Talk to me, touch me, teach me: 3 new rules for brand impact

Link to the article on W&V.

Today, brands only reach their audience if they act in a personal, playful, and surprising way — for example, through immersive brand experiences. These increase time spent and conversion rates. 3 cases that impress — and not just with technology.

In the past, a prime TV slot — like just before the evening news — was enough. Today, not even great creative work is enough. What really matters in brand communication has shifted dramatically over the last three years — and three case studies show where things are headed. Insights and lessons from this period reveal a major shift in strategy and open up new ways to create measurable marketing impact.

TALK TO ME: People don’t want to be a target group — they want to feel seen

People no longer want to be addressed as abstract target groups. They expect communication to connect with their personal situation — in a way that feels individual, specific, and emotionally relevant. The more personal the moment, the greater the impact.

This idea is at the heart of the campaign “Meet Your Future Self” for Neue Leben and their Sparkasse partners. To engage young people in retirement planning, a hyper-personalized experience was created — both digital and physical. Users have a video conversation with their older self, either on their smartphone or at one of over 50 interactive kiosks in Sparkasse branches.

Generative AI, deepfake aging, chatbots, sound, and animation come together to make a complex topic feel real and personal: What can I do today to help my future self? The emotional impact is clear in the results:

• Avg. time spent: over 5 minutes (vs. ~40 seconds)
• 5.68% conversion rate (vs. ~1.8% industry average)
• Over 20% voluntary return visits
• 50% more advisory meetings
• 55% higher contribution amounts

Why it works:

• Personal relevance: Talking to your future self makes the topic real
• Hyper-personal experience: Each interaction feels unique
• Emotional spark: Seeing your older self leaves a lasting impression
• Action trigger: The experience drives real engagement

Thanks to its strong performance, the 3-month campaign is now being expanded into a long-term initiative.

TOUCH ME: People don’t buy tech — they buy how it makes them feel

People don’t buy because of AR, VR, or AI features. They buy into the feeling: connection, culture, story, personal relevance. The more playful, emotional, and intuitive the experience, the stronger its impact.

One example: Gustavo Gusto’s kids’ pizza AR experience. Together with kids’ band Deine Freunde and audio agency German Wahnsinn, they created a custom song and music video — “Backe Backe Pizza” — as an AR show on the pizza box. Scanning the box triggers a mini concert, guided by a tomato roadie, blending music, animation, and interaction.

The results speak for themselves:

• Over 11,000 AR activations
• Avg. time spent: 4+ minutes
• 33% voluntary return users
• Music video: 88,000 YouTube views
• 1.1 million+ tomatoes and cheese pieces “scratched”

Why it works:

• The product is the stage: The experience starts right from the packaging — in everyday life, right at the brand
• Staged brand moment: From roadie to stage, it’s a full story — turning tech into a real show
• Multi-sensory and intuitive: Everything fits together smoothly, and the easy entry makes the tech feel like play
• Parents feel good, kids love it: Fun for children, and a feel-good purchase for parents: “A pizza just for my kid.”

Even though the campaign officially ended, the digital experience continues — as long as the product is on shelves.

TEACH ME: Experiences are powerful when they go beyond expectations

The most effective experiences don’t just inform — they stir emotions, surprise, and challenge. Especially for complex topics, a break in storytelling can open new layers or shift perspectives.

Telekom applied this idea at Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg. Known for its peaceful, detailed miniature worlds, the space was enhanced through AR — without changing anything physically. Visitors saw in real time how +2 °C and +5 °C of global warming would turn the “Wunderland” into a “Warmland,” with floods, fires, and extreme weather.

The impact:

• 30,000 visitors in 7 days
• 250+ media reports, national and international
• Over 13 million impressions

Why it works:

• Familiar but fresh: It builds on something people already know and adds a digital layer
• Extra emotional depth: AR overlays reality and opens space for reflection
• Tech stays in the background: It’s a tool, not the focus
• Emotional twist: The contrast creates surprise and a shift in perspective

No surprise the experience continues to live on. Telekom uses the installation on special campaign days — even outside of Miniatur Wunderland.

The Core Flow

Across projects, one principle proves true every time: impactful brand communication isn’t a straight funnel — it’s a flow.

A sequence of invitation, interaction, and action that not only reaches people but involves them — making it more lasting than any traditional ad.

1. Invitation: Start small — and real. Don’t shout. Instead, offer an honest, emotional, low-barrier invitation. Less “Buy this,” more “Join us.”
2. Interaction: Think experience — not formats. Ask: What do people feel in that moment — and how can we involve them? It’s about participation, not just watching.
3. Action: Connect meaning to emotion. Great communication moves people — to share, remember, act. Link content with relevance and feeling.

That’s the flow that creates real impact — in the moment and beyond.

The Future of Brand Communication

One-way communication is over. People don’t want to be a target — they want to be part of something. Brands must create experiences that matter — not with flashy tech, but with genuine connections built through dialogue, interaction, and personal relevance.

It all starts with one key question: How do we speak to people in a way that makes them feel truly seen?

About the Author:
Julia Wübbe is Managing Director at Curious Company — a digital agency for immersive brand communication. The company blends strategy consulting, creative services, and digital production to create high-impact experiences, sustainable digital products, and immersive storytelling for brands. Clients include Siemens, neue leben, Globetrotter, Europa-Park, and GoBanyo.