The year is almost up, and 2018 is just around the corner. We are
seeing 2018 event trends starting to emerge. It’s clear that this past
year was an innovative one for the events industry, with technological
trends taking center stage in almost all aspects. And yes, there are no
signs that the event tech juggernaut will be stopping next year. But
that could take a decidedly different route than it had before, based on
this new report. Before you start planning any events with these trends
we suggest you head over to our
free event budget spreadsheet, we know you will want to make room in the budget for a few of these epic trends!
Most of the 2017 event trends were focused on merging the realm of
the real and the virtual. Mixed reality is fast becoming an event
staple, with new devices that support it becoming available (and
affordable) to the public. Touch technology continues to engage our
tactile senses, making digital wonders more tangible to event goers.
On-demand services break through the time barrier, and AI technology now
has a global presence, from the moment the attendees register to the
moment they answer post-event surveys.
Previously novel ideas have also become more mainstream.
Crowdsourcing has become the rule, resulting in highly engaging events.
Venues have moved away from stadiums and convention centers, and into
pop-up spaces and other non-traditional locations. Events are also more
fluid, as organizers now rely heavily on data to make real-time
decisions to change the course of the event for the better.
Despite all that, the priorities of the events industry have been
subtly shifting behind the scenes, and the next year may see something
different in the spotlight. While technology will still play a major
role in the quest to create a personalized and high-impact experience
for audiences, it will likely play more of a supporting role with many
events going back to some all-important basics. Recent headlines, for
example, have led industry professionals to re-evaluate the matter of
event security. The concept of engagement is also moving away from
numbers on a chart to live monitoring and real-time adjustments. Let’s
have a look at what 2018 event trends have in store for us.
2018 Event Trends:
- Event Safety and Security: Going Back to Basics
- Going All Out with Engagement
- Virtual Attendees Get More Love
- Infusing Local Flavor to Events
- Unique Venues Make Bold and Memorable Statements
- Customization Creates Personalized Event Experiences
- Artificial Intelligence Provides Much Needed Event Assistance
- Big Data and Crowdshaping: The Man Behind the Curtain
- Foster Sustainable Events
- Let them Unplug: Allowing for Mindfulness
- Make Your Event’s “Why” Crystal Clear
Event Safety and Security: Going Back to Basics
The
Las Vegas Shooting
incident last October has sent the industry into a flurry. Before the
tragic event, the idea of event security has been mostly an
afterthought. This incident, along with other tragic incidents and with
spate of natural disasters that swept the globe within the year, has
made safety and security an important issue for events organizers.
Aside from ensuring that the entire event setup is resistant to the
elements and staffed by qualified security personnel, the following
guidelines will see a wider adoption in 2018:
- Better coordination not only with local law enforcement but also
with experts such as meteorologists to properly gauge safety measures.
- A better focus on event security planning, which includes requiring contractors to produce relevant documents such as insurance certificates.
- The widespread use of technology like in-app crowd trackers, people counters, heat maps that show foot traffic, and more.
Safety and security aren’t just about what goes on during the event
physically. A recent uptick in digital exploits has also made
cybersecurity measures a mandatory inclusion when planning events. The
in-app crowd trackers mentioned above, for example, might contain
personally identifiable data that hackers could collect and exploit. On
the digital front, we’ll be seeing a few of these
event app security measures implemented on the websites and other technologies we use for our events:
- Wider adoption of SSL to secure data access and delivery.
- The inclusion of data management into event plans.
- Actively rejecting data that can be seen as too personal (bank account information, etc.)
- Digital security measures set in place that align with the goals of the event.
- More focus on purging data collected during an event after it’s done versus archiving and storing it.
Going All Out with Engagement
Of course, the core of any event still lies with the message it
delivers (or attempts to deliver, as may be the case). It all depends on
how well the event engages its audience in order to drive its message
home.
While we definitely look forward to having some high-definition mixed
reality experiences this coming year, we’ll also be seeing more events
that deliver a holistic experience by
engaging all the five senses.
Audio and video are staples when it comes to this, but have you ever
went to an event that really engaged your sense of smell or taste? In
fact, a well-crafted multi-sensory event can provoke interest before,
during, and even after an event.
These are just some of the upcoming creative possibilities that can help activate all of your senses during an event:
- Immerse the participants in the smell of the products being
endorsed, using scent-generating machines or simply by amplifying the
scent of the product.
- Add more hands-on displays that encourage the sense of touch.
- Promote audience alertness by creating multi-sensory recreation in between sessions.
- Take time to select and integrate textures, scents, mood-setting soundtracks, and visual techniques when planning events.
- Integrate creative spaces within event venues to better engage the senses and stimulate discussion during an event.
