I am currently the Co-founder and President for the Unified Brand Experience Lab. BEL provides integrated solutions for Brands and Retailers utilizing emerging technology, shopper insights and retail industry experts. We also give companies in retail, VR/AR and OOH industries a place to work, showcase and sell the technologies they’re creating.
In addition, I am using my vast experience in bringing the power of VR/AR to brand marketing to help clients understand how they can use these technologies to create the right experiences for their brands and clients. VR/AR is exploding again and companies are looking to see how they can use this technology to create compelling experiences for both their customers and employees.
Feel free to email me for more information or just to say hello!
Some of my past accomplishments include:
Early pioneer of Experiential Advertising, the use of VR for advertising and marketing way back in 1991:
- Created many of the first advertising programs to use VR.
- Produced the largest promotional program ever to use VR, the Cutty Sark Virtual Voyage. Two systems traveled the US for 18 months doing presentations to tens of thousands of people in the mid-90's.
- Won Best Trade Show award for our 26-seat Immersive Animation theater for Cabletron Systems in 1994.
- Global speaker on the use of VR for marketing and brand experiences.
Helped generate $10 million+ in revenue for AT&T AdWorks by designing and running an innovative and engaging media lab experience *
- Oversaw creative development and construction of brand experience space to introduce agencies and clients to the AdWorks product offerings
- Delivered Lab space on time and under budget.
- Developed narrative for the entire experience.
- Delivered 600+ presentations to agency heads and clients.
- Create a multimedia, "Future Look" experience showcasing the future of TV & multiscreen advertising.
While at the Brand Experience Lab
- Worked with major university to successfully transfer technology for major client projects.
- Launched the first in-cinema, group interactive experience, AudienceGames, NewsBreaker Live, with SS+K and msnbc.com,
- AudienceGames won two Gold Pencils and a Bronze Cannes Lion.
- AudienceGames with Volvo in the UK was called "one of the best marketing ideas in the world" by Brandweek magazine.
- Also brought AudienceGames to theaters across Poland for Orange.
Key note speaker on VR, emerging technology and brand experiences around the world, including:
- Presented six times at SXSW, including Conversations with Digital Natives featuring two of the youngest speakers ever to present and two panels on VR.
- Six years of leading tours of CES, helping brand executives understand the impact behind the technologies at the show.
- International presentations include:
- Cannes Advertising Conference
- World Summit of Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Oman
- Experiential Summit, Sydney
- Imigina, the International Festival of Television, Monaco
- Future of Marketing, Lima Peru
- Marketing Live!, Utrecht
- PICNIC, Amsterdam
- Presentations for advertising/marketing industry in Amsterdam, Peru, Norway and Denmark
Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.
With over 25 years of experience in creating brand experiences and several years on both the client and agency side, I am helping companies better understand the emerging technology trends like VR and AR, in addition to looking at technologies for OOH and the future of retail. I started with VR in 1991 and was an early pioneer in Experiential Advertising, the use of VR/AR for advertising and I now bring those years of hands-on experiences to both agencies and VR companies. I learned firsthand what works and what doesn't, having brought VR to tens of thousands of people over the years.
Prior to launching BEL, I was the Director of the PwC Experience Center, working in innovation and emerging technologies. I also worked on developing programs around VR/AR and how digital is impacting physical space. In addition, I was lead mentor and introduced storytelling and pecha kuchu for the BXT training pilot.
Previously, I was the Director of the AT&T AdWorks Lab, here in NYC. It was very exciting to be in a place where all of my previous skills came together to create one, exciting brand experience! I have to say, we created a very cool environment, built on the narrative of Inform, Engage, Inspire. Check out a video of the space below to learn more about that project.
AT&T Adworks Lab from sheena matheiken on Vimeo.
.For 20+ years, I have explored emerging technologies that can help brands tell better stories. I have also helped brands align their online and offline experiences into Oneline™ experiences, to create a better business, drive revenue and differentiate in a world that's too similar. I help brands understand how to better connect with their audience and that today what you do is far more important then what you say.
You may have known me as the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of the Brand Experience Lab, which was called
"A playroom for marketers and agencies" by Ad Age when it first opened. Or, you may know me from my days writing Experience Manifesto, a blog I wrote for over 5 years. Or maybe you know me as LBBINC (my previous company was Location Based Branding) on Twitter. And this road I'm on began way back in the early 90's, when I was first introduced to virtual reality by Dave Peters of Absolute Amusements. In those many years, I've covered a lot of ground, but one thing has remained consistent: I've looked for innovative ways to create compelling, authentic and relevant brand experiences. "These days, many of us are so focused on the day to day that we lose sight of the incredible need to focus on future possibilities. David makes you see the world through a different set of lenses and imagine new ways to think and grow. The endless opportunities for business growth spew from this man's incredible creative mind in unimaginable ways. He is a talent you simply have to experience." Mort Goldstrom, from the Newspaper Association of America.
msnbc.com NewsBreaker Live The above video is one example of the work that I did as the Founder of the Brand Experience Lab. As the lead on the award winning work for the msnbc.com NewsBreaker Live, I helped to create one of the first, large-scale, in-cinema interactive experiences, something we took on the road around the world. And it's a prime example of what I call the Socialization of Place. I've been talking about creating authentic, compelling and relevant brand experiences for almost 20 years. Today, it's even more critical to create the right experience to be successful in today's world of social media and brand commoditization. I also believe a great deal in the future of 'interaction' marketing, and the embedding of emerging technology into retail and marketing experiences. Over the years, I've been involved in a wide range of experiential advertising programs, the introduction of emerging technologies and city festivals. I was even a Disney performer. Some of my past experiences include: