, playful approach to experiential event design.

Case Study: Waitrose & Partners Food Lovers Fair

At their spring/summer showcase, Heaps + Stacks transformed a typical retailer event into a lively, family-friendly fairground-style food affair. Drawing inspiration from local farmers’ markets and British traditions, they elevated the experience with playful installations. By weaving nostalgia, community, and light-hearted competition into the event, they created a visually compelling and social media–rich environment that resonated with both media and consumers alike, reminding us that experiential events can be as memorable as they are meaningful.

The result? Experiences that earn press attention, audience loyalty, and social buzz, while setting the stage for brand impact.

What can we learn from this?

Consider what your audience values: whether it’s craftsmanship, heritage, or community.
Layer interactivity: Simple, playful challenges can elevate engagement and drive social media visibility.
Infuse storytelling: design and activity should directly reflect the brand story you want to tell, whether that’s quality, sustainability, or innovation.
Prioritise design: ensuring installations are memorable, easy to photograph, and emotionally resonant.

Event Management: best practice for PR campaigns

Behind every seamless, engaging event is a meticulous web of planning, coordination, and strategy. Whether you’re executing a live product launch, an interactive installation, or a hybrid media event, the difference between "just another PR activation" and a headline-making experience lies in smart, purposeful event management.

Start with Strategy, Not Aesthetics

It’s tempting to jump straight to styling and visuals, but successful PR event management begins with clear objectives. What do you want the audience - be it media, influencers, or potential customers - to feel, do, or remember? How will the event support broader brand or marketing goals? Answering these questions early ensures every creative decision, from venue and format to guest list, styling, and timing, serves a strategic purpose.

A strong marketing plan outlines not only logistics, but also communications flow: from pre-event teasers and save-the-dates to press kits, social content scheduling, and post-event coverage.

Logistics That Elevate Experience

Details make or break the experience. Choose venues that complement your brand identity, but also make sense for press access and AV needs. Ensure lighting enhances rather than flattens your visual story. Allow time for product demos to shine without feeling rushed. And don’t underestimate the basics - timely check-in, accessible formats for virtual attendees, comfortable seating, and refreshments that reflect brand ethos all contribute to how guests feel about your event.

For hybrid events, platform choice is key. Look for event platforms that allow for interactive workshops, polling, Q&As, breakout rooms, and content replay. These tools not only enhance audience engagement but also extend the event’s life cycle across digital touchpoints.

Roles, Run Sheets & Real-Time Agility

An experienced event manager knows that no matter how tight the plan, things shift in real time. Assign clear roles across your team: who’s managing talent, wrangling media, liaising with tech, handling hospitality, or capturing social content? Prepare a detailed run sheet, but build in flexibility to adapt on the fly without compromising guest experience.

Make time for briefing spokespeople and on-the-ground teams. Ensure messaging is consistent and that everyone, from brand reps to event staff, understands what the brand stands for, what the key takeaways are, and how to speak about the experience.

Don’t Forget Post-Event Delivery

Event success doesn’t end when the last canapé is served. Within 24–48 hours, media and influencers should receive tailored follow-ups: press materials, photography, video recaps, and thoughtful thank-you notes. Keep the story alive by sharing behind-the-scenes content, teaser clips, or extending the conversation through follow-up interviews or interactive content like polls or giveaways.

Key Takeaways

Anchor planning in strategic goals, not just creative execution
Anticipate audience needs, from sensory details to storytelling flow
Design a flexible structure that supports real-time agility
Prioritise post-event comms to extend value and build relationships

Well-executed event management turns ideas into impact. It ensures that all the creativity, storytelling, and immersive experiences you build translate into results: stronger media relationships, wider audience reach, and measurable brand engagement.

Measuring Success & ROI

You can craft the most visually stunning, emotionally resonant event, but if you can’t measure its impact, you can’t prove its value. For PR professionals and event managers, understanding and demonstrating return on investment (ROI) is crucial, not only for justifying spend, but for refining strategy and building long-term brand equity.

The definition of event success depends on the goals you set at the outset. Was the event designed to generate press coverage, drive brand awareness, build relationships with influencers, increase customer engagement, or convert attendees into leads? Each goal demands its own KPIs.

Common event objectives and their metrics:

Media coverage: number of articles, quality of publications, share of voice, sentiment analysis, and backlink volume

Influencer engagement: number of posts/stories, reach, engagement rate, brand mentions, and UGC volume

Audience reach & attendance: registrations vs actual attendance, audience demographics, and drop-off rates (for digital)

Engagement: time spent at the event or activation, participation in activities, and interactions (on digital)

Lead generation: email signups, sample requests, post-event inquiries and purchases

Brand sentiment: survey feedback, social listening, and post-event brand perception shifts

Experiential and virtual events can generate exceptional results, but only if you measure what matters. A solid framework for ROI turns creativity into credibility and makes the case for continued investment in standout PR campaigns.

In conclusion

The world of public relations has shifted far beyond traditional lunches and product press drops. In an era where attention is hard-won, the most successful PR strategies blend immersive experiences, emotional storytelling, and smart audience targeting, whether delivered through live, virtual, or hybrid formats. As media become more time-poor and customers more discerning, the value of memorable, multi-sensory brand moments has never been higher.

Experiential marketing gives PR teams a powerful toolkit to deepen brand impact and build emotional connections. When done well, these events become more than just launches; they’re story-driven campaigns that create talking points for journalists, content for influencers, and lasting impressions for customers. From tactile installations to virtual workshops, the most effective events are those that align creative execution with strategic goals.

To truly deliver value, PR events must be measured and managed with purpose. This means setting clear KPIs, building events around audience insight, and ensuring follow-through with press coverage, social amplification, and lead generation. Whether launching a new product or repositioning a legacy brand, remember:

Define your objectives and target audience before designing the experience.
Track success using both qualitative feedback and digital performance data.
Prioritise visuals and interactivity to maximise shareability and media value.

Ultimately, standout PR campaigns don’t just inform - they immerse, engage, and inspire. That’s what transforms an event into a story worth telling.