Virtual Attendees Get More Love
Virtual reality is here to stay but that doesn’t just mean taking
event goers to other dimensions. It also means taking others outside the
event and letting them to engage as if they were actually part of it in
person.
First off, it’s important to define what virtual reality (VR) is in
comparison with augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality. Virtual
reality is a simulation of a real-life environment, focusing on
stimulating the vision and hearing. Augmented reality, on the other
hand, anchors these computer-generated images on a real-life object,
allowing one to experience the two simultaneously (think Snapchat
filters). Finally, mixed reality combines both VR and AR for maximum
impact.
Of the three, VR is the easiest to implement. Virtual reality is
something anyone with a mobile device can experience. You can use it for
marketing and promotions like virtual tours, or product demos, to using
it to create an entire virtual experience such as a game.
But one of the most powerful uses of VR is letting people, both
speakers, and attendees, to break the barriers of time and distance.
Check out the following
VR trends that will see an increasing prevalence this 2018:
- Allow virtual speakers to take the stage. While we already do this
to some extent with screens, a 3D visualization adds a certain depth to
the speaker’s virtual presence.
- Create virtual meeting places and let virtual attendees actively participate in discussions and the event journey.
- Host digital hangouts that add a new dimension to networking and
interaction. These hangouts can be accessed at any time during the event
to engage other participants, speakers, and virtual audiences right
from your device.
Infusing Local Flavor to Events
When we hear the words “local flavor”, we often take it to mean
letting attendees taste the local cuisine. However, we can go above and
beyond just food in the name of creating a powerful event experience.
Local flavor
means adding something unique to the location, something that they
cannot have anywhere else. Aside from the food, you can add local
culture, scenery, history, and more.
However, there are downsides to going local. Trying too hard could
result in a bad experience for your audience, especially when they feel
that they are being pushed too hard into the local scene. So try to keep
the balance between inclusion and localization in your events
Here are some ways that local flavors will play a role in 2018’s events:
- The local terrain will be part of the event’s attraction. Guided
tours, dinners, receptions, and more will showcase the best of the event
venue. We will see an increase in off-venue experiences.
- Gifts and souvenirs will also carry a local flavor.
- Event professionals will spend more time curating the best local
experience for attendees. This will be done by offering travel guides,
itineraries, “Best Of” guides, and more.
- Event goers will have opportunities to share interesting local
experiences, letting them give off a “wish you were here” vibe to
non-attendees.
Unique Venues Make Bold and Memorable Statements
Forever gone are the days when events were confined to four walls.
Conventional layouts still do exist, such as theaters and classrooms,
and they’re still great for lecture-heavy conferences and workshops.
However, these aren’t what you would want for your upcoming events if
you don’t want to give your audience a single opportunity to get bored.
Instead, take advantage of
unique event layouts
and venues, such as cabaret-style locations that foster interaction
while giving everyone the space they need. If you need everyone to be
close to both each other and a central demo or entertainment, you can
also arrange the seats in a herringbone arrangement. Different layouts
can serve different purposes as needed by your event.
The 2018 event trends also dictate that the venue itself should
reflect the personality, values, and statements of the event. A company
with an eco-friendly image would not want to hold an event in an
industrial setting, for example. In the same way, a fashion-forward
brand would not want to use a common convention center as its event
locale.
Ideally, venues should also make an impression immediately, even
before one sets foot on the location. These are those venues that
integrate an experiential aspect to events. These include unique places
like castles and museums. Some extraordinary venues to consider are:
- China’s Shanghai Tower, and its amazing heights.
- London’s The Printworks, with its authentic industrial setting.
- Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, with its majestic ocean views.
- San Francisco’s Exploratorium and its public laboratory.
Customization Creates Personalized Event Experiences
Events now use tech to gather attendee preferences and discern
patterns in activity, letting organizers create a curated experience
that ensures maximum impact and engagement for each participant.
Customization also means allowing event participants to direct not
just their own journey but also change the event as a whole. Event apps
can be used to send questions and prompts, giving the audience the power
to influence what happens next.
Here are a few things we will see in the realm of event customization next year:
- Event planners will incorporate new “event paths” depending on
audience response to prompts and questions. This means that it’s
possible to run similar events but have different experiences in each
one.
- Venues will contain more interactive items, from the basic photo
walls to digital displays that can be influenced by attendee
participation. Look forward to more Tweet walls, LED displays,
crowd-responsive lighting, and so on.
- Customization also gives way to comfort, with lounges and various
amenities that offer a myriad of activities becoming a common sight in
future events.
Artificial Intelligence Provides Much Needed Event Assistance
Artificial intelligence (AI) has played a major role in this year’s
events, and its dominance will continue well into 2018. Aside from
in-venue fixtures that implement AI elements, event goers will also have
them in their pockets in the form of event apps and chatbots.
