Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer de Fouchier
How she got her start: De Fouchier got her start in the theater industry. She moved from Paris to New York to pursue her master's degree in set design at NYU. From there, she organically found her way into experiential marketing.
"At the time it was quite niche, but I realized it contained most of what made me vibe in the first place—plus I really enjoyed the fast pace, so I got hooked," she remembers. "I worked for various agencies then went to the client side, working for a luxury brand, before going back to the agency world and becoming a partner at a New York-based company."
When COVID hit and her role shifted, she decided to start her own company to, as she says, "continue doing what I love most: making an impact by creating beautiful, immersive, and moving experiences."
What innovation means to her: To de Fouchier, there's an important distinction between innovation and iteration.
"To me, innovation is to actively make room for expansion. It is to unlock potential. It is about transmutation. It is the act of creating a 'space in time' from which something new and unexpected can emerge. It is an act of co-creation," she explains. The key, she adds, is anchoring those concepts in humanity.
"For innovation to unfold, it is crucial to ask ourselves when creating the 'space in time'—are we promoting a sense of feeling connected, of feeling seen and heard, of feeling inspired? Only if the answer is 'yes' can magic happen—otherwise we are looking at an iteration of a formulaic experience," she argues. "More than ever, I believe that to innovate is a responsibility. I see it as a door to a new paradigm where society is turned toward others and less toward themselves—because it is together that we can heal and grow."
How she stays inspired: By staying curious, current, and connected, says de Fouchier, and paying attention to the things that bring her joy.
"From making my own art to co-creating on a project and living a rich, colorful life," she says, adding "other people’s talents, giving myself license to explore and take risks, laughter, beauty, and taking naps (when I can) are all key for my creative antennas to stay vibrant and fresh." 
The Neon vending machine dispensed a small box, which featured a unique code for an NFT that could be redeemed on the Neon platform.Photo: Courtesy of We Make Pop
Memorable moments: For de Fouchier, a recent favorite was an NFT vending machine her team created for digital NFT platform Neon.
"Rare are the times when a brand is looking to be irreverent and silly," she points out. "Brands want you to innovate, but more often than not they’ll choose the safest option. Neon was the opposite—totally comfortable with being unapologetically them!"
As another standout example, de Fouchier cites a recent mobile activation that traveled around Miami during Art Basel.
"I’ve done traveling pop-ups on wheels. I’ve done immersive activations. I’ve done crazy production tour de forces with improbable deadlines and challenging resources. This activation had it all!" she says. "What made this particular activation so special was that while the initial intention had certain parameters, such as being glamorous yet practical, we were able to leave scope for unknown and organic magic to happen. It ended up being way more powerful than we could ever have imagined, evolving into a truly unique piece of interactive art."
What made it so unique? The interactions, explains de Fouchier.
"The piece unveiled the story one element at a time, capturing people’s attention while little by little shifting their perception of what was happening in front of them," she explains. "The audience went at their own pace and took away their own version of the event, making each individual's experience unique to them. Ultimately, I love that it pushed boundaries and left people wondering if it was genius or simply crazy. Some people left thinking it was both!"
Her favorite thing about the experiential industry: "Going back to the ancestral need to expand consciousness through storytelling around the fire pit, experiential marketing can be an extremely powerful tool," she says. "With it, brands and companies have the opportunity to do good for their community, go beyond their bottom lines, and profoundly impact people. It's so inspiring!"
Back to the full list: 20 Experiential Experts Changing the Future of Consumer Events
