That's Interesting — July '25
Start with a longing
Great event design harnesses the fundamental human desire to meet in-person. The ever inspiring Priya Parker says 'don't start with logistics start with a longing.' It nicely sums up the conversations that took place at our recent Interesting Breakfast exploring designing experiences for senior audiences, a recap of which is here.
Designing for Difficult Conversations
(5min explore)Munk debates are an in-person format with a mission to rediscover the art of civil public debate. A poll is taken from the audience before and after each debate. The winner is determined by how many people are persuaded to move from one opinion side to the other. Here's an example of us creating a debate format within a professional services event.
Why interesting?
- Topics that become too toxic on social media can be tackled in a civilised way in-person
- Measuring the swing in opinion is a great way of building in competition
- The appetite to broadcast it is more proof that we live in an age of dialogue
Fuckup Nights
(5min read)Bill Clinton called them 'teachable moments' - seeing failures as opportunities to learn. Like TED, Fuckup nights are a licensed format, they've happened in 260 cities. They featuring people sharing stories of failure and learning. The motto is 'fuckup sucks but instructs'. Businesses from Google to Unilever have used the format.
Why interesting?
- Creates a psychologically safe space for vulnerability
- Increases empathy and reduces fear of failure
- Shows the value of repeatable format
Learning from Evita
(3min watch)Huge crowds have been gathering outside London's Palladium to watch Rachel Zegler's balcony performances of Don't cry for me Argentina, a master stroke of theatrical design that brings some magic to Oxford Circus.
Why interesting?
- Shows the power of disrupting the fourth wall and making the urban audience part of the performance
- If fosters unexpected joy - a core principle of great experience design
- It creates valuable social content to promote the show
Kinetic Tennis and Acoustic Veg
(3min watch)Two life affirming experiences, kinetic tennis and acoustic veg, that take something everyday and reframe them in extraordinary ways. Kudos to the creative thinkers behind these wonderful live spectacles.
Why interesting?
- Recontextualising the familiar is a rich creative approach
- Experiences should be felt, not just seen
- Interdisciplinary design produces richer experiences
