TABOO doubles down on experiential with the appointment of RISING Festival’s Toby Feldman

Melbourne independent TABOO has appointed Toby Feldman as Experiential EP, signalling a push to expand its already strong foothold in brand experiences.

Feldman joins TABOO from RISING Festival, one of Australia’s premier contemporary arts and culture festivals, where he served as Head of Festival Operations – overseeing project management and operational infrastructure. Prior to RISING, Feldman spent seven years at the City of Melbourne, developing deep expertise in the intersection of art, culture and public experience.

The appointment builds on a growing body of experiential work that sets TABOO apart: an agency that brings genuine strategic thinking to a discipline that too often stops at spectacle. The agency’s experiential credentials span some of Australia’s most recognisable cultural moments – from its enduring work on the Australian Open, to MECCALAND, Bonds Bedroom, and more recently with TAC’s Vanessa platform. Across each, the agency’s approach has been to deliver experiences that create narrative and build brands over time.

James Mackinnon, Managing Director at TABOO, says the hire reflects a broader conviction about where the market is heading: “Too many brand experiences are built to impress for a day and forgotten by next weekend. The best ones do something more lasting – they build narrative, create deeper connections, and become part of a brand’s cultural identity. That’s what we’ve always believed, and it’s what Toby has spent his career building.”

Feldman says he was drawn to TABOO’s integrated model – an agency where brand strategy, creative and experiential sit under the same roof rather than in separate silos: “What drew me to TABOO is that the thinking comes first. There are plenty of agencies that can produce a great event. Far fewer can tell you why it matters for the brand – and then make sure the work actually delivers on that. I’m really excited to build on what TABOO has built and help evolve how brands and cultural flagships use experiential as a lever for growth.”

The appointment comes as brands locally and globally are reassessing the role of live and cultural experiences in their marketing mix – moving away from one-off activations toward experience programmes that compound over time. TABOO has been vocal about this shift, with Andrew and James Mackinnon speaking at SXSW Austin on the power of experiential to drive memory and build brands.

Feldman’s remit will span client work across TABOO’s growing experiential portfolio, as well as contributing to the agency’s broader new business and thought leadership agenda in the space.

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