Marketing Beyond with Alan B. Hart: Episode 28

Title: Creating Gen Z FOMO in Experiential Marketing — Insights from Museum of Illusions CMO Andy Levey
Guest: Andy Levey, Chief Marketing Officer, Museum of Illusions
Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Alan B. Hart sits down with Andy Levey, CMO of Museum of Illusions, to discuss the art and strategy behind marketing one of the world’s fastest-growing experiential brands. Andy shares his eclectic journey from investment banking to the circus world and ultimately to the Museum of Illusions, revealing how each step shaped his approach to crafting memorable, emotional experiences. The conversation centers around building FOMO (fear of missing out) for Gen Z and Millennials, leveraging social media, partnership strategies, and the continuous evolution needed to keep experiential marketing relevant.

Andy Levey’s Unconventional Career Path

Timestamps: 01:33–07:15

• From investment banking to entertainment: Andy credits a pivotal moment, years ago, with inspiring his career switch—opting for social, consumer-facing roles over the analytical, solitary world of finance.
  • Notable quote:
    • "To be fully honest, I did not enjoy any minute of it ... my brother calls me, ‘I'm going to this party with George Clooney ...’ and I was like, this is sucks. This just is lame. This is not for me." — Andy Levey [02:16]
• Climbing the hospitality ladder: Andy recaps rising through nightlife and hospitality after graduate studies at UNLV, leading to a marketing leadership role at Cirque du Soleil.
• International and startup experience: Time in Montreal, Dubai, and with Two Bit Circus, honing skills in global, digital-first, and innovation-driven environments.
• Emotional aspect of experiential marketing:
  • "These are emotional products ... you kind of cement these memories or tattoo these memories on your brain and just have these moments that you'll always remember." — Andy Levey [06:31]

What Is Museum of Illusions?

Timestamps: 07:15–10:48

• Mission and format:
  • "We like to say we're here to reimagine reality. But at every museum ... there's 60 plus interactive exhibits and illusion rooms ... always kind of defying and challenging reality and ... giving people the hook because it is experiential wise. This is a FOMO business." — Andy Levey [09:03]
• Origin story: Founded in Zagreb, Croatia by fans of brain games; now with 70+ locations globally.
• Blending fun and education: Explains the science/STEM underpinnings, with formal curriculum partnerships.
• Community involvement: Emphasizes becoming an active community member, beyond a transient tourist attraction.

Creating Gen Z FOMO: Social Media & Influencer Strategies

Timestamps: 10:48–13:22

• Gen Z/Millennial focus:
  • "The camera eats first ... every opportunity becomes a photo op, a video op, a gif op, a meme op for those audiences." — Andy Levey [10:53]
• Creator partnerships: Employing in-house and local content creators; some paid, some organic; viral content is often unexpected.
• Letting young voices lead: Museum’s marketing team includes Gen Z and Millennials who create “for that audience rather than old man me trying to do it.”

Rethinking the Marketing Mix for Experiential Brands

Timestamps: 13:22–18:39

• Video-centric, digital-first:
  • "You have to show it because otherwise ... a static image just doesn't convey the WTF of our experience." — Andy Levey [13:42]
• Platform tactics: Heavy investment in Meta, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, targeted search; CRM for data capture and direct marketing.
• Avoiding staged/fake promotional content: Prefers authentic, unscripted visuals over stock high-fives.
• Local partnerships and PR: Engaging with tourism boards, local media, neighbor businesses, and leveraging group sales.

Data, Community, and CRM as Growth Drivers

Timestamps: 18:39–20:39

• Building the 'engine':
  • "I call it the engine. And we've got to rev the engine and it's really important ... the easiest thing to launch concepts ... but once you're open, that's really when it becomes harder." — Andy Levey [19:05]
• Data-centric activations: Landing pages, contests, and partnership raffles to build a market database; using that for both direct offers and trade with partners for extended reach.
• Never “set it and forget it”: Keeping experiences fresh with ongoing events and PR.

