The latest innovation super hits such as Chat GPT and the countless AI developments have neither produced any tectonic movement nor a tsunami in our industry. However, there are enough things that we could point out as trends that you should know for your 2023 corporate events. Perhaps, they don’t sound like final conclusions, but rather halfway checkpoints, but they are definitely worth your attention.
From multi- to omnichannel experience
One of the 2023 fastest consolidating trends for the corporate events is their transformation from multi- into omnichannel experiences. That is, the number of communication channels that serve as touchpoints with potential attendees has increased. It now goes far beyond the traditional invitation email, video on social media, and the event itself. It also includes:
- Mobile apps to enhance interactivity and engagement.
- Websites that are much more complex than a simple landing page with basic information.
- Content generated during the event, broadcasted live, and made available in on-demand format.
- Online stores and tours, etc.
Virtually any new channels, formats, and media that emerge in the market are immediately incorporated into this ‘omni’ ecosystem without replacing any of the existing ones.
Engagement all year round
This point is also related to this omnipresence of events. But in this case, with their omnipresence in the attendees' agenda throughout the year. Event organizers start to see their creations as something everlasting. A cyclical experience, in which as soon as one edition ends, the attendee is unconsciously engaged in the preparations for the next one. By receiving periodic email updates, coming across glimpses of the future event on the social media, through incentives like early bird offers, etc. And in this fierce fight for the attendees’ attention, every step is calculated and based on...
Data analysis for decision-making
It's true that the event industry is not the fastest one to find the right fit for the latest innovation and technology trends. However, its omnichannel expansion experienced recently enabled the use of statistics and analytics of these new channels. From the email CTR and likes on social media, to the average time spent on different sections of the website, or interaction with touch screens at the event itself. All this information helps designing a much more personalized customer journey, more memorable and relevant.
Besides, as awareness has grown about the importance of data, the idea that events, thanks to their live nature, are one of the few remaining opportunities to collect first-hand user information with minimum obstacles, has also been reinforced.
Hybrid event
Hybrid vs. digital
Here, we must acknowledge that the digital event, as a concept, has not survived the emergency situations in which it proved to be very helpful. In the post-pandemic world, digital attendance (except for very specific cases) is perceived as a decaf and low-cost version of reality.
However, the hybrid option, has been gaining popularity, and it's one on the trends you should consider for your 2023 corporate events. It combines live attendance with remote participation, is being perceived as a tool of democratization. It offers access to the event for geographically dispersed audience and/or for those with overly busy schedules.
In addition, our good old friend, live networking, in its second youth thanks to the post-pandemic euphoria, also makes live attendance far more attractive.
Sustainability, from trend to rule
And we are especially pleased to see that. We're now witnessing how, in a relatively short time, sustainable policies have gone from being something eccentrical to becoming almost a must not only for organizers but also for the society.
Moreover, the required sustainable policies and practices are no longer circumscribed to recycling and certifying materials. Now, they fortunately also encompass the economic and social perspective such as labour inclusion, circular and local economy, accessibility of spaces, and digital tools for disabled people.
AR and VR, not a game changer
So far, this technology has not managed to change the landscape of the event industry. It's due to the complexity, lengthy timings, and high costs of its ad hoc graphic developments, and the very high price of the glasses themselves.
However, it's still too early for the final verdict because any technology becomes cheaper over time in a competitive manufacturing environment. And, on the other hand, AI tools such as Midjourney open doors to a much more efficient management, in terms of time and costs, of high volumes of graphic material.
