News

Big news to start the week! We’re proud to welcome @fuelhq , Ireland’s leading experience and entertainment group, as our newest member.

FUEL is a creator-led experience and entertainment agency. They build live platforms where creativity, content and strategy meet - creating experiences that engage audiences, build trust and live on long after the moment ends.

Headquartered in Dublin with teams across the US and UK, they deliver more than 600 events across 20 countries annually and operate major cultural festivals including WellFest, Kaleidoscope, and Beyond The Pale.

While this is certainly impressive, what stood out to us wasn’t only their creative reputation. It was their mindset. They understand that relationships sit at the heart of meaningful experiences. Through their IMPACT initiative, sustainability isn’t treated as an add-on, it’s embedded in how they think, plan and deliver.

Speaking about the appointment, Jamie Deasy, Co-founder and Managing Director at FUEL, comments, “Becoming the Irish member of 27Names is an incredibly proud moment for FUEL. This network represents the very best independent live‑experience agencies in Europe, agencies who share our belief in creativity, craft, and the power of live experiences to move people. As FUEL continues to grow, joining 27Names is both a recognition of the work we’ve done and an exciting step toward the work we will create together with exceptional partners across 27 countries.”

Welcome to the network FUEL 🤩

#27names

#fuel

#eventindustrynews

#liveexperience

#brandexperience ...

We’ve heard Spring is coming , but the weather clearly didn’t get the memo. So while much of Europe digs itself out of the snow, here’s a little Christmas magic from our member @jolos.agency for longtime client @bolt_estonia -worth revisiting any time of year 🎄 ✨

From Jolos: “Jolos once again had the pleasure of bringing Bolt’s Christmas event to life, this time at the Cruise Terminal, transformed into a full-blown festive universe under the codename → Project Elf.

🎄 3 immersive theme rooms
🎉 1 unforgettable stage show
✨ Endless creativity and connection

A custom-built pink door was the entrance to Santa’s house that had a photo lounge with a permanent queue, oversized Christmas decor and character related rooms for all elves, whether they’re a

𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘌𝘭𝘧, a 𝘋𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘌𝘭𝘧, or a 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘵 𝘌𝘭𝘧.

Bolt’s in-house band opened the show, leading into the headline act → the Project Elf Band, an all-star lineup of local talent. And yes, the celebration carried on ‘til sunrise.”

#27names #eventinspo #brandexperience #experientialdesign #jolos

📷 @r.liivand ...

Two more weeks to go until we meet in Vilnius for Inspiration X. We asked our workshp host Ivan Fernandes about the most common growth mistakes he sees with independent agencies. His take?

“The most common mistake is confusing momentum with scalability. Many agencies that appear to be growing are actually becoming:
-more complex,
-more operationally fragile,
-and more dependent on a handful of clients or individuals.

They accelerate execution excellence, which is admirable, but avoid redesigning their positioning, pricing, and operating model because ‘things are working.’

In Vilnius, we’ll tackle this head-on. Not by telling agencies to “do less,” but by helping them identify where they’re leaking value, and how to realign their business around clearer roles, stronger economics, and delivery models that scale without breaking.”

#27names

#inspirationx

#eventindustry ...

Exactly 6 years ago, at a 27Names Inspiration X meeting, Panu Luukka shared the “New Fundamentals of War for Talent:”

-There’s always a shortage of talent.
-Engaged and developing talents attract more alike.
-Talent chooses their employers, not the other way around.

And one line summed it up: Your culture is your brand.

Fast forward to the 2025 European Experience Index.
We identified The Talent Imperative as our industry’s biggest pressure point:

-51% of agency leaders struggle to find new talent.
-Clients say transforming the existing workforce is rising fast as a priority.
-Flexible work is now expected, not optional.

The “talent crisis” appears in almost every 2026 trend report. But this conversation isn’t new.

❓The real question is whether we’re acting accordingly.

Across 27Names, this goes beyond discussion, from Inspiration X for our agency owners, to our Talent X program focused on sharing knowledge across markets and developing the next generation of leaders.

‼️If talent is the pressure point, culture and leadership must be core business priorities, NOT side initiatives.

Read the full post on LinkedIn (link in bio) and head to our website to download the full report.

#27Names #EEX2025 #employeeretention #EventIndustry #TalentDevelopment ...

2016 isn’t trending again.
Sincerity is.

The aesthetics might look familiar.
But this moment isn’t really about 2016.

It’s about how today feels.

Back in January 2025, in our Creative Forecast, @liisatenno, Creative Director at @jolos.agency identified nostalgia as the #1 creative driver- not as a visual trend, but as an emotional response to cultural overload, digital fatigue, and fragmentation.

What we’re seeing now?
That prediction playing out in real time.

People aren’t longing for old filters or fashion.
They’re longing for experiences that feel real, familiar, and human again.

And that’s why this matters for live experiences.

The opportunity isn’t to recreate 2016.
It’s to design moments that feel emotionally safe and give people permission to belong.

Curious to hear your take:
What does “sincerity” look like in your live experiences?

👉 We’ve shared the full thinking (and reflections from Liisa) over on LinkedIn.
Link in bio.

#27names #2016vibes #nostalgiacore #eventindustrytrends ...