What Tinsel Experiential Design does

Tinsel Experiential Design is a private, Brooklyn-originated experiential design agency founded in 2010 by Liz Castelli, Adette C. Contreras, and Erica Taylor Haskins, now headquartered at 1 World Trade Center, 65th Floor, in New York City. The firm delivers end-to-end experiential services — experiential strategy, content development, creative design, vendor and talent management, planning and integrated production, fabrication, 2D and 3D design, and field services — for Fortune 500 brands and major organizations across music, technology, beverage, fashion, pharmaceutical, automotive, consumer goods, and non-profit sectors. Featured projects include Sony Music's GRAMMYs after party, GitHub Universe 2024 (15M digital impressions, 3X venue scaling), Twitch GlitchCon 2020, the Pizza to the Polls 2020 civic engagement program (29 cities, 1M voters served), and Jägermeister's 2024 DAMN THAT'S COLD festival activation.

The company runs a B2B professional services model with project-based pricing tiers disclosed from under $300K to over $1M, sourced through direct enterprise inquiries, an RFP/RFQ process, and Stagwell network referrals. Its go-to-market is anchored on a portfolio of named-brand customers — Sony Music, GitHub, Twitch, Jägermeister, Spotify, Vogue, Samsung, American Express, Pfizer, L'Oréal, Land Rover, Torrid, McKinsey, the Whitney, and others — and on recurring engagements such as the multi-year Sony Music GRAMMYs afterparty collaboration. The firm differentiates on a strategy-first creative model that combines in-house fabrication with field execution, allowing delivery of multi-city, multi-million-dollar programs at boutique firm overhead levels.

Tinsel operates as part of the Stagwell network of agencies, providing scale and cross-referral access while preserving boutique branding. The firm is led by co-founders Liz Castelli (CEO) and Erica Taylor Haskins (Chief Relationship Officer) alongside an executive bench that includes an Executive Director, Senior Director of Strategy, and Director of Operations, with an 11-50 person team and active hiring via an ADP-hosted careers portal. It has been recognized by BizBash as a 2023 Rising Star and by Ad Age for creative excellence. No external venture funding, revenue figures, or institutional investor disclosures appear in the public record.

Name

Tinsel Experiential Design

Legal name

Tinsel Experiential Design

Website

https://tinseldesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tinsel Experiential Design is a Brooklyn-founded, New York City-based private experiential design agency delivering end-to-end strategy, fabrication, and event production for Fortune 500 brands across music, technology, beverage, fashion, pharmaceutical, and non-profit sectors as a Stagwell network affiliate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Design Services

NAICS

Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Strategy & Experience Design (BPAFAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design (MPAAAGAA), Environmental & Experiential Brand Design (Retail/Exhibit/Signage) (MPAAAEAG), Event Fabrication & Scenic/Set Build (Custom Builds, Installations) (BPAFAGAK)

Keywords

• Experiential design services
• Event production
• Brand activations
• Experiential marketing
• Event strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Experiential Design Services: Project-based professional services revenue model. Tinsel delivers experiential design and production services including strategy, creative design, fabrication, planning, and execution for brand experiences, events, activations, and campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tinsel Experiential Design is a professional services agency that designs and produces brand experiences, live events, and experiential activations for enterprise clients. Its offering spans eight core services — Experiential Strategy, Content Development, Creative Design, Vendor & Talent Management, Planning & Integrated Production, Fabrication, 2D & 3D Design, and Field Services — applied to corporate events, brand activations, music festivals, conferences, mobile tours, and hybrid experiences.

Product overview

Tinsel Experiential Design is an experiential agency offering a portfolio of eight core services: Experiential Strategy, Content Development, Creative Design, Vendor & Talent Management, Planning & Integrated Production, Fabrication, 2D & 3D Design, and Field Services. These services are applied across a range of featured projects including brand activations, live events, festivals, conferences, mobile tours, and digital/hybrid experiences. The company operates as part of the Stagwell network and delivers Fortune 500-level experiential design for clients spanning music, technology, beverage, fashion, sports, and hospitality sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Experiential Strategy Strategic planning and conceptualization of brand experiences for corporate clients, prioritizing partnership, creative innovation, and measurable impact.
• Content Development Creation of brand-aligned content for experiential campaigns, events, and activations targeting enterprise brand marketers.
• Creative Design Visual and experiential design covering immersive environments, lighting, stage design, and branded installations for corporate events and brand activations.
• Vendor & Talent Management Coordination and management of third-party vendors and on-site talent for enterprise event execution and brand activation delivery.
• Planning & Integrated Production End-to-end project planning and integrated production management for enterprise events and brand campaigns.
• Fabrication Physical fabrication and build-out of custom props, sets, installations, and experiential structures for brand activations and events.
• 2D & 3D Design Two-dimensional and three-dimensional design services for event environments, spatial design, and visual assets in experiential campaigns.
• Field Services On-site execution and management of experiential activations, including staffing, logistics, and show-run operations for clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250% increase in social impressions for Pizza to the Polls campaign
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Uber EatscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for Pizza to the Polls 2020 election initiative. Uber Eats provided logistics and delivery infrastructure for food truck activations serving voters at polling locations across 29 cities.
• Milk BarminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Food vendor partner contributing snacks and treats for Pizza to the Polls voter engagement campaign, helping feed voters waiting in long lines.
• Shake ShackminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Food vendor partner contributing to Pizza to the Polls campaign, providing meals for voters at polling locations nationwide.
• StagwellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTinsel is part of the Stagwell network, which provides resources and scale while allowing the company to maintain boutique flexibility. This affiliation enables access to integrated marketing capabilities and cross-referrals within the network.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Believable Brands: Boutique experiential and events agency focused on celebrity, music, and cultural activations — comparable to Tinsel's work for Sony Music and music festival clients at similar boutique scale.
• MAS Event Design: Experiential design and event production firm specializing in high-end branded environments and corporate events — comparable to Tinsel's fabrication and creative design offerings for corporate clients.

Direct peers

• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: One of the largest global brand experience agencies, providing end-to-end experiential design, fabrication, and event production for enterprise clients — directly comparable to Tinsel's Fortune 500-caliber offering but at materially greater scale.
• GES (Global Experience Specialists): Global provider of event and experiential services including design, fabrication, and on-site execution — overlapping with Tinsel's fabrication and field services offerings and competing for enterprise RFPs.
• MKG: Creative experiential marketing agency providing strategy, design, and execution for enterprise brands — closely aligned with Tinsel's strategy-first, creative-led approach at a similar boutique scale.
• Optimist: Creative experiential and event design agency delivering immersive brand experiences for major global brands — overlaps with Tinsel's experiential design and content development services.
• Jack Morton Worldwide: Global brand experience agency serving similar enterprise clients with end-to-end experiential strategy, content, design, and production services — the same scope Tinsel delivers, with established global reach.
• Mosaic: Experiential marketing agency providing strategy, design, and field execution for major brands — comparable to Tinsel in offering and enterprise client orientation, including the McKinsey-adjacent ecosystem Mosaic supports.
• Sparks: Brand experience agency specializing in experiential marketing, events, and exhibits for global brands — a direct competitor in Tinsel's enterprise activation and live-events service lines.
• AKA New York: Boutique NYC-based experiential design and marketing agency serving enterprise and entertainment clients — most directly comparable competitor given shared geography, boutique scale, and Fortune 500-caliber positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Tinsel_Experiential
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tinselexperientialdesign
• Instagraminstagram.com/tinsel_experiential
• Xx.com/tinseldesignnyc
• Facebookfacebook.com/tinseldesignnyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tinsel Experiential Design