Designing Memories: How to Create an Unforgettable Event 

Most events are forgettable. Yours shouldn’t be. It should leave behind vivid, pleasurable memories. If it doesn’t, you’ve probably wasted your money. 

I’ve attended many flawlessly planned and elegantly designed event experiences that somehow vanished from my memory the next morning.  

This article reveals simple, often ignored tactics that make your event impossible to forget. Unforgettable is cheaper than you think. 

Unveil What Has Never Been Seen  

It seems obvious, but to be extraordinary you can’t be, well, ordinary… 

Extraordinariness comes from offering experiences people don’t encounter every day. Better yet, something they’ve never witnessed before. That’s what makes you unforgettable. 

Premium drinks at a wedding? Five-star service and gourmet food at a high-end gala? Nice. But not extraordinary. 

Two grooms wielding a chainsaw to carve a vodka fountain from a block of ice? That’s not something you see every day. That’s a spectacle you do not forget, and it costs less than fancy champagne.  

Our brains are wired to scan for the familiar and pause at the unfamiliar. When you witness something with an unusual shape, size, smell, or texture, your mind flags it as an anomaly. It takes time to process it, and that’s what makes it stick. 

Monty Python, the iconic British comedy group from the 60s and 70s, understood this perfectly. One of their most famous sketches featured a customer trying to return a clearly dead parrot, while the shopkeeper insisted it was “just resting.” For their final tour at London’s O2 Arena, they didn’t just reference the joke; they placed a massive (+10-meter-long) replica of the lifeless parrot outside the venue. Its sheer size made it unforgettable, triggering instant recognition and laughter before anyone even entered the show. 

Had they used a regular-sized parrot, no one would have paid much attention. This kind of visual absurdity creates photo opportunities, fuels social media, and leaves a ripple effect long after the moment has passed. 

Target Protagonists, Not Spectators 

People experience the world in the first person. They crave being at the centre of the action. That’s why we say: an image is worth a thousand words, but as Roger Schank once said, “Experience is worth a thousand pictures.” And that’s the truth most event designers miss: people don’t just want to see, they want to feel, do, be. 

I once saw a fountain installation where attendees could choose the shape of the falling water from a set of icons. Instead of passively watching pre-programmed patterns, they controlled the experience. It was amazing how that simple shift from observer to orchestrator captivated the crowd. People queued to play with the fountain and post-event surveys confirmed it: people remembered this interaction vividly. 

The high-end watchmaker Ulysse Nardin took this principle to another level. At a flagship horology event, they installed an LED floor that made it feel like you were walking on water with a massive shark gliding beneath your feet, tracking your steps. It wasn’t just a visual trick. It was immersive, coherent with the branding, and certainly not ordinary. It is not every day you encounter a shark that follows your footsteps. It was a differentiator.  

Among dozens of booths flaunting luxury visuals and polished messaging, this one stood out. It wasn’t just seen, it was felt. Nearly a decade later, people still talk about it. Because when you combine the extraordinary with immersion and relevance, you create unforgettable memories.  

Don’t Settle For One. Engage All Senses 

It’s been proven across countless studies: the more senses you engage, the stronger the memory of any experience.  

Yet, too often, experiences lean on just one sense. Some concerts deliver sound, but those in the back can barely see. Some gourmet dinners dazzle the palate but leave everything else untouched. There is a lot to gain in involving other senses to ensure a lasting impact.  

Some creators understood this concept very well. Take Rammstein, the German metal band known for turning concerts into full-body spectacles. Whether or not you enjoy their music, it’s hard to forget the moment you feel the heat of a flamethrower on your face while watching a theatrical scene of a man roasting in a giant cauldron. The sound, the heat of the fire, the smell of the flamethrower’s burning gas, the visceral absurdity—it’s unforgettable. 

In a quieter setting, the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai offered a masterclass in multisensory design. Visitors stepped onto a stylised alpine slope, surrounded by real mist and the gentle sound of cowbells. It wasn’t just visual, it was atmospheric, tactile, and transportive. 

You don’t need to activate all your senses at once. But the more you layer, the more likely you’ll be remembered. 

Chopard understood this perfectly. For the rebirth of its emblematic watch, the Alpine Eagle, they created an immersive video the simulates an eagle’s flight through the Alps. But they didn’t stop there. A custom air system recreated the crispness and scent of high-altitude air. The visuals were striking, the temperature refreshing, the smell unmistakable.  

After this unique trip through the chain of mountains, nobody who stepped into that activation could forget the name Alpine Eagle.  

Put Your Event To The Test 

Review your event roadmap and activations. Strip them down and ask yourself the questions below.  

Is it extraordinary? 

• Change the colour. Shift the scale. Add scent, texture, surprise. Make it something people don’t see every day—or ever. 

Is it participatory? 

• Can attendees interact, influence, or even take the lead role? Passive spectators forget. Protagonists remember. 

Are multiple senses engaged? 

• Beyond visuals, can you trigger sound, scent, touch, temperature? The more senses you activate, the deeper the imprint. 

This is your blueprint for memorability. 

If your experience doesn’t provoke, immerse, or imprint, it’s just decoration. Remember that people forget what’s common even when it’s flawless. 

They remember what hijacked their senses. 

They remember the anomaly. 

They remember novelty. 

Design for that or be forgotten.