By Meredith Cranmer, co-founder and managing director, Curious Nation
I remember when getting lost in thought meant exploring a quirky side street or stumbling upon a hidden café. These days, my curiosity often feels hijacked by algorithm-fed content and endless scrolls of familiar posts. The magic of discovery has been largely outsourced. But beneath the surface of our digital routines, the spark of genuine wonder still flickers, just waiting for brands to fan it into flame.
Curiosity is the lifeblood of human progress, pushing us to question the familiar and explore new frontiers. It fuels creativity and innovation, prompting us to challenge assumptions and uncover deeper truths about our world. At a time where information is abundant and easily accessible, it is curiosity that compels us to look beyond the surface and seek out meaningful experiences.
Coca-Cola chairman and CEO James Quincey laid it out at the recent Adobe Summit in the US. As AI-generated content floods every corner of our screens, live experiences will become “the only thing you can’t avoid”. He warned that consumers are no longer satisfied with a barrage of uninspiring content. Instead, they are ready to embrace genuine, creative moments that break the mould of passive consumption.
And that digital consumption itself is also on the decline, with research from Dr. Gloria Mark, Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California, indicating that the average attention span on a screen has decreased from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to just 47 seconds in recent years.
Meredith Cranmer
Therefore, it is no longer enough for marketers and brands to simply feed us information or quirky videos and memes if they want to drive real outcomes – brands need to ignite experiences that spark wonder and invite deeper engagement, building deeper and long-lasting connections with consumers who are longing for more than a quick hit digital fix.
And we have examples of some doing it well. Airbnb has launched ‘Categories’, inviting guests to explore stays ranging from castles to treehouses and even off-grid properties. They are not just renting out rooms but offering a passport to adventure that taps into our innate desire to discover the unexpected.
With ‘Icons’, another new Airbnb category, people can enjoy experiences never previously available, such as spending the night in the floating house from the film ‘Up’, spending the night in the Ferrari Museum or a stay in Prince’s Purple Rain house. Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO, captures it perfectly: “As life becomes increasingly digital, we’re focused on bringing more magic into the real world… we’ve created the most extraordinary experiences on earth.”
In Australia, Secret Foodies is revolutionising how we experience culinary adventures. By orchestrating secret dining events shrouded in mystery until the last minute, the brand creates a palpable buzz and a sense of exclusivity that traditional restaurant bookings simply cannot match.
Red Bull also knows how to play the mystery card. Its ‘Unforseen’ events are notorious for keeping details under wraps, offering just enough information to pique curiosity without giving away the full story. This strategy transforms every Red Bull event into an invitation to participate in a larger-than-life experience – a chance to break away from the mundane and dive into something genuinely exciting.
Independent brand strategist, Eugene Healey, captured the essence of this shift perfectly. “When everyone goes broad, it becomes cool to go deep. The coolest people in our society right now are the ones who are the most deeply obsessed with their hobbies and passions.”
It’s also apparent there is a growing appetite from marketers to embrace real-life, in-person, connections. In 2024, spending on experiential marketing was expected to hit US$128.35 billion – rising to above pre-pandemic levels for the first time, according to PQ Media’s B2C and B2B Experiential Marketing Forecast 2024-2028. This trend was confirmed in the US where American consumer spending on experiences during the 12 months ending August 2024 rose by 32%, according to Earnest Analytics.
As AI continues to democratise access to general knowledge, space needs to be left for those who choose to pursue niche interests with a fervour and curiosity that truly stands out. Where broad, superficial understanding is the norm, depth and dedication have become the ultimate status symbols.
Brands must act as catalysts for curiosity, providing spaces where consumers are invited to explore, interact, and engage on a more profound level. The ones that will succeed are not those that have the most content but the ones that make us stop scrolling and start wondering, because the pursuit of genuine, unfiltered experiences remains at the heart of what makes us human.