Partnership Strategies for Reach and Authenticity

Timestamps: 20:39–24:13

• Legitimacy through education:
  • "With stem.org, they've been an awesome partner and they really help legitimize what we want to do." — Andy Levey [21:10]
• Co-branded activations: Examples with Match.com (speed dating), VetTix (veteran outreach), Comic-Con, and local breweries.
• Mutual distribution: Using partnerships to target new audiences and extend marketing efforts, sometimes in ways Museum of Illusions couldn’t afford or hadn’t even considered.

Keeping the Experience Relevant: Context, Events, and Continuous Innovation

Timestamps: 24:13–25:46

• Contextual creativity:
  • "It's more about ... how you encase the product ... how do you encase that in something that is contextually relevant at a point in time?" — Alan Hart [23:20]
• Planning and boldness: Emphasizes the need to keep coming up with new ideas, iterate, and not rest on big public wins—"If you don’t try, you’re never going to find out." — Andy Levey [24:40]

Personal Origins: Experiences That Shaped Andy’s Leadership

Timestamps: 25:46–29:07

• Living abroad & startup work: Andy shares the transformative power of living and working abroad, especially in entrepreneurial settings, cementing independence and a 360-degree perspective.
  • "If I had my druthers, I think I would require people to go live abroad for two years when they're 18 or 20. And ... require you ... to go work at a startup." — Andy Levey [28:20]
• How these experiences inform his CMO role: Versatility, problem-solving, and empathy for every marketing function on his team.

Rapid Fire: Career, Learning, and Generational Shifts

Timestamps: 29:07–35:35

• Advice to his younger self: “I wish I was [a driver] probably a bit earlier in my career ... but listen, here I am today and I’m happy where I am.” — Andy Levey [30:56]
• Ongoing learning & AI: Curious about AI’s role in discovery, search, and creative efficiency. “I think it’s understanding, like the context ... it’s not going to replace people. It’ll replace certain functions ... you still need the people component to interpret.” — Andy Levey [31:30]
• Family insights as a lab for trends: Observing his kids, ages 9 & 12, to better understand cultural trends and how marketing can reach and motivate younger generations.

Industry Outlook: Opportunities and Threats

Timestamps: 35:35–41:02

• Biggest challenge and opportunity:
  • "How do you become a part of the cultural zeitgeist? But is that good enough? ... Does the advertising live up to the experience or the product itself?" — Andy Levey [36:30]
• Alignment of product and marketing: Reflects on the risks of misalignment and the constant need to adapt both product and marketing to audience needs.
• Learning from beyond your industry: “I also look at other industries because I don’t believe the experiential industry has the best marketing out there ... how can we apply that to us?” — Andy Levey [38:54]
• Iterate the ‘engine’: The analogy of continually improving the marketing ‘engine’—test, optimize, pull in new ideas, and keep one step ahead of change.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “The camera eats first.” — Andy Levey [10:53]
• “This is a FOMO business.” — Andy Levey [09:03]
• “You have to show it because otherwise ... a static image just doesn't convey the WTF of our experience.” — Andy Levey [13:42]
• “It’s easy to throw a bunch of money at this stuff and ... that’s the easy part, right? Once you’re open, that’s really when it becomes harder.” — Andy Levey [19:13]
• “If you don’t try, you’re never going to find out.” — Andy Levey [24:40]
• “Just because you’re selling well today doesn’t mean ... three months from now you could be stressed out and panic stricken ... just know that, that you’re always plugging holes in the dam on a daily basis.” — Andy Levey [40:20]

Key Takeaways for Marketers

• Create for the audience and the platform: Let Gen Z and Millennials drive content; prioritize video and authentic creator partnerships.
• FOMO is the fuel: Experiential brands especially thrive when their experiences trigger social sharing envy.
• Partnerships and community matter: Collaborate for authenticity, local relevance, and educational validation.
• Constant innovation is essential: Don’t let initial buzz fade—plan ongoing events, iterate offerings, and test new marketing strategies.
• Leverage data and direct communication: Build and activate your CRM base for ongoing engagement and partnership value.
• Personal experiences—especially adversity—shape leadership and marketing effectiveness.
• Stay curious, look outside your industry, and keep evolving the marketing “engine”.

For more insights and full episode notes, visit the show page at deloitte.com.