Attractions by Unit9's head of attractions Danny BurzlaffPhoto: Courtesy of Unit9
How he got his start: Danny Burzlaff's career spans more than 35 years across varied entertainment-engagement platforms, from special events and immersive theater to themed and location-based entertainment design and production.
"Experience design and activation evolved as a natural extension of my career choice—that of entertaining the masses and leaning upon both theatrical-driven expressions of art and the most sophisticated technology available," he says. "There was no magic moment or right turn from live entertainment to experiential, but rather a desire on my part to engage an audience, to deliver the most compelling story imaginable, and to create memorable moments that resonate with people."
From the outset of his career to the present day, his goal has been to create genuinely unique experiences that usher in joy, fascination, and tangible results. "Mix my decades of live entertainment experience with Unit9’s 26-year heritage in experiential and digital innovation, and Attractions by Unit9 was born," Burzlaff says. "I’m now lucky enough to work with some of the most incredible creative minds in the industry on projects that fuse physical and digital to bring the unimaginable to life."
What sets his company apart: Burzlaff cites a few cornerstones of Unit9—which has worked with clients like Meta, Nike, and Google—that set it apart from other companies. "Inconceivable creativity and digital innovation is the mantra behind our work," he says. "We fuse wild imagination and expert craft with cutting-edge technology to create standout experiences for visitors, ones that they have never seen before."
Unit9, he says, also uses a visitor-centric approach. "We never use technology for the sake of it," he explains. "The interests and needs of guests should remain the central focus. Technology could be used to enhance, assist, educate, or entertain depending on the audience and the context. The visitor should ultimately be able to enjoy an elevated experience as a result."
Future-proofing is also part of Unit9's mission. "With tech-savvy Gen Z and Gen Alpha rising in influence and taking their place as the digitally driven decision makers of today and tomorrow, venues need to make sure they are providing relevant experiences that capture their interests," Burzlaff says. "Our focus on the latest technologies and techniques ensures that experiences will resonate with this new audience and ensure long-term success."
What innovation means to him: For Burzlaff, innovation means constant creativity and finding new ways to achieve a goal or solve a problem. "The more specific the problem, the more focused the innovative process will be," he says, adding: "As creators and designers, we have a powerful arsenal of tools to do this: imagination, smart-thinking, and technology. I continue to seek out new processes and platforms that can be incorporated into my creative tool kit."
He adds that it’s imperative for him—and anyone in a creative role—"to continually expand both digital and physical horizons and to understand how far to push the boundaries of conventional design to make a difference, to create something genuine and new."
Burzlaff says he's inspired every day by "the immersive world of connectivity, the engagement touchpoints of story-driven experiential, and the delight of an emerging media discovery. The world is changing by the nanosecond—best to be ready to ingest delightful bites of inspiration at all times!"
Unit9’s activation for Amazon’s Wheel of Time combined live performance in Times Square with "digital wizardry and an interactive livestream that took the experience worldwide," Burzlaff says.Photo: Courtesy of Unit9
Memorable moments: Burzlaff says one of the most innovative experiences from the Unit9 team this past year was the McEnroe vs. McEnroe tennis match. This was a live sports events that brought the real-life tennis legend John McEnroe face-to-face with his digital avatars from the past to compete in a "time-traveling match." Unit9 brought AI, Metahuman's Unreal Engine technology, body tracking, and live robotics together to create a real versus virtual tennis match in front of a studio audience. It was also televised across ESPN’s channels, "attracting more eyeballs than the NBA finals," Burzlaff says. "This fusion of carefully crafted digital with epic physical elements is the future of live experience. We were very proud to see it win a Gold Innovation Lion at Cannes last year."
His biggest hope for the events industry: "My biggest hope for the event industry is that it continues to explore the potential of combining real with virtual, physical with digital, live with remote," Burzlaff says. "Unit9’s activation for Amazon’s Wheel of Time is a great example of this approach, combining live performance in Times Square with digital wizardry and an interactive livestream that took the experience worldwide." He adds that now is "an incredibly exciting world, where events no longer have to be limited by capacity or geographic restrictions. Audiences from anywhere in the world can join to become part of a truly global shared experience." Burzlaff believes this is a win-win situation for brands that are "looking to build deeper connections with their entire potential audience, wherever they may be."
This feature is sponsored by 6Connex, your all-in-one event technology to manage and host successful events at scale and in any format—in-person, hybrid, virtual, or webinars.
