Photo: Courtesy of Anthony Larrisey
How he got his start: "Some of the best training I had in experiential was working for the legendary Patti LaBelle," says Larrisey. "Back in the day, I was Miss Patti’s handler—traveling across the country with her was a master class in engaging audiences, storytelling, and knowing what to do in the unlikely event something goes wrong onstage. Acknowledge it, own it, and move on!"
Larrisey's true arrival into the industry, though, was working at integrated marketing agencies Ogilvy, where his focus was on brand and image development, and FCB, where he helped launch the ad agency's experiential marketing practice. "While those experiences laid an incredible career foundation anchored by data and analytics, they didn’t satisfy my creative spirit, so I moved on to boutique shops that thrived in design," he remembers. "It wasn’t long before I identified a void in the industry where a creative shop could also deliver solid results, and so Industria Creative was born." 
"There were over 600 VIP guests, influencers, media, and tastemakers who enjoyed live performances by Grammy Award-winning artist Kaytranada and DJs Coco & Breezy," he adds of the YSL Beauty Black Opium event. "The result was an unforgettable evening that made a hero of the notes of the fragrance and provided multiple social sharing opportunities for guests."Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
What innovation means to him: "Innovation is crucial to original thinking, and we can all achieve it in myriad ways—challenge norms, break comfort zones, collaborate with new people, experiment, trust yourself, make time for creative thinking, get outside and look around!" he suggests. Larrisey finds that his work as a professor at NYU and Fordham University fuels innovation too. "Keeping ahead of the next generation of marketers is an exercise in human behavior, pop culture, and thinking beyond the obvious."
To Larrisey, innovation can and should go beyond creativity. "I’m so incredibly proud of Industria’s work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility," he says. "Developing campaigns with a diversity-first approach means a greater sense of purpose, acknowledgement, and validation of communities otherwise underrepresented. Innovation can be fueled by empathy, language, culture, tradition, and opening one’s mind to the experiences of others." 
To promote the original series The First Lady, Industria Creative partnered with Showtime to transform Presidential Suites in Ritz-Carlton properties across the country into "The First Lady Suites." (See BizBash's coverage of this here.) "Styling set pieces and props, we created an immersive, sensorial, and programmatic experience for visitors including media, influencers, hotel guests, and the public," says Larrisey, adding that Marriott Bonvoy members and selected influencers were treated to an overnight stay, where they received personalized notes with direction on exploring the suite’s narrative, and discovering touchpoints including photographs, iconic fashion, furniture, art, books, and more—even a phone call from a secret source close to the woman of the hour—all telling the story of their respective first lady. "It was meaningful and exciting to showcase the untold stories of these incredible women whose lives were so impactful and significant in our history, but whose perspectives and experiences are often overlooked."Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
How he stays inspired: "Inspiration is synonymous with curiosity! Make the conscious effort to ask questions like a kid, find a mentor, surround yourself with positive people, figure out what stimulates you—and then push further."
His vision for the future of experiential: "Going into the second half of 2023, I predict tremendous opportunities in the industry with ‘next level’ personalization—e.g., voice technology and AI—as well as experimentation with the metaverse and other interactives," Larrisey says. "Brand values will continue to increase in importance for audiences as well as representation. And as marketers, predictive analytics will be key."
This feature is sponsored by Spiro, the global brand experience agency for the new now. Spiro delivers culture-bending, out-of-this-world live brand experiences that give all your stakeholders a chance to experience your brand long after your event ends.
