Yesterday, September 29, 2025, the Creative LIAisons participants engaged in “Create 4 All of Us,” a demanding design thinking workshop facilitated by AKQA, Westfield, and Disney. Thirteen teams, each comprised of ten attendees from around the world, were tasked with conceptualizing, prototyping, and pitching innovative phygital experiences tailored for both Westfield and Disney, directly applying the skills honed throughout the Las Vegas event.

The day commenced with an energetic workshop led by Tara McKenty, Executive Creative Director AU/NZ at AKQA, and supported by Amy Copley, Head of Marketing, Brand & Communications at Scentre Limited Sydney, and Richard Schmid, Head of Marketing, Australia and New Zealand at The Walt Disney Company.

the “Create 4 All of Us” Challenge

The core challenge centered around developing experiences that seamlessly blend the physical and digital realms – a concept known as “phygital.” Teams were prompted to consider how Westfield, a global retail property group, and Disney, a leading entertainment and media company, could leverage this integration to enhance customer engagement and create memorable experiences. According to AKQA’s previous work with Disney, the focus is frequently enough on personalization and immersive storytelling.

Specifically, teams were asked to address the following prompts:

• Westfield: How can Westfield create a more inclusive and engaging shopping experience that caters to diverse needs and preferences?
• Disney: How can Disney extend the magic of its storytelling beyond the parks and into the everyday lives of its fans?

The workshop emphasized rapid prototyping and iterative design, encouraging teams to quickly test and refine their ideas. This approach aligns with the principles of Design Thinking, a problem-solving methodology that prioritizes user needs and empathy.

AKQA’s Role and Methodology

AKQA, a global creative agency known for its innovative digital experiences, played a pivotal role in structuring the workshop and providing mentorship to the teams. Tara McKenty’s leadership focused on guiding participants through the design thinking process, emphasizing the importance of user research, ideation, and prototyping. AKQA’s expertise in experience design was crucial in helping teams translate their concepts into tangible prototypes.

The workshop followed a structured methodology:

1. Empathize: Understanding the needs and motivations of Westfield and Disney customers.
2. Define: Clearly articulating the problem statement.
3. Ideate: Generating a wide range of potential solutions.
4. Prototype: Creating tangible representations of the ideas.
5. Test: Gathering feedback and iterating on the designs.

Key Concepts Explored: Phygital and Inclusive Design

The challenge highlighted the growing importance of “phygital” experiences in the retail and entertainment industries. A