One of the things I’ve learned working in Brand Experience is that the best experiences aren’t necessarily the biggest. They’re the ones that give people a genuine reason to be part of them.

That feels particularly relevant in 2026. Kantar’s Marketing Trends points to the growing importance of micro-communities, with authenticity, relevance and tangible value increasingly driving engagement rather than simply pursuing reach. For me, that reflects something I’m seeing more and more: people are selective about where they spend their time and attention, so brands need to create experiences that feel worth being part of.

I saw this first-hand when we planned and delivered the Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Tailgate in Dublin, working closely with Reagan Berube, Sr. Director of Content & International Development, to bring the Steelers’ vision to life around the NFL’s first regular-season game in Ireland.

Dublin presented an interesting challenge. This wasn’t simply about bringing an established American fan experience to an existing audience. It was an opportunity to introduce the Steelers and NFL to people experiencing the brand for the first time, while still giving existing fans something that felt authentically theirs.

The real challenge was to make people feel like they were stepping into the Steelers’ world.

That meant looking at the experience from the fan’s perspective. How do we make a lifelong Steelers supporter feel at home? How do we make someone who has never watched American Football feel welcome? And how do we create something that works for both?

Across three days in Merrion Square, we built that thinking into the experience. From flag football and live entertainment to Steelers legends, merchandise, sponsor activations and the Sunday watch party, there were plenty of reasons to stay, explore, interact and connect.

More than 18,000 fans came through the Tailgate, which sold out in advance. But for me, the headline number only tells part of the story.

What interested me more was what people were actually doing. They weren’t just being exposed to the Steelers brand. They were spending time with it, interacting with each other and creating their own memories around it.

We’ve traditionally been very good at measuring reach, but there’s a difference between someone seeing a brand and choosing to spend their time with it.

That’s why I think the design of the experience matters so much. People don’t get involved simply because a brand invites them to. There needs to be something in it for them,

entertainment, belonging, access, discovery, identity or simply the chance to share an experience.

That doesn’t have to mean doing something spectacular. It can be playing a game, meeting a legend, taking a photo, bringing a friend or simply staying longer than planned. The job is to create those opportunities and let people find their own way into the experience.

The Tailgate also created a bridge between existing fans and new audiences. For lifelong Steelers supporters, there was a strong sense of familiarity and community. For those less familiar with American Football, it offered an accessible way into the sport and the culture around it.

For me, that’s an important role for Brand Experience: rewarding the people who already love a brand while creating a way for new audiences to discover it.

Authenticity was equally important. We didn’t try to create an Irish version of an American tailgate. We brought the energy, heritage and personality of the Steelers to Dublin, while making the experience work for both a local and international audience.

That’s the balance I think brands need when entering new markets. Don’t dilute what makes the brand distinctive, but don’t simply copy and paste it either. Understand what is fundamental to the brand and find the right way to make it meaningful in a new context.

Kantar’s thinking around micro-communities reinforces something I’ve found in practice: audience participation isn’t about luck, it’s about design.

The question, then, isn’t simply, “How many people can we reach?” It’s, “What can we give people that makes them want to participate?” Because reach can put a brand in front of someone. Participation gives them a reason to step inside.

And when people choose to participate, they’re no longer just an audience. They become part of the brand story.