The battle between event apps and chatbots rages on, but ultimately
which one you choose will depend on your event and expected audience.
Bigger events that need to showcase a lot of material to their audience
could invest in a full-fledged app that utilizes an AI to answer the
attendee’s common questions. This type of AI can also gather data about
common audience questions, helping both identify pain points and provide
solutions to them.
On the other hand, smaller events can benefit from chatbots built
into the commonly used apps for your audience such as Facebook
Messenger. This lets event goers get the same answers to common
questions without having to install a separate app. The familiar
interface also eliminates any learning barrier.
The following ideas will help push artificial intelligence as a helper for future events:
- On-demand AI will range from a registration assistant to a virtual
concierge. It can start as a session reminder and eventually evolve to
suggest the best activities to do next, even provide personal
assistance.
- Chat AI and event apps will be integrated into each event’s social
media strategy. Event professionals will be investing more time in
making items more “shareable” online, increasing the reach of the event.
Big Data and Crowdshaping: The Man Behind the Curtain
While we want to empower our audiences, we still want to make sure
that we are in firm control of the event’s outcome. Thus, we’re seeing
an increased focus on the analysis and interpretation of big data, and
the advent of crowdshaping.
Crowdshaping means diverting the crowd of attendees into specific
places or experiences in an event to influence their experience. The
first step is collecting information. This can range from crowd
demographics, answers to survey questions, movement data, session
attendance, and a lot more. Afterwards, we feed the data into big data
algorithms that will translate the numbers into trends and insights.
The tricky part isn’t the analysis though: it’s acting upon the data.
That’s why many event planners now use event industry-specific project
management software as well. An event organizer can make real-time and
data-based decisions based on attendee inputs, both active and passive.
Foster Sustainable Events
Sustainability has also been a trending idea lately, especially since
all the negative effects of our unsustainable practices are now coming
back to haunt us. Sponsors and brands are now extending their mantra
about social responsibility into the events they hold.
One of the most common ways to
foster sustainable events
is to go paperless. One way is to use digital replacements like apps
and emails instead of handing out paper materials such as brochures,
schedules, and more. And if you simply cannot avoid using paper, you can
also think about using recyclable, recycled or reusable materials
instead.
Social responsibility doesn’t stop with simply becoming eco-friendly.
You can also include the following activities when thinking about
creating a sustainable event:
- Support local businesses by using them as suppliers for your events.
This generates job and income for locals and can help showcase the
local flavor, too.
- Integrate charitable activities in the framework of the event, and give back to the local community this way.
Let them Unplug: Allowing for Mindfulness
Rest periods are just as important as periods of activity. Downtimes let participants
de-stress and process what they have learned during the event.
That’s why it’s important to give attendees a chance to rest and to
break away from their devices. We expect to see the following trends
during events next year:
- WiFi “dead zones” where event goers can go to stay away from tech.
- Comfortable seats, further improved by mood lighting and ambient sounds that promote relaxation.
- Structured breaks that allow attendees to recuperate and reflect on their learnings.
Make Your Event’s “Why” Crystal Clear
While we might know the ins and outs of event planning, one thing we
must always remember to communicate well is the “why” of the event. This
is something that should resonate throughout the entire gathering. It’s
a purpose that should strike the audience as its most memorable
feature. Everything else about the event has to point to its “why”.
To the event organizer, this means getting into the mind of the
client and understanding their purpose for the event before laying the
groundwork. Once you understand the reason for holding the event, let it
spread out by providing attendees relevant information beforehand.
Then, start building on it through a purpose-focused agenda during the
event. After the event, track the engagement of your event goers and
find out how well the “why” had stuck with them.
The 2018 event trends we’ve read earlier tell us that this year will
be one of purpose-driven and value-added events. Try the following to
further enhance your audience’s connection to your event’s “why”:
- Add value to giveaways. For example, print an event overview at the back of nametags to drive home the event’s purpose.
- Share clear and relevant takeaways. Show the audience that their time is valued.
Which Trends Will You Use?
So there you have it, these are the 2018 event trends. They will push
the industry forward. There will be a strong need for event safety, new
tech trends, and ways to keep your audience engaged.
Want to learn more about trends affecting the industry?
Subscribe to our blog to keep up with the latest trends and news.
Want to see how last year looked in comparison? Check out our
2017 event trend blog.
For event planners like you who want to be the innovators of the
industry, it’s time to take a close look at each of the above trends and
see which ones can implement in your next event. Remeber don’t only do
something because it’s trendy, make sure you have a reason, it’s
memorable and something with impact.
Source : Endless Event
