As a Brit in LA and someone who's spent years crafting experiences, I can’t not talk about Coachella this week.

Not just the music—but what it represents.

Watching weekend one unfold felt like a surreal mashup: from orchestras to Kraftwerk, AI portals to Alok. Nostalgia meets future fantasy.

But something felt…off.

A festival built to be filmed? Or a community designed to be felt?

When I first went, I told friends it "wasn’t a festival." Don’t get me wrong—it was an incredible event in a polo field. But is that me aging, or are we losing the plot?

Are we designing experiences more for YouTube and our phones than for the humans in them?

This, for me, is what a festival should feel like—art meeting music, structure meeting sensation. Not just viewed. Felt.

Here’s What We’re Talking About Today:

Audience Insights & Future Trends: The Humans Are Fighting Back

This part’s personal.

I got into events at 17. A mate said, “We’re going to Glastonbury.” I fell in love with the experience. We got lost for four days. I don’t remember who played but I remember the experience. No photos but still talking about it.

That’s real experience.

Since then, I’ve helped create some incredible shows. The bigger the production, the bigger the wow? The bigger the Instagram bait? However could it all start to blur?

And I’m not alone.

We’re seeing a shift: innovation is circling back to people.

“By 2025, 75% of organisations will prioritise human-centred design.” — UX Matters
“64% of consumers feel exhausted by screen time.” — Deloitte
“84% of Gen Z say their devices improve life—but harm real-world connection.”

Because technology—no matter how advanced—cannot fully meet essential human needs like connection, empathy, touch, belonging, and purpose. Here’s why innovation is returning to human-centered, tactile, and experiential approaches:

1. Human Nature Craves Real Connection
Despite digital progress, humans fundamentally seek emotional and physical closeness—something virtual interactions can't fully replicate.

2. Digital Fatigue and the Desire for Balance
Widespread screen fatigue has sparked a conscious return to tactile, sensory experiences that support mental and emotional well-being.

3. Emotional and Mental Health Concerns
Persistent loneliness and anxiety have made emotionally rich, often physical interactions essential for resilience and happiness.

4. Sustainability and Ethical Considerations
People now prioritize innovations that support communities and the planet—favoring tactile, meaningful experiences over profit-driven efficiency.

5. Renaissance of Analog Experiences
Sensory-rich, analog experiences—like crafts, retail, and community events—offer authentic, emotional connections digital tools can’t match.

6. Cultural Shift toward Meaning and Purpose
As tech’s role is questioned, people seek innovation that enriches life emotionally and spiritually—not just through convenience.

7. Enhancement of Human Capabilities, Not Replacement
Valued innovations now amplify human creativity, senses, and relationships—enhancing rather than replacing what makes us human.

 Final Thought: Consider the experience over the spectacle spectacle

Case Study of the Week: Lush - Innovation by Opting Out 

In 2021, Lush quit social media. No Instagram. No TikTok. No Facebook. They called it “anti-social” - and meant it.

It felt wild. Now? It feels wise.

“We were early adopters in something that felt crazy. Now social media feels crazy.” — Jack Constantine, Lush CDO

While others clung to the algorithm, Lush turned inward—and built loyalty.

Innovation in action:

• 6M+ email subscribers

• 1.75M app users (60% opt-in to push notifications)

• Localised in-app experiences that replace store social accounts

• “Friends of Lush” affiliate program - without going back to influencers

• Events, campaigns and creative built around community, not content

The discomfort:

They gave up reach. 900 store accounts went dark. But they built something richer. Owned. Resonant.

“You’re on borrowed platforms - you don’t own them.”

Takeaway: Lush didn’t innovate by doing more. They innovated by doing less. With intention.

Behind the Scenes: The Creator’s Conflict

Every week, I feel like a bit of a hypocrite.

I’m a marketer. I work with clients. I’ve done projects with mobile networks, alcohol brands, social platforms (no cigarettes or oil companies, for the record).

And this year, I watched Coachella… through Instagram and YouTube. So did my kids—for a second. Then they shrugged and walked off. What does that tell you?

It looked slick. But I wasn’t hooked. It didn’t tell me a story. It didn’t make me feel anything. Not the way the BBC somehow still does with Glastonbury.

The inflatable flowers that shifted from day to night? That stayed with me.

So here’s the real question:

Will it be an awards-entry moment—or something a 17-year-old remembers 30 years later?

Mood Board: What Our Community Is Sharing

📣 Over to You

What’s your take?

Have we lost the plot - or are we finally waking up?

Hit reply. I’ll feature a few responses next week.

🔜 Coming Next Week…

We’re staying on theme with Innovation in Action—plus insights from The Connected Festival and a deeper look at emotional UX done well.