DOLBY’S JOE RIVERS: DEFINING IMMERSION IN MARKETING

Marketing leaders face a constant challenge: cutting through the noise. With digital saturation reaching a tipping point, brands are turning to experiential marketing to create deeper, more meaningful connections. But what does a successful brand experience look like when technology moves faster than trends?

Joe Rivers, Global Experiential Marketing Manager at Dolby, suggests the answer lies not in chasing the latest fad, but in mastering the fundamentals of human connection. Drawing from a decade of experience spanning agency promotions to leading global strategy for one of the world's most iconic audio-visual brands, Rivers offers a unique perspective on the future of immersion.

Here is how brands can navigate the evolving landscape of experiential marketing.

Defining Immersion Beyond the Buzzword

Immersive" has become a staple in marketing vocabularies, often used to describe anything from a VR headset demo to a well-decorated trade show booth. However, Rivers warns against viewing immersion as a fleeting trend.

"Immersion is frankly such an awesome thing to experience," Rivers says. "It’s where you get lost in something. Whether it's a TV show, a pop-up, an event, or a conversation you're having with a stranger… that is immersion. What are you being immersed in in the moment where everything else is secondary?"

For 2026 and beyond, successful immersion requires more than high-tech gimmicks. It demands multi-sensory engagement and an environment that allows consumers to let their guard down. Whether B2B or B2C, the goal remains the same: creating a narrative strong enough to make the outside world fade away.

The Undervalued Power of Sound

While visual spectacles often dominate the conversation around brand activations, sound plays a critical, if often subconscious, role in transportation.

Rivers notes that while sound isn't necessarily underused, it is frequently undervalued. "People are pretty methodical about [knowing] there needs to be something of sound or music," he explains. "But they don't value that because what that is doing is putting you in the place of that experience."

For a brand like Dolby, audio is central to the identity. But for other enterprises, auditory elements — or even the strategic use of silence — can be the difference between a visitor viewing a space and actually feeling present within it.

Cutting Through the Noise

The sheer volume of events, pop-ups, and activations globally has created a paradox of choice for consumers. Rivers admits that even as an industry insider, the saturation makes it difficult for individual experiences to stand out.

"I actually feel like there's so much noise that I don't know how people are cutting through it all," Rivers says. "I find that there's so many events and pop-ups and experiences. How can someone remember the one thing?"

His most memorable experience wasn't a high-budget technological marvel, but a simple interaction involving a stranger and a deck of cards. This reinforces a key lesson for strategists: intimacy often leaves a deeper mark than scale. In an era where AI allows consumers to see "impossible" things on their screens daily, physical experiences must offer something digital cannot — genuine human connection.

B2B vs. B2C: The Emotional Core

Traditionally, Dolby operates as a B2B powerhouse. However, as their technology integrates further into living rooms, automotive, and gaming, the line between B2B and B2C blurs. Rivers suggests that the distinction in experiential strategy might matter less than we think.

"It is about really going back to the emotional side of things," he says. "That's what immersion is. It's like, how are you able to evoke emotions to people? That is a really big thing that I've thought about... that's what you have to do with both B2B and B2C."

Whether targeting a CTO or a casual gamer, the activation must trigger an emotional response to be effective.

The Value of Saying Yes

For those entering the field or looking to pivot within it, Rivers emphasizes the importance of curiosity and networking. His trajectory — from brand ambassador to tour manager to global strategy — was built on a willingness to engage.

"Don't be afraid to meet new people or have new conversations," Rivers advises. "Say yes to that opportunity. Or say yes to a person that's talking to you. It could lead to so many things."

Elevating Your Brand Strategy

As marketing leaders plan for the upcoming fiscal year, the takeaways from Rivers are clear. Stop chasing trends that will expire before your campaign launches. Instead, focus on storytelling, undervalue no sense (especially sound), and remember that the most high-tech solution is often less effective than a simple, human moment.

To learn how you can turn your next event into a content engine that drives real engagement, explore our integrated marketing solutions today.