We welcomed back the D&AD Shift cohort to our studio last week for an inspiring evening exploring the future of experiential marketing.
D&AD Shift is an industry-led night school for self-made creatives without formal higher education qualifications, providing an accessible pathway for emerging talent to learn from and connect with the creative industry. Now in its fourth year of partnership, our collaboration with this pioneering programme continues to be an invaluable part of Identity’s culture and creative development.
The three-hour session explored why experiential marketing continues to expand its share of the marketing mix, before examining how AI is revolutionising our approach, from initial ideation through to campaign development and live activations. Our team showcased cutting-edge applications enabling hyper-personalisation, dynamic content creation, and real-time onsite experiences that amplify brand messaging while delivering measurable impact.
The evening concluded with a creative brief that challenged the Shifters to respond with their own ideas. The results? Fresh, creatively bold concepts.
These sessions are as valuable to Identity and our culture as they are to the Shifters. They expose our team to diverse perspectives and emerging trends, ensuring we remain connected to the fresh thinking that will shape the industry’s future.
We’re already looking forward to the January showcase and continuing this brilliant partnership with D&AD Shift.
Sandra Ofori-Forbes, Programme Producer, D&AD Shift London, said: “This marks our fourth year partnering with Identity, and each time the team delivers an engaging, hands-on session that really brings the world of experiential to life for our Shifters. It’s always inspiring to see the whole team get involved – sharing their expertise, encouraging curiosity, and giving our creatives a real taste of what goes into creating memorable experiences. We were honoured to spend their final evening as Smyle with them and can’t wait to see what Identity gets up to next.”
Matt Margetson, Innovation Director, Identity, added: “We absolutely loved having the Shifters with us again – their creativity and energy were incredible. The ideas they came up with in just a 30 minute workshop genuinely blew us away. That’s all it took for them to prove why diverse, hungry talent creates the kind of work that makes people sit up and take notice. This is exactly the creative fuel that drives experiences that genuinely changes everything.”
