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In 2023, the event industry underwent changes that revolved around sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. It also faced challenges relating to rising costs, AI integration, and emerging technologies. These developments impacted event professionals, creating a period of adaptation and transformation within an industry valued at $1 trillion worldwide.
For heaven’s sake! Fake women event speakers? Fake articles by fake writers in Sports Illustrated? Meeting professionals: this is a golden opportunity! We need to think bigger! Yes, friends, it’s now obvious that what our industry needs is… fake events! Think about it for a moment. Fake speakers Creating fake women speakers is just one tiny step in the right direction.
The holiday season is full of hustle and bustle—look no further than Nestlé’s mall “ speeding tickets ” for a sign that we all need to slow down—but it’s also brimming with fun, festive brand experiences that take the edge off of searching for the perfect gift and facing the in-laws. Grab a cup of cocoa and spin through 14 holiday activations that jingled all the way.
A wedding checklist isn’t complete without the small touches that truly bring the day together. You’ve got the dress – check! You’ve got the venue – check! But have you thought about the best way to welcome guests to the wedding, or the type of topper you’d like for the cake ? Let’s delve into some often overlooked but equally important elements you may want to incorporate into your wedding day!
Speaker: Aja Bradley Kemp, Founder & Chief Experience Officer at Conversate Collective
In a world where every brand is vying for attention, how do you make your events stand out? ✨ From creative swag strategies to immersive brand experiences, the key lies in fostering real connections that inspire action and leave a lasting impression. Whether you're planning a large-scale conference or an exclusive executive gathering, this session will explore how to elevate event engagement, strengthen brand perception, and maximize ROI.
A quest to find sustainable event experts leads to an emerging wine region in California’s Central Coast It’s not your imagination. The quest to design green meetings often feels like a greenhouse gas-cutting limbo game. At first, it was enough to do away with plastic straws to save the turtles. Then the bar was set on removing single-use plastic bottles in favor of branded, refillable jugs.
by Laura Cherrington, Director of Sales and Marketing at Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa As we embark on the cusp of a new year, the corporate events landscape finds itself on the brink of a transformative journey – one defined by the commitment to sustainability. Sustainability within the events industry is set to move from a trend to an imperative ethos guiding operational decisions.
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Event Pro Update brings together the best content for event, conference, and meeting planning professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
by Laura Cherrington, Director of Sales and Marketing at Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa As we embark on the cusp of a new year, the corporate events landscape finds itself on the brink of a transformative journey – one defined by the commitment to sustainability. Sustainability within the events industry is set to move from a trend to an imperative ethos guiding operational decisions.
Skift Take: The latest Skift Meetings virtual summit took the audience behind the scenes of some of the most innovative and inspiring approaches to event experiences of the year.
Long ago, I participated in and later staffed a series of workshops that profoundly affected my life. They led me to create a contract with myself that is still important to me. Creating a contract with oneself is a common way to motivate yourself toward achieving desired goals. There are plenty of resources available for writing such contracts. ( Here’s one that’s slanted toward event professionals. ) The workshop where I created my contract for myself took a deeper perspective.
“At NYFW, it’s often a lot of closed parties; we wanted to create a space that everybody could see and join because that’s a huge part of our [campaign] message—‘Diamonds for All.’ We wanted our event to have that same sort of access.” –Erin Matson, VP-Marketing, Pandora North America With New York City’s famed Diamond District known as the place to shop for precious gems and fine jewelry, Pandora sought to recreate its own pink-fueled version of the 47th Street district just in time for New Yor
In a world where love is the guiding light, allow the story of Rani and Omar to illuminate your senses. Their journey began as fate wove its threads at the CNE, uniting two hearts in a serendipitous encounter. Today, both serving as police officers in Toronto and Halton regions, they stand hand in hand, ready to embark on a new chapter. Expertly captured by Photography by Azra , Rani and Omar’s photo session at Hart House was a testament to the couple’s love.
Speaker: Alexa Acosta, Director of Growth Marketing & B2B Marketing Leader
Marketing is evolving at breakneck speed—new tools, AI-driven automation, and changing buyer behaviors are rewriting the playbook. With so many trends competing for attention, how do you cut through the noise and focus on what truly moves the needle? In this webinar, industry expert Alexa Acosta will break down the most impactful marketing trends shaping the industry today and how to turn them into real, revenue-generating strategies.
On this episode of What One Thing? podcast Smart Meetings Vice President and Content Director JT Long chats with Dr. Romila “Romie” Mushtaq on what constitutes a Busy Brain and best practices to cure a Busy Brain. Find out more about Dr. Romie here: Brain Health Keynote Speaker | Dr. Romie (drromie.com) Curious if you have a Busy Brain? Take the Busy Brain quiz here: Busy Brain Test – Dr.
Traditional showcase events are failing to meet the expectations of 81% of event buyers research by The Delegate Wranglers and CUSTARD has found. Although the survey of event buyers and venues identified that venue showcases are well-attended – 87% of buyers attend them with 78% deeming them ‘essential’ to review a venue’s facilities – only 19% of buyers said the showcases they attended were impressing them.
Skift Take: According to Convene, spending on meetings and events has increased by 35%, while Knowland reports group revenue is at 103% of 2019 levels.
I’m looking back on 2023. And , dear reader, get 20% off my ebooks until the end of the year! 2023 in review I slowed down in 2023. Before 2020, I was designing and facilitating around a dozen in-person meetings and conferences a year. After COVID decimated the meeting industry, I focused on the design and facilitation of online meetings. In 2023, in-person is back!
In order to create a successful event, you must: Optimize Event Website and Registration Process Utilize Social Media Platforms Effectively Implement Targeted Email Campaigns Harness the Power of Video Content Benefit from a Mobile App Download now and learn how to simplify this process with Eventpedia.
“As we’re thinking about experiential activations overall, it’s an opportunity for us to connect directly with fans and prospective viewers. And for a show like ‘Frasier,’ with such a massive, passionate, built-in fan base, we wanted to be able to show them in a big way that we were going to get it right—the show itself and the marketing around it.
Ready to swap out the spirits for some spirited sips? Say hello to delicious alcohol alternatives! Whether you’re hosting a completely alcohol-free reception or just mixing in choices for those who’d rather stay dry, these fun and festive non-alcoholic beverages are sure to keep your guests happy and the party popping. Get set to dazzle with drinks that are all about flavor and zero about the hangover – here are some of our favorites!
How emerging AI and other technology will boost event humanity by putting attendee needs at the center of conference design Attendees expect more from events today and emerging technology is helping to deliver on those demands. We sat down with the Maritz team to ask what top event technology trends they see for 2024 and how they will fundamentally change the meeting professional’s job.
Launching a new product can be an exciting yet nerve-wracking time. You’ve invested months or even years into developing an innovative solution, and now it’s time to introduce it to the world. A successful product launch kicks things off on the right foot, generating buzz and allowing you to bring your offering to market in a memorable way.
The greats learn from the greats. Set yourself and your team up for success with tried and tested strategies and insights from event marketing geniuses at Vanta, Partnership Leaders, Quantum Metric, Rocketlane, and Explori.
Skift Take: John Monahan, president and CEO of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, is stepping down effective Dec. 31, 2023, after serving as the organization’s top leader since 2003.
Here’s an independent review of my conference design work, published as a case study in Chapter 25—Designing and Developing Content for Collaborative Business Events—of the book The Routledge Handbook of Business Events. (Tip: The hardback version is expensive, the ebook is a quarter of the hardback cost.) The chapter was written by Ruth Dowson , Chantal Dickson , and Simon Bell.
“We think a lot about the staging of the musical performances, and through that lens of, ultimately, we want this to become content. The better it looks once you hold your camera up to it, the more attractive it’s going to be for somebody to post. So thinking about the staging, the LED screens and what’s running on those LED screens, thinking about the laser light show happening during that performance.
One of the most common ways to show your guests your gratitude for their attendance on your wedding day is to send them home with a touch of whimsy and gratitude with wedding favours. While these keepsakes are not mandatory, they add a sweet, memorable touch to your wedding festivities; it’s the perfect gesture to convey your heartfelt thanks to friends and family!
In this best practices guide, you’ll learn how to tap into the cost-efficiencies of advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing with video. Examples include speakers providing a preview of their upcoming sessions, exhibitors creating “please stop by” invitations and attendees creating “looking forward to seeing you” introduction videos. Learn about best practices and programs created by leading companies and associations including ASIS, AUVSI, SuperZoo, National Restaurant Association, World of Concret
Creating experiences, setting the stage for networking opportunities, and fostering connections among colleagues and association members are what the meetings and events world is all about. However, without a proper budgeting plan and contractual agreement with vendors and hotels that play a part in making your event a reality, there’s no event to be had.
Why is an event lead capture app the key to driving ROI from your upcoming events? Because in order to get the most value possible from your event, your exhibitors need a quick, reliable, and easy-to-use lead capture tool! In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of lead capture for events, the different types of lead capture methods available, and the key features to look for in lead capture software.
Events are a critical channel for healthcare organizations to engage with their key audiences. From large-scale medical conferences to intimate seminars, events enable healthcare event planners to strengthen relationships, generate leads, and position their brands as thought leaders. However, producing successful healthcare events takes thoughtful planning and preparation.
Download 200+ new RFP questions for hybrid and virtual event technology success. After 10,000 downloads, the SpotMe Virtual + Hybrid Event Platform RFP Template is the ultimate procurement tool for event technology. This template is ideal for companies looking for a vendor to fulfill their specific virtual + hybrid event platform needs and requirements!
Recognizing the best use of design and technology in experiential marketing After all of the paring down and pivots the event industry has experienced, this year signaled the return of programs that were not only full-scale, but built to enrich the attendee experience in fresh ways by offering “more”—more tailored, more technical, more sophisticated, more value.
The journey of Kelly and Jeff began at a vibrant party among mutual friends, where a shared love for skiing kindled the flame of their romance. It’s no coincidence that the very Ski Club where Jeff proposed became the canvas for their unique multicultural wedding. This captivating tale intertwines traditions from different corners of the world, commencing with a traditional Ghanaian ceremony and then transitioning into a Western-style reception.
Finding ways to elevate attendee well-being is the new gold standard Prioritizing wellness in meetings and conventions is rapidly evolving from a nice-to-have feature to an essential component of creating a productive and positive meeting. Today, meetings and convention planners have an opportunity to enrich their gatherings like never before to ensure attendees are well cared for from head to toe.
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