Understanding Peak Moments in Premium Experiences
How Gen Z consumers experience emotional engagement through authentic shared moments, sensory immersion, and selective digital disconnect in premium experiences.
"It was so incredible, I went with my brother and his best friend during a road trip to LA, and we saw Teddy Swims perform live, who I've been loving. No, I don't like using my phone in moments like these, and instead I just soaked it all in."
— Gen Z Consumer, Premium Experience Interview
Executive Summary
Key insights from our comprehensive research with premium Gen Z consumers
Our research reveals that premium Gen Z consumers experience peak emotional engagement through a combination of authentic shared moments, sensory immersion, and selective digital disconnect. The most powerful experiences create a journey from anticipation through climax to reflection, with social connection serving as the primary amplifier of emotional resonance.
of emotionally charged moments involve social connections, while exclusive access and behind-the-scenes experiences create lasting memories that drive premium value perception.
Where Peak Moments Occur
Experience category analysis across 226 emotionally charged messages
Key Observation: Live music and festival experiences dominate emotional engagement, accounting for 61% of peak moments. These environments naturally combine all eight dimensions of our emotional engagement framework.
Emotional Engagement Framework
Eight key dimensions that drive emotional engagement for premium Gen Z consumers
Anticipation Building
The journey begins before arrival - planning, countdown, and shared excitement amplify the experience.
Peak Experience Design
Moments of perfect synchronization between environment, emotion, and social energy.
Social Amplification
Shared experiences exponentially increase emotional value and memory formation.
Exclusive Access
Behind-the-scenes, unexpected encounters, and surprise elements that money can't directly buy.
Authentic Connection
Genuine, unscripted moments that feel personal and intimate.
Digital Balance
Conscious choices about when to capture vs. experience, with presence valued over posting.
Selective Sharing
Thoughtful curation of what to share, when, and with whom - quality over quantity.
Sensory Immersion
Multi-dimensional experiences that engage all senses create lasting emotional imprints.
Emotional Intensity Journey
How emotional engagement evolves throughout premium experiences
Strategic Recommendations
Actionable insights for creating premium Gen Z experiences
Design for Digital Balance
Create 'Phone-Free Zones' or moments within premium experiences that naturally encourage presence over posting. Consider offering professional capture services so members can be fully present while still preserving memories.
Amplify Social Connection
Structure experiences to include both group moments and intimate sub-group opportunities. Enable easy guest additions for cardmembers to share premium experiences with their chosen connections.
Curate Surprise Elements
Build unexpected moments into experiences - surprise artist meet-and-greets, exclusive access reveals, or spontaneous upgrades that create stories worth sharing.
Enable Authentic Access
Focus on behind-the-scenes, artist/chef/creator interactions, and genuine insider moments rather than traditional VIP treatments. Gen Z values authentic connection over status symbols.
Design for Sensory Immersion
Partner with experience providers to enhance multi-sensory elements - from signature scents to tactile elements to taste experiences that create distinctive memory anchors.
Create Reflection Rituals
Provide beautiful, branded ways to capture and reflect on experiences post-event - from custom photo books to exclusive content that helps relive peak moments.
Research Methodology
Comprehensive research approach combining qualitative depth interviews with behavioral analysis
Depth Interviews Conducted
42 unique interview sessions with premium Gen Z consumers
Conversational Exchanges
477 conversational exchanges analyzed
Emotional Messages
226 emotionally charged messages identified
Social Mentions
83 social connection references tracked
Sensory References
63 sensory experience mentions captured
Research Framework
Qualitative Depth Interviews
- 42 unique interview sessions with premium Gen Z consumers
- 477 conversational exchanges analyzed
- Semi-structured format allowing for organic exploration
- Focus on recent memorable experiences across multiple categories
Behavioral Analysis Framework
- Emotional keyword mapping and sentiment analysis
- Experience category classification
- Social behavior pattern identification
- Digital engagement behavior tracking
The Bottom Line
Key takeaways for premium experience design
Premium Gen Z consumers seek experiences that transcend traditional luxury markers. They value authentic connections, sensory immersion, and meaningful moments that can be shared with their chosen communities. By designing experiences that naturally facilitate these elements while respecting their desire for presence over performance, American Express can create lasting emotional connections that drive both immediate satisfaction and long-term loyalty.
The Bottom Line
Peak emotional engagement happens when premium experiences facilitate genuine human connection, provide exclusive but authentic access, and create space for both digital disconnect and selective sharing. The future of premium experiences lies not in ostentatious displays of wealth, but in thoughtfully curated moments that become stories worth telling.
BEHEARD
© 2025 BeHeard Research. Prepared exclusively for American Express.
Confidential and Proprietary