I’ve noticed a recurring trend in the live entertainment industry: many shows are visually stunning—dazzling lights, elaborate costumes, flawless technical performances—but often I walk away unsettled. They don’t stay with me. They leave no lasting impressions, emotions, or reflections. They aren’t memorable.

And that makes me wonder: Are we trading purpose for aesthetics and narrative for decoration?

This isn’t an empty or bitter critique of the industry. It’s simply a reflection on something I believe needs to be discussed with both seriousness and kindness.

The ‘Wow’ illusion: why visual impact doesn’t ensure emotional connection

Dazzling the eyes is easy. The real challenge is making something stay with people after the lights go down. Many live shows rely on the “wow effect”: blinding lights, thunderous sound, and jaw-dropping special effects. But does that really build an emotional connection?

There’s a fundamental difference between remembering what we saw and feeling what we experienced. Big-budget, grandiose events are often forgotten within days, while intimate experiences with well-crafted stories linger in memory for years. The “Instagrammable” culture exacerbates the issue, prioritizing aesthetics for likes while sacrificing emotional substance. The result? Events that look stunning but lack emotional depth.

When everything becomes a spectacle for social media, there’s little left to truly transform the person living the experience.

Art direction is strategy, not decoration

Another critical aspect in crafting memorable experiences is how often the role of art direction is misunderstood. Art direction is not makeup—a final visual touch. It is emotional architecture, and it belongs in the foundation of a project, not in the finishing layer.

A common mistake is involving creative direction only at the end of the process, as a visual resource to “save” an already-defined project. By that stage, it’s usually too late: narrative problems have already been created, misguided strategic decisions have been made, and resources have been wasted.

Art direction is strategic because it directly influences brand perception, audience experience, and even behavior. It doesn’t just define what the audience sees—it defines how they feel. That’s why it needs to be involved from the very beginning.

Moreover, when a strong creative concept is established early on, it not only makes the event more impactful — it also makes it more cost-efficient. It prevents rework, rushed decisions, and unnecessary spending on improvised or superficial solutions. A clear narrative from the start saves money and maximizes emotional impact.

Emotional design: how space, light, and sound become narrative tools

Let’s be clear: lighting, sound, costumes, and set design are not the problem. The problem arises when these elements aren’t supporting any clear narrative. When used intentionally, they become powerful storytelling tools, capable of dramatically enhancing the emotional impact of an experience.

Events like Barzakh (Waldorf Project) or Viola’s Room are strong examples. In both, purposeful silence, precisely positioned lighting, and minimalistic soundscapes reshape audience perception, creating tension, introspection, or euphoria at exactly the right moments. In these cases, the creative director acts like a conductor, orchestrating sensory elements to craft an experience that is emotionally resonant and unforgettable.

Emotional design doesn’t decorate—it narrates, guides, and moves.

The ROI of emotion: why story-driven experiences deliver better financial results

There’s a persistent belief in the industry that investing in creative direction, dramaturgy, and storytelling is a luxury, optional and expendable. But what if that’s exactly what drives higher financial returns?

Studies show that experiences with clear, intentional narratives lead to higher engagement, stronger brand loyalty, and even increased average ticket value. Notable examples like Sleep No More in New York or Meow Wolf in the U.S. prove this in practice. They’re not just attractions—they build cult followings.

Emotion doesn’t just enchant—it converts. Emotionally resonant events sell more tickets, generate organic buzz, and spark word-of-mouth, leading to both artistic and financial success.

In other words, emotion pays the bills—and pays them well.

What the best examples teach us

Shows like Sleep No More, The Burnt City in London, and installations like Barzakh don’t just impress visually—they leave deep emotional imprints that linger in the audience’s memory.

Psychological and neuroscientific research from institutions like Stanford University and Ohio State University has identified a phenomenon called narrative transportation: a state of deep immersion in storytelling, where individuals become emotionally absorbed by the narrative. This results in heightened emotional engagement, more vivid memories, and long-term shifts in perception and behavior (Green & Brock, 2000; Zak, 2015).

In immersive performances such as Barzakh and Viola’s Room, the deliberate use of silence, lighting, and minimalist soundtracks proves the power of emotional design as a narrative language. These sensory elements guide audiences through intense and memorable emotional journeys.

These findings confirm what visionary creative directors have always known: the key to a lasting experience lies not in form alone, but in the deep, intentional connection between form and meaning.

“The experience that stays is the one that surprises, moves, and lingers long after the curtain falls. Form amplifies meaning, but never replaces it.”

These examples clearly demonstrate the value of investing not only in visual impact but also in purposeful storytelling that truly transforms the audience experience.

This is personal (But it might be yours too)

I’m not writing this article out of theory—I’m writing it out of genuine frustration. As a creative director, it hurts to see events with massive potential reduced to nothing more than “light and feather parades.” It hurts because I know they could be so much more. They could be experiences that move people, spark real emotions, and leave unforgettable marks.

Every time we deliver entertainment without purpose, we’re generating noise—something easily replaced, quickly forgotten, and ultimately disposable. That’s not what audiences deserve. And it’s certainly not the standard our industry should settle for.

We’re missing precious opportunities to touch lives, build memories, and create lasting legacies. And the cost of that loss is far too high to ignore.

If you’ve ever felt that your work—or your vision—deserves more depth, then this reflection is yours too. It’s not just my frustration; it belongs to all of us who still believe that art and entertainment can—and must—mean something more.

How can we change this reality?

Changing this reality isn’t just possible—it’s urgent. But it requires courage, commitment, and a shift in mindset from decision-makers:

  • Put the right people in the right roles: creative direction is strategic, not decorative. Professionals who understand emotional depth and narrative structure must be involved from the very beginning—not brought in at the end to “polish” the project.

  • Invest in storytelling from the start: a clear narrative is not a luxury—it’s a smart strategy. It saves money, increases efficiency, and maximizes emotional impact. Skipping storytelling means giving up on meaningful audience connection.

  • Radically improve curation of creative professionals: hire for vision, not just technical skill. We need professionals who think strategically and emotionally about what they’re creating—not just those who execute isolated tasks.

  • Build multidisciplinary teams: transformative events aren’t created by isolated geniuses, but by integrated, collaborative, and diverse teams. Creativity flourishes when people with different skills and perspectives work together toward a shared purpose.

Creating memorable experiences requires more than technical execution—it takes deep intention, strategic clarity, and emotional purpose from the very beginning. Those who commit to this are choosing to create something that truly matters.

An invitation to elevate the industry

I write this not as someone pointing fingers, but as someone who dreams of a braver, more intentional industry. Because creating with meaning is, above all, an act of love and commitment to those on the receiving end of the experience.

This article is an invitation—a call to reflect on what we’re delivering to the public. I’m not here to assign blame but to encourage a healthy, necessary conversation:

Isn’t it time we raised the creative bar—aiming for experiences that are not only beautiful but meaningful?

Maybe this resonates with you—a venue owner, entertainment director, or live experience manager. If you’ve been sensing that events are becoming repetitive and shallow, I invite you to reflect and explore how we can do things differently.

Because yes, form matters—but it’s the meaning that transforms.

And if we’re not creating to transform… What are we creating for, really?