WRITTEN BY // JESSICA HEATHCOTE & KAHLI FITZPATRICK
UPDATED: MARCH 2026
Experiential marketing ROI in 2026 is no longer about quick wins or brand visibility alone. With tighter budgets and rising performance pressure, pop ups must now prove their worth and not just in brand buzz, but in measurable returns across the entire funnel. Plus, when designed strategically, they turn curiosity into engagement, and engagement into meaningful ROI and return on experience (ROE).
In fact, according to the latest American Express Global Meetings and Events Forecast 2026 return on experience (ROE) as also critical metric for marketers and brand teams to consider. This recognises that the emotional needs and expectations of attendees playing are just as large a role as quantitative ROI. With 36% of respondents indicating they will use data and ROI measurement tools in 2026, this measurement of success has shifted and understanding the ROE of an event is an increasingly important qualitative metric.
Whether launching a new product or testing the market, DisplayWise helps brands rethink their pop up strategy from the ground up. With over 25 years experience in shopping centres nationwide, we know how modular designs can reduce cost per activation, why choosing the right location can make-or-break the campaign ROI and ROE, plus how end-to-end management from concept to execution saves you time, reduces stress and ensures success.
Here’s our top 4 ways to boost your experiential marketing ROI for your next pop up.
1. Data-Led Timing & Location to Maximise Experiential Marketing ROI
The most valuable pop ups start with insight, not instinct. In a world where every activation is competing for attention, being in the right place at the right time is non-negotiable. But today, that means more than choosing a high-traffic location — it means using location intelligence and trend data to anticipate when and where your audience will be most receptive.
Consider the following to level up the impact of your ROI:
Leverage GPS Data to Identify High-Foot-Traffic Areas
Strategically position your pop up where your target audience is most likely to engage. From location and custom behaviour analytics such as visitation patterns through to cross-shopping habits and spending trends, your preferred retail operator should have a complete picture.
Aligning your Pop Up with Calendar Moments
From product launches and city events through to retail surges and seasonality, timing is crucial to maximise your ROI and ROE potential. For more strategies on calendar aligned pop up moments, check out our latest article on 5 Creative Ideas for your Mother’s Day Pop Up to spark ideas to create emotional connection and brand experiences with ROI top of mind.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT : Hello Social for Huggies
In collaboration with agency partner Hello Social, DisplayWise brought the Huggies pop up activation to life, a vibrant, purpose built space designed to engage families and celebrate the launch of their new nappy range. The four day event was located at Westfield Bondi Junction, a premium retail destination known for its high foot traffic and family demographic, making it the ideal environment to connect with Huggies’ target audience.
By aligning the activation with a key product launch moment and leveraging location to select a site with strong cross-shopping behaviour, the pop-up achieved both visibility and relevance. DisplayWise delivered a clever space for little smiles (and big brand moments) with integrated LED lighting, bespoke graphics, custom joinery, and branded sampling stations. The experience also included interactive elements such as a custom claw machine, “Cuddle Cam” zone, expert Q&A station, and a meet-and-greet with Huggies ambassador Anna Robards, creating multiple opportunities for families to engage with the brand.
With 2,436 samples distributed and Huggies becoming the most talked about nappy brand on Instagram in Australia, the activation was a clear example of how aligning your pop-up with data-led timing and location insights can elevate brand impact and drive measurable ROI. Ready to raise your pop up ROI this year? Get in touch with DisplayWise to discover how we can support you with a premium design and build that delivers equal parts impact and revenue.
2. Build for Flexibility to Enhance Experiential Marketing ROI
As expectations around sustainability rise, brands are rethinking how they build their pop up strategy. Modular, reconfigurable pop up structures allow you to scale efficiently, whether you’re activating across cities, adapting a campaign mid-way, or reusing key components across different formats. In 2025, the smartest activations are agile by design. They have the potential to reduce costs, minimise waste, and align with both operational realities and audience values.
Check out some of the key benefits to consider when tracking experiential marketing ROI for your campaign:
Modular Display Systems
Designed for modularity, easily transportable, or rebranded for different campaigns, a scalable, premium build can equal brand consistency and more efficient logistics.
Modular Display Systems
The use of eco-friendly materials for low-waste design can contribute to a smaller environmental footprint plus align with your customer expectations to prioritise sustainability and enhanced brand image.
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3. Drive Experiential Marketing ROI Through Immersive, Emotion-Led Engagement
Product selling alone is no longer enough. Audiences are expecting to test, trial, connect, and as such feel something when they walk into your space. Successful pop ups tell a story and are built around participation vs play where digital and physical channels blend into “phygital” brand worlds – inviting discovery, interaction, and personalisation.
Experiential marketing ROI works, and we have the numbers to prove it. A staggering 85% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a brand after participating in an experiential event, and companies report 10x the ROI from attendees versus non-attendees. When the experience is meaningful, the impact is measurable.
Why not try these engagement-first tactics in your next pop up campaign:
LED Walls and Motion-Triggered Digital Displays
These interactive elements create an immersive, responsive pop up environment that boost dwell time and brand recall. Download our Next-Generation LED Panels Brochure to explore more ways to captivate with every pixel.
Product Trial Zones
From staff-led demonstrations to gamified experiences, your brand can turn engagement into intent by letting customers test, play and connect with your products in real time.
Livestream Shopping or Social Amplification Tools
Think TikTok, Instagram and Facebook Live, Hubspot social media tools, or Meltwater to name a few. These tools (and more) will help drive digital traffic and multiply ROI across different channels when you leverage your physical pop up with your online audience.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT : Ciroa Beauty Pop Up
Our collaboration with Ciroa Beauty in Pitt Street Mall, Sydney was a high-footfall retail zone chosen to maximise reach and engagement for the Australian-owned luxury skincare brand. Ciroa approached DisplayWise to design and build a vibrant, pastel-inspired pop up experience that would run for one week in the retail centre. With a strong focus on social media amplification across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, as well as leveraging the city centre location, Ciroa celebrated the lead up to Christmas with their “Sweet Treats” beauty pop up. From a spinning prize wheel to encourage foot traffic and Secret Santa-style giveaways, this bright, tactile retail pop up was instantly shareable and designed for impact.
Across the one-week activation, more than 15,000 shoppers participated in the spin-the-wheel experience, generating sustained foot traffic and strong engagement throughout the campaign period. This pop up proved that when you combine clever design, shareability and perfect seasonal timing, even a short-term activation can punch above its weight in impact. Ready to take your pop up ROI to the next level? Get in touch with DisplayWise to help build a memorable brand experience that converts curiosity into lasting brand love.
4. Measure Smarter to Prove Experiential Marketing ROI
Your pop up might look amazing and drive traffic, but how do you prove it moved the needle? Experiential marketing ROI lives in the broader brand ecosystem and capturing that full picture means designing with tracking and measurement in mind from day one. By integrating analytics tools and feedback loops into your pop up design, you’ll gain clearer insights into what’s working and why.
Start with these smart performance metrics:
UTM QR Code sor URLs
Track in-store journeys with unique tracking codes or identifiers to pin-point impact with more accuracy.
Monitoring Social Shares and UCG
Be on the front foot with user-generated content (UCG) mentions and shares to engage with your audience effectively and expand reach.
Post-Event Surveys and CRM Integrations
Connect sign-ups, bookings, or interactions directly into your CRM to enable lead tracking, follow-up, and measure brand impact.
Offer Personalised Incentives
Continue the customer journey post pop up with exclusive content, discounts, or early access to maximise ROI and ROE.
Ultimately, as brands look to cut through the noise in 2026, pop ups need to prove their worth as strategic, measurable, and emotionally resonant experiences. But their success depends on how well they’re planned, and how flexibly they’re executed. From data-informed location strategies to modular builds and immersive engagement, every touchpoint counts.
At DisplayWise, we work as an extension of your team, managing everything from design to delivery that help bring your bold pop up ideas to life and drive real results. Get in touch with our team to start talking about how we can support you with a premium build that accelerates your pipeline velocity and experiential marketing ROI beyond expectations.
