The CXLive! Episode 101: The Importance of Play to Elevate Human Connection with Libby Anderson & Fiona Healey

In this episode, Libby Anderson, Managing Director and majority owner, and Fiona Healey, Head of Client Strategy, both of Blondefish, share the power of purposeful play and what happens when we give audiences permission to get involved, explore and have fun. They offer numerous examples of how designing experiences with a clear purpose can transform events, tradeshows and Customer Experience Centres into memorable moments that spark connection, conversation and learning. They address the value of thinking beyond a single engagement, illustrating how repurposing, reskinning and flexible deployment can extend the life and value of content and interactives. Along the way, Libby and Fiona share their unique approaches to delivering against multiple objectives and ultimately maximising their clients’ investment.

Highlights

Creating brilliant interactives and content for events, knowing how to transition them for experience centers and vice versa:  
Repurposing is not the same as reusingHow to get value and longevity from what you createAdapting to different audiences and environmentsEncourage real human connection with trained talent 
Making space for Play: 
Give your guests permission to have fun while still serving a purposeWe learn from being actively involved, not just receiving informationAllow guests to discover meaningful messaging or takeaways for themselvesUse to break down barriers and build client/customer relationships
Ensuring clients fulfill their objectives for these engagements: 
Building measurement into the strategy from the beginning Fulfilling multiple objectives with an experienceIdentifying what each individual moment needs to achieveHaving a feedback loop with the people delivering the content 
Being mindful of the latest industry trends for increased impact Planning effective budgeting strategies 

Resources

'Humor, Seriously' by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas'Stuart Brown TED Talk: 'Play is more than fun'‘The Power of Moments’ by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

Guest Thought Leaders

Libby Anderson, Managing Director, Blondefish 

Libby is the Managing Director and majority owner of Blondefish. She joined the business straight out of Royal Holloway University, where she studied Management with Marketing, and progressed through the company before completing a management buyout in 2023.

A natural problem solver who thrives on creativity, teamwork and the variety of the experiential industry, Libby now leads a team of ten, supported by a brilliant network of freelancers, creatives and suppliers.

Her original childhood ambition was actually to become a vet, and while her career took a very different turn, she still gets her animal fix outside of work through her love of horses and riding.

Fiona Healey, Head of Strategy, Blondefish

Fiona is Head of Client Strategy at Blondefish. After studying Public Relations at Bournemouth University, she worked in-house for brands including Panasonic, Wiley and GAME, where organising experiential moments such as the midnight launches of the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 sparked her love of live audience engagement.

After moving agency-side, Fiona discovered her passion for events, content and experiential work, joining Blondefish five years ago. Today, she leads client strategy, working closely with clients to understand their objectives and collaborating with the team to turn them into engaging, memorable experiences.

Outside of work, Fiona lives on the UK’s south coast with her husband, three children and an ever-growing collection of pets. She’s a big theme park fan, loves planning holidays and admits to having a slightly competitive streak.