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Part of The Experiential Edge series — exploring how Experiential Communications Design transforms connection into performance.

“Over a 10-year period, Customer Experience Leaders outperformed the S&P 500 Index by 45 points, while Laggards underperformed by 76.”

— Watermark Consulting, Customer Experience ROI Study

Introduction

For many executives, design and experience are often labeled as “intangibles.” Yet the numbers tell a different story.

From market share to loyalty, companies that invest in experiential communication outperform those that don’t — measurably and consistently.

At Mountain Stream Group, Experiential Communications Design (ECD) isn’t just a creative discipline; it’s an economic one. By turning brand interactions into memorable, multi-sensory experiences, ECD strengthens loyalty, increases advocacy, and accelerates growth across every channel.

Extensive research from Watermark Consulting, McKinsey & Company, and Forbes confirms that emotional and experiential engagement directly correlate with business success. Experience design doesn’t just feel right — it performs.

Framework Connection

ECD is the bridge between perception and performance.
It takes the emotional resonance of brand storytelling and aligns it with data-driven business outcomes.

Here’s how the numbers stack up across three key dimensions:

1. Loyalty

  • 70% of consumers are more likely to become repeat customers after a positive brand experience (EventTrack ¹).
  • 87% will recommend brands that make them feel appreciated (Edelman ²).

2. Growth

  • 85% of customers say they’re more likely to purchase after attending a live brand event (EventTrack ³).
  • 65% of marketers report measurable sales growth from experiential campaigns (EMI Research Solutions ⁴).
  • 91% of attendees share brand experiences on social media, amplifying awareness and reach (EventTrack ⁵).

3. ROI

  • Experiential campaigns deliver returns from 3:1 up to 10:1 (Forbes ⁶).
  • Companies with consistent branding see revenue growth up to 33% (Lucidpress/Marq ⁷).
  • Customer Experience Leaders outperform laggards in stock performance by over 120 points (Watermark Consulting ⁸).

When creativity, strategy, and data converge, experience becomes the most quantifiable driver of business value.

Why It Matters

  • Emotion pays dividends. Emotionally connected customers have a 52% higher lifetime value (Motista ⁹).
  • Design drives growth. Companies that excel at design grow revenue twice as fast as competitors (McKinsey ¹⁰).
  • Experience compounds trust. Brands that deliver consistent sensory experiences generate stronger advocacy and long-term profitability.

ECD doesn’t replace analytics — it amplifies them. It’s where the art of connection meets the science of performance.

Connector

Behind every number is a feeling. And behind every feeling, a framework. The next post brings it all together — showing how Mountain Stream Group’s three disciplines align to elevate business performance.

Continue the Journey

See how ECD, Brand DNA, and the Nexus Control Loop connect in “Integrating Disciplines — The MSG Advantage.”

Explore Experiential Communications Design

Footnotes / References

1. EventTrack, “Experiential Marketing Trends,” 2023.

2. Edelman, “Brand Trust Report,” 2021.

3. EventTrack, Ibid.

4. EMI Research Solutions, “Event Marketing ROI,” 2022.

5. EventTrack, “Experiential Marketing and Social Amplification,” 2023.

6. Forbes, “Experiential Marketing ROI: Why Engagement Outperforms Ads,” 2020.

7. Lucidpress (Marq), “Brand Consistency Report,” 2023.

8. Watermark Consulting, “Customer Experience ROI Study,” 2020.

9. Motista, “Customer Connection Study,” 2020.

10. McKinsey & Company, “The Business Value of Design,” 2018.

Jeff Klingberg
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