Auckland-based Marvel Experiences is building a business around something many brands are trying to rediscover: real-life connection.

The agency, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Auckland, specialises in brand activations, experiential marketing and event management. Its work includes immersive campaigns, corporate experiences and live brand moments designed to be remembered rather than quickly scrolled past.

Founders Mike Watkins and Scott Wallace have worked across creative agencies and media, which has shaped how they approach campaigns. Their focus is not just on staging an event, but on creating an experience that has a commercial purpose behind it.

One of the company's early major projects was with the New Zealand Olympic Committee, where it created a giant fully functional skateboard to promote skateboarding's inclusion in the Tokyo Olympics. The activation toured schools and skateparks across the country.

The business has also worked on a portable shotput arena for the Commonwealth Games, taking the sport into schools, corporate spaces and public areas.

For Marvel Experiences, the point is not just spectacle. The company's work is built around the idea that people remember what they physically experience. In an era where many businesses are pouring money into digital marketing, the agency is betting that in-person moments still matter.

The company has worked with brands including Red Bull, Kim Crawford, Matua Wines, STIHL, Squealing Pig and the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

The challenge now is convincing more businesses to take creative risks. After several tough years, many companies are cautious with marketing spend. But Marvel Experiences is making the case that memorable, well-designed real-world campaigns can cut through in a way ordinary advertising often cannot.