As digital marketing channels continue to evolve, one strategy is experiencing remarkable growth: experiential marketing.
According to new research from PQ Media, global spending on experiential marketing reached $138.94 billion in 2025, an increase of 8.3% over the previous year. The research firm projects even stronger growth in 2026, with worldwide spending expected to rise another 10.3%.
The United States remains the industry’s largest market, accounting for nearly half of all experiential marketing spending worldwide. U.S. companies invested $64.43 billion in experiential marketing during 2025, and PQ Media expects spending to climb another 11.8% this year.
For businesses in Cache Valley, Northern Utah, and Southern Idaho, these numbers reinforce something many local marketers have known for years: there is tremendous value in getting your brand in front of people where they live, shop, learn, and celebrate.
What Is Experiential Marketing?
Experiential marketing refers to marketing activities that allow consumers to interact directly with a brand. Rather than simply seeing an advertisement, people experience the brand through live events, sponsorships, demonstrations, trade shows, festivals, and community gatherings.
PQ Media CEO Patrick Quinn noted that experiential marketing offers something many other media channels cannot: one-on-one engagement with consumers.
That ability to create personal connections helps explain why brands continue increasing their investment in live events even as digital products, social media, and targeted marketing tools become more sophisticated.
The Local Opportunity
While global headlines often focus on major events like the Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, or professional sports sponsorships, the principles behind experiential marketing work just as effectively at the local level.
Businesses in Logan and throughout Cache Valley don’t need a billion-dollar sports venue to create meaningful customer experiences. They simply need opportunities to connect with people in environments where trust and relationships can grow.
That’s one reason local events continue to be an important part of many successful marketing campaigns.
Events Create Meaningful Connections
Cache Valley Media Group has seen firsthand how businesses benefit from connecting with consumers at community events.
The annual Cache Valley Home and Garden Show gives businesses direct access to homeowners actively looking for products and services related to home improvement, landscaping, construction, remodeling, outdoor living, and home technology.
The Cinco de Mayo Festival and Latino Festival provide businesses with opportunities to engage with one of the fastest-growing and most vibrant consumer audiences in Northern Utah through face-to-face interactions, cultural celebration, and community involvement.
The Logan Holiday Gift Show places local retailers, artisans, and service providers in front of shoppers who are already in a buying mindset at the beginnig of the holiday season.
Cache Valley’s Biggest Garage Sale attracts thousands of bargain hunters and treasure seekers, creating opportunities for businesses to showcase products, generate leads, and build brand awareness among highly engaged local consumers.
Whether attendees are planning home improvement projects, shopping for holiday gifts, celebrating cultural traditions, or searching for great deals, these events place businesses directly in front of consumers when they are actively engaged and ready to interact.
In each case, businesses gain something that is difficult to replicate through advertising alone: personal conversations, product demonstrations, immediate feedback, and memorable brand experiences.
The Most Effective Campaigns Combine Live and Digital
The growth of experiential marketing does not mean businesses should abandon traditional advertising or digital marketing. In fact, the most effective campaigns often combine multiple channels.
A business might use radio advertising to build awareness before an event, social media to encourage attendance, digital products to retarget attendees afterward, and email marketing to nurture new leads generated from face-to-face interactions.
When live events are integrated with radio, online advertising, social media, video, and other targeted marketing strategies, the impact can be significantly greater than any single channel working alone.
This integrated approach helps businesses stay visible before, during, and after an event while maximizing the return on their marketing investment.
Looking Ahead
PQ Media expects experiential marketing to continue expanding through the rest of the decade, fueled by major international events and growing demand for authentic consumer engagement.
For local businesses in Cache Valley, Logan, Northern Utah, and Southern Idaho, the takeaway is straightforward: people still value real-world experiences and personal connections.
As marketing channels become increasingly crowded, businesses that create opportunities for meaningful engagement can stand out, build trust, and strengthen customer relationships in ways that digital interactions alone often cannot.
Ready to Connect With Local Consumers?
Whether you’re interested in event sponsorships, radio advertising, digital products, social media marketing, or a comprehensive targeted marketing strategy, Cache Valley Media Group can help you reach the audiences that matter most.
Contact one of our marketing consultants to learn how your business can leverage local events like the Cache Valley Home and Garden Show, Latino Festival, and Logan Holiday Gift Show as part of a results-driven marketing campaign.
Source: PQ Media, 2026 Global Experiential Marketing Forecast.
