There are so many reasons to be positive and optimistic about the state of the Events Industry in 2023….
In 2022, we were at last able to see the return of live, in-person events, which for many of us was a huge relief.
We were excited to see how the digitalisation of events transformed the industry and opened up an entire new way of working, but equally, we’re over the moon that we can once again mingle freely with our friends and colleagues, plus witnessing happy delegates also do the same.
On the flip side, inevitably new challenges have emerged that have impacted many of us… Battling with staff shortages, seeing great crew move into other industries, the rising cost of inflation, the true impact of Brexit on travel and purchasing equipment from outside of the UK… However, we remain resilient and we’re delighted to see that the demand for events still remains strong.
As we look forward to what will (hopefully) be a more consistent and noticeably less turbulent year (fingers crossed), we thought it would be great to discuss the top event trends that we’re most excited about seeing in 2023… Let us know what you think.
Experiential Marketing Events Are Leading The Way:
We absolutely love the fact that peoples’ focus is now turning towards the more ‘experience based’ event. Experiential Events are our speciality here at Melt Productions. We love the opportunity to get creative and think outside the box…
After several years of lockdowns and virtual events, now more than ever attendees are searching for something more… Those real-life, memorable experiences.
In 2023, our clients are more eager than ever before to create the best possible experience for attendees and that’s where we come in!
Not only do Experiential Events offer a great experience, the also offer excellent ROI and lead generation opportunities. On top of this, creating and designing a memorable event or event space leads to a serious amount of social media coverage from your delegates and attendees.
Continuation Of Incorporating Digital Advancements Within Events:
The sudden pivot to Virtual Events during the pandemic greatly accelerated the use digitisation within events…
Accessibility: The widespread adoption of Virtual and Hybrid events has opened up the events world to a whole new way of working. Not only have events become far more accessible, they’ve also allowed audiences to grow across the globe.
Digital Touchpoints: In 2023, we predict in-person events will incorporate many more digital touchpoints, supported by technology. These touchpoints will allow event marketers and planners to capture more valuable insights on attendee behaviour and interests to build more personalised attendee experiences. More digital touchpoints also offer the opportunity to extend the engagement of your event beyond its traditional start and end dates, so you can create always-on, year-round attendee engagement.
AR and VR: Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have become increasingly popular technologies in the events world… For example, you can learn about constellations with SkyView and step inside the human body with Microsoft HoloLens. Imagine the ‘wow’ factor event organisers could bring with such possibilities, just check out the Hologram that was created of Prince at the Super Bowl 2022 and Abba Voyage to give you an idea as to how creative and cool events can get using advanced technology!
Events Designed With Sustainability At The Forefront:
This year we have seen climate crisis and sustainability issues rise to the top of almost everyone’s agenda, including our own. There has been a noticeable shift in the attention that sustainable aspects of live events have been getting… How can we create infrastructure that doesn’t just get taken to landfill?
From venues promising to be as environmentally friendly as possible to event stand suppliers offering only sustainable and reusable solutions to help bring down waste. 2023 will see a year where being environmentally conscious is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but a necessity and a duty for each and every one of us to do our part to minimise our impact on the planet.
With ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) policies demonstrating a company’s commitment to key issues like sustainability and diversity, these factors will become even more important in every aspect of event design. With the world as a whole becoming more eco-conscious, it’s important that we as an industry keep up!
Sustainability: Sustainability is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. In one survey, 80% of respondents said their organisation takes sