Las Vegas – September 24, 2026 -- Hands-on participation at live brand events correlates with an 85% increase in purchase intent among deeply engaged attendees, according to new research from experiential agency Spiro released today.
Spiro's second EMIR report isolates which design choices drive trust and sales action
The findings come from EMIR: The Deeper Dive, the second wave of Spiro's Experiential Marketing Impact Report (EMIR), based on a survey of 2,000 additional B2B and B2C live-event attendees. The first EMIR report, published in 2025, established a business case linking live experiences to trust, advocacy and purchase intent; this follow-up isolates which specific design decisions produce those results.
Knowledgeable staff and clarity of message rank as top trust drivers
Human interaction proved decisive: 43% of attendees said knowledgeable staff increased their trust in a brand, and 54% reported feeling more engaged after talking with a real person. A clear, easy-to-understand value proposition made an experience feel worthwhile for 40% of respondents.
Spiro frames findings as start of an "Effectiveness Era" for experiential marketing
"Marketers already know a great experience can be powerful. The harder questions are why it worked, what actually mattered and whether you can do it again,