On Christmas Day, some Swiss friends tweeted that they were exploring the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. I duly Googled and vicariously experienced their day, albeit without the tropical heat.
Obviously, it wasn't the same experience. But, in time, it won't be too different because memories fade and need to be renewed by discussion and prompted by examination of mementoes and photography. Without that, our experiences might well converge.
I've been to great gigs and notable theatriccal events, some of which are mentioned in hallowed terms online. But I don't rreally emember them. Neither the details of the Hollywood A-listers' rare live appearance, nor the detail of the performance that led me to correctly tell the members of the uncredited support act that they would be huge as they handed out flyers outside the venue.
Experience is cumulative - an accumulation of weak ties strengthened by frequent revisiting and re-imagining. Even in the case of the big events. Marketers should remember that.
