Experiential agency TRO is exploring whether live brand experiences can do more than generate engagement, introducing emotion analytics into a BMW activation at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed to measure whether experiences can genuinely change audience perception.
Created to coincide with the debut of the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse, the immersive installation uses camera-based emotion analytics to capture visitors’ emotional responses in real time, moving beyond traditional experiential metrics such as attendance, reach and dwell time.
The project reflects a growing focus across the events industry on demonstrating the commercial impact of live experiences, as brands increasingly seek evidence that experiential marketing can influence behaviour and business outcomes rather than simply attract audiences.
Developed for BMW M, the activation, titled The Legacy Continues, explores whether an immersive brand experience can shift perceptions of electric performance vehicles among automotive enthusiasts.
The installation combines light, sound, dynamic content and sensory storytelling to celebrate more than four decades of BMW M heritage while introducing visitors to the brand’s electric future.
Alongside the experience, TRO has integrated an advanced camera-based emotion analytics platform, allowing the agency to measure audience sentiment throughout the installation and assess whether the experience is changing how visitors think and feel.
The project forms part of TRO’s Experience Impact approach, which focuses on understanding how live experiences influence behaviour and commercial outcomes, rather than relying solely on engagement metrics.
Andrew Orr, managing director at TRO, said: “This project represents an exciting evolution in how experiential marketing is measured. Creating memorable experiences has always been important, but brands increasingly need to understand what those experiences actually achieve.
“Live experiences generate emotional reactions that are immediate, authentic and largely unfiltered. By combining creativity with technology and measurement, we’re able to better understand how those moments influence perception, strengthen brand connection and ultimately shape future behaviour.”