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Today consumers are chasing more than products. They’re chasing experiences.
It was 3 am and I was dragging my sleep-deprived body through the terminals of Doha Airport looking for a patch of fake grass in the promised airport forest, or at the least a coffee. As I stumbled through just on the horizon emerged a Fendi Cafe, with a queue. If regular airport coffee already costs the price of a small suitcase, what would a Fendi-branded latte set you back? I didn’t stick around to find out.
That moment stuck with me—not because of the caffeine I didn’t get, but because of what it said about us. I recently saw a post about Millennials and Gen Z shifting away from traditional advertising in favour of immersive experiences. And there I was, wandering through an airport forest, dodging high-concept coffee kiosks…hmmm. Was I to blame for the lack of affordable coffee in the airport? Unlikely.
This isn't about overpriced cappuccinos. It's about how brands meet consumers where they want to be - experiencing, feeling, participating, not just shopping.
A week later, I’m sitting at home in Berlin and thinking of it again as I silence my mailbox notifications from the “Gallery Weekend X Brand X Location X Pop-Ups” emails. These are some of the results of the shifting consumer habits of Millennials and Gen Z’s (and some younger Gen X’s), I can say I do contribute more so towards this than the luxury airport coffee.
Experience Over Product: The Consumer Shift
The results of these shifts are that companies and brands need to capture and/or create opportunities for shared experiences with these customers. This can be tough if you are perhaps a footwear brand looking to benefit from the experiential retail economy - “Pop-Ups”. Your customers are not likely to come by your footwear store to hang out and be convinced by your sales staff and playlists alone. No, they are more likely to come by and hang out if you have an event in store… maybe with some music? Snacks? Free drinks?Millennials are seeking control over their health, wellness, and work. While Gen Z has adopted many of the same shopping habits, they have new behaviours and opinions. Gen Z are craving experiences that inspire and entertain them. Both generations want brands to meet them, not just market to them.
These generations live online, but that doesn’t mean they don’t value in-person experiences. For them, it’s not just about visiting a place; it’s about the stories they can tell afterward. The most intriguing part of this all: across generations, the majority are willing to pay money for an experience rather than a product.
Enter: athleisure
What began as a fashion trend is now booming as a lifestyle movement, fuelled by health consciousness, hybrid work, and social identity. If you're wearing the clothes to do something, it makes sense the brand is helping you do it.These concepts took off in Berlin. Business owners and customers ran towards them - physically ran. Berlin running clubs were at the front of the collaboration list for companies looking to create customer experiences and physical brand touch-points. Having matured in their cult-like status over recent years, running clubs were the new social clubs, and a reason to collaborate was just around the next corner.
Brands like Optimistic Runners - a local Berlin-run club apparel brand - were early adopters of this blend. With monochromatic gear, Strava-linked runs, and cult-level energy, their 9 am Saturday runs feel less like workouts and more like brand rituals.
Major players followed quickly on their heels. On Running, Adidas, New Balance, HOKA, and Ante came in hot and collaborating. The Adidas x Ante partnership is a standout example - hosting community runs, curated pop-ups, product customisation workshops, and post-race drinks during events like the Berlin Half Marathon. The weekend pop-up wasn’t just a product launch - it was a curated lifestyle moment. Fitness, fashion, community, music, food - everything woven into a seamless experience and ticking all the marketing boxes in calendar alignment, guest curation, engagement, and ultimately product placement.
It’s not just for runners.
The overarching Wellness Trend is the mother of the Athleisure trend. As mentioned, millennials are looking for holistic well-being in their lives and so are Gen Z. London nightlife is seeing a rise in alcohol-free events. As younger generations lean into sober socialising they are looking for spaces to connect with their community in often alcohol-free, early-morning, or daytime gatherings, where they can blend wellness and community with party culture. Brands are tapping in by creating environments that feel aligned: functional, beautiful, social, and healthy.It is only growing and maturing across industries, and where the budgets are bigger, so is the investment. Copenhagen Fashion Week for example has a growing focus on more direct-to-consumer activations and boutique dinner parties. They’ve long supported emerging talents, giving them the opportunity to host tight communities and attract key industry players to their events. These aren’t afterthoughts - they’re central strategies.
Thom Browne’s SS25 show is a perfect case in point. The traditional runway was replaced with a curated dinner party at Commerce Inn (a century-old inn on the corner of Commerce Street in New York’s historic West Village). Guests engaged with the clothing in an intimate setting, some already wearing the collection to the event. It created a memorable, sensory-rich event where every guest was made a participant, not just a spectator.
The deepening of brand connection was not only to those attending but to those online who share in the experience. Should the opportunity arise for customers to attend events at a price, chances are more likely that they would after having seen the nature of it online beforehand. This is where fashion is heading: experiences that feel lived in, not just looked at.
Why this works
To create moments like these, brands need big budgets and bigger collaborations. It's rare for one brand to do it all. So, partnerships become vital and each partner can bring forward their best trading card. Some bring products. Others bring culture. Others, budget. The most successful events today are co-created.And it works. Customers show up. They post. They remember you in their purchasing decisions. But most importantly - they feel. That’s why these events aren’t just marketing strategies—they’re part of how people relate to a brand’s identity.
These trends signify a cultural recalibration; one where lifestyle integration, fashion, health, and experiences meet.
Personally, I love this direction. I love helping build these experiences and I love showing up for them. They highlight subcultures, values, and aesthetics that resonate deeply - even when the moments themselves are curated. But, curation is not the opposite of authenticity; it’s a tool to deepen it.
What consumers are gaining isn’t just a product or event—it’s a sense of belonging, and participation.
In this landscape, the purchase comes last. The emotional connection comes first.