May the Force be With You!
Now, May might be known by many for Star Wars Day, but we're also thrilled to share that something else exciting has happened this month: we have been awarded the prestigious King's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category! This is such a testament to our team’s passion and hard work, and one of the biggest awards in the UK for businesses, so we are truly feeling like event Jedi masters right now 😉
In May’s edition of A Turn of Events, we take a look at all the ways you can use the force to take your events to new heights—from crowdshaping and capturing Gen Z’s attention through data collection and analysis (or Jedi mind control powers 👀) to the continuing rise of immersive/sensory elements in event design. Plus, there’s some fantastic sustainability news from one of London’s beloved conference and expo spaces. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Strategy
Are you utilising attendee data in your strategy? According to a report by Cvent, only 20% of event planning organisations are integrating data effectively. Crowdshaping is a strategy approach that you could use to collect and utilise data, gathering information from a crowd of attendees at events to shape or influence various aspects of the event itself. This technique emphasises real-time feedback, harnessing technology such as smart badges and blue-tooth beacons while also incorporating gamification elements.
Content
We know that event formats have been evolving. Such as scaling down from lengthy sessions and focussing on bite-sized chunks to appeal to busy schedules and shortening attention spans. But how else is experiential content adapting to Gen Z and their appetites? There are key drivers we’re seeing pop up—particularly those of authenticity and purpose-driven content, along with greater digital integration and interactive elements, especially aesthetic activations that are worthy of sharing on social media!
Creative
Our design team has had the chance to flex their creative muscles lately, working on events such as Google's Measurement & Effectiveness Summit and HP Amplify, that have allowed them to utilise sensory displays of colour and light. This is something Google has explored lately across multiple divisions, and that other brands are also beginning to experiment with. Are we going to be witnessing a shift into high gear when it comes to sensory event design? It certainly seems that way! And it ties in perfectly with the growing interest in creating immersive events with shareable WOW moments.
Sustainability
ExCeL London and catering partner Levy UK and Ireland have joined forces with food environmental data analyst, Foodsteps, to accelerate the decarbonisation of the venue’s food and beverage offerings. The partnership will see Foodsteps provide ExCeL with detailed, UK-specific data on the lifecycle footprint of its produce, allowing Levy to design lower-carbon recipes. The partnership also includes a customer-facing labelling system to help visitors and organisers make more climate-conscious food choices, which we think is a great idea! Utilising this simple visual aid will help event attendees understand the impact of what they’re consuming.
The Monthly Five:
1: From Storytelling to "Storyfeeling"
Recommended by LinkedIn
More and more event professionals are learning that a human-centric and emotion-based event design leads to drastic engagement results. Pigalle Tavakkoli, founder of the School of Experience Design, explains to C&IT how.
2: To Infinity and Beyond!
Artist Yayoi Kusama has long been a source for inspiration, but recently her body of work "Infinity Mirrors" seems to be inspiring event spaces. The concept, using mirrored walls and repeating shapes to create an eye-catching visual loop, immerses guests in a dynamic and exciting way.
3: Looking for Ways to Break the Ice?
Skift provides over 40 icebreaker ideas to get your attendees more engaged at events. Suitable for everything from small or large groups to conferences and even virtual, these top tips will have attendees chatting in no time!
4: Events Pilot Programme in UK Schools
As proud Hertfordshire University partners, we love this piece! Rick Stainton, Founder of the Power of Events, pens an article for C&IT on his ambitious plans for engaging young people in the event industry.
5: When Old and New Combine
There’s something sublime yet disruptive about activations that combine different aesthetics and blur the lines between industries. Such as the recent and unlikely coupling of the Louvre and AirBnB.
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That's it from your friends at emc3!
Keep your eyes open, and your inbox refreshed, because we’ll be sliding into your inbox every month with the latest news, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and actionable advice - catch you next time!