The future of events
Times are changing. What will events look like in 2040? What is your role as a professional in creating meaningful events in a changed world? Simon Renes, founder of the effect group*, shared his vision as a panelist during 'Elevate your event', where the industry came together to look ahead. This article dives into the highlights. Get inspired and discover how you can already future-proof your event.
As an event professional, what are you already doing?
One of the challenges is to ensure that events are a competitive communication asset, which means that they remain affordable. By working more together and looking for combinations within the industry, costs can be shared. If you organize a festival on Thursday, another company can do it in the same place the day before or after, so that costs for location, construction and dismantling can be shared. That also makes everything more sustainable.
What changes will we already notice in the coming years?
Mediocrity is disappearing. It becomes even clearer that designing and producing a successful event is really a profession. There are still so many events that are not an impactful communication moment. Too many companies have no idea what opportunities they're missing out on. A party that no one is waiting for. That kick-off that is only fun for the initiator. And that conference that could also have gone well online.
One of the biggest challenges at the moment is no show. And therein lies the inconvenient truth that your event is apparently not relevant enough? My starting point is that you should develop events for which employees or customers want to buy a ticket. That's how good your program should be.
We need to come up with corporate events for which employees or customers would want to buy their own tickets. - Simon Renes, founder of the effect group*
What do you need to consider in 2040?
An important target group for B2B events in 2040 is not today's target group. It is the current pupils and students who will soon be in business who will make a budget available for events and who will be invited to events.
It is interesting to prepare for this, because what do they find important and what are drivers and barriers for them? How do you ensure that they want to free up time and budget for events by 2040?
What do you think events will look like in 2040?
Due to further digitization and flexible working, people will find it even more fun to physically go to an event to experience and meet people. Hospitality is becoming even more important to make an event worthwhile. It is precisely what makes an event unique that will be even more appreciated in 2040.
Listen and take a good look at young people. Before you know it, they are your target group.
Will decoration at events still exist in 2040?
Visiting an event is a sensory experience and a nice atmosphere is part of it. It has to be sustainable. Think of the reuse of items, sustainable materials and digital signing and branding. That movement is already underway and will no longer be an issue in 2040. It is then the most normal thing in the world that no trucks with things drive anywhere for an afternoon.
How do you see the influence of technological developments on events?
When you talk about technology, 2040 is far away, too far away to say anything useful about it. And that is also where the most important influence of technological developments lies: you have to get started and stay very close. Being hungry and curious. So get that ChatGPT 4.0 account now!
