This year, brand experience agency Smyle has been at the heart of some of the world’s most culturally iconic moments. From the inaugural SXSW in London to Wimbledon and Cannes Lions, the team has helped brands make their mark on the global stage. In this interview, James Howitt, director of client experience and development at Smyle, reveals the planning and strategy behind delivering impact at such high-profile cultural events, and how the agency brings creativity to life across very different audiences and settings.
At these events, Smyle partnered with some of the world’s most iconic brands. At Cannes Lions, the agency delivered experiences for Adobe and TikTok, while at Wimbledon it worked with Evian, Vodafone and IMG, helping each brand stand out in a crowded cultural moment.
Howitt explains that success at this level doesn’t happen by chance, it requires meticulous planning, collaboration and a deep understanding of each brand’s identity and ambitions.
By immersing themselves in the client’s world, the Smyle team can align creative ideas with both the brand’s goals and the cultural context of the event. He said: “We start by understanding what success looks like for a client – what impact they need to deliver as a result of the experience. By applying this to an understanding of what the audience is seeking through the experience we’re able to create a connection that delivers culturally relevant and impactful experiences for both.”
Ensuring that a brand activation or experience feels authentic and relevant to the audience, without being overshadowed by the event itself, is all about balance.
At events like Wimbledon, for example, the brand’s role is less about dominating the stage and more about seamlessly integrating into the cultural moment in a way that feels natural to audiences. Howitt explains: “Finding the balance between the event and brand hierarchy is key. The brand often acts as the ‘facilitator’ at events like Wimbledon driving brand or customer advocacy by association.”
Agencies must also be aware of timing, social sentiment, and social and cultural trends. Smyle’s strategy teams keep track of what’s trending and build insight, trend and audience analysis aligned to the sectors that the agency works in. Whilst initial planning can start months in advance, it is key to leave space to be flexible and adapt closer to the live date so that you can pay attention to what’s going on with the audience around you.
Before designing anything, Howitt advises, it’s essential to understand what the community genuinely needs at that moment and then identify how the brand can authentically deliver that. He says: “Why should they care about you? Why are you here? Don’t force it. Brands need to consider how they earn their place before the moment. Authentic participation requires authentic investment up front, it’s easy to spot the ones that just parachute in or jump on a bandwagon.”
Howitt adds: “Timing shapes everything. A brilliant design can completely miss the mark if it’s too early, too late, or conflicts with the cultural mood. Depending on the level of social sentiment (positive or negative) it can influence what will resonate with the audience and what will not. When sentiment is positive and optimistic, you can be bolder and more aspirational. During times of uncertainty or tension, audiences often respond better to authenticity.”
It is also imperative to appeal to a global audience with these types of events. Cannes Lions, SXSW and even Wimbledon attract global audiences and agencies need to consider how to localise experiences whilst still appealing to a broad, international grown. Howitt says: “The key is creating layered experiences that work at both global and local levels.”
Design should be ‘glocal’ where universal themes provide the foundation, but local nuances add depth authenticity. Howitt adds: “Focusing on emotions like curiosity, connection, surprise and discovery translate across cultures, then layer in local relevance through detail.”
Smyle’s work across events such as SXSW, Cannes Lions and Wimbledon highlights the growing importance of authenticity, timing and cultural awareness in brand experience.
For Smyle, the challenge is always to balance the identity of the event with the ambitions of the brand, while ensuring that activations resonate on both a global and local level.
As cultural events continue to attract increasingly diverse audiences, the ability to create layered experiences that feel both universal and locally relevant will remain essential. By combining strategic insight with creative execution, Smyle aims to help brands not only show up at the world’s biggest cultural moments, but to do so in a way that earns genuine connection with audiences.
