Emerging experiential designer blends retail sensibilities with major tech brand work

Background and context

Table of Contents

As experiential marketing and live brand environments continue to evolve, creative leaders with diverse design backgrounds are playing a larger role in shaping how audiences engage with technology companies. One such figure is Rocky Riccardi, an associate creative director at Left Field Labs.

Riccardi’s career reflects a growing crossover between luxury retail design and digital-first brand experiences. His experience in Madrid, a city known for high-end retail and hospitality environments, informs his current work on large-scale projects for global technology firms.

Key announcement

Riccardi has come into focus within the experiential and event design community for his role at Left Field Labs, where he contributes to creative direction on brand experiences for clients such as Salesforce and Google.

In his position, Riccardi draws on his background in luxury retail and experiential design developed in Madrid. That foundation is applied to concept development, spatial storytelling, and attendee journey planning for technology-focused environments, including events, installations, and immersive activations.

Left Field Labs, a creative studio that works across digital and physical touchpoints, positions Riccardi in a role that connects visual design, user experience, and in-person event execution. More details on the studio’s work and portfolio can be found on its official website.

Industry impact

Riccardi’s profile underscores several broader dynamics in event and experiential technology:

The blending of retail and event disciplines, as techniques once limited to flagship stores and luxury showrooms are adapted for conference stages, brand showcases, and temporary installations.
The increasing importance of design-led thinking in complex technology environments, where hardware, content, and interactive elements must feel cohesive and intuitive for attendees.
The demand for creative directors who understand both brand strategy and the practical constraints of live production, from traffic flow and sightlines to how content appears across multiple screens and surfaces.

For technology brands like Salesforce and Google, this type of experiential approach is often used to translate abstract products and services into tangible, narrative-driven experiences at conferences, partner events, and user gatherings.

Why this matters

For event professionals and AV teams, Riccardi’s work highlights how experiential design is moving beyond traditional stage and booth layouts. Luxury retail sensibilities, such as curated materials, lighting design, and choreographed visitor movement, are increasingly applied to technology showcases and enterprise events.

This shift has practical implications. It can change how venues are configured, how digital content is produced, and how technical infrastructure is specified to support more immersive environments. AV providers and production partners are being asked to deliver not only reliable systems, but also highly designed, visually refined spaces that support an overall brand narrative.

As more creative leaders with cross-disciplinary backgrounds enter the event technology space, collaboration between designers, technologists, and production crews is likely to become even more central to how major brand experiences are conceived and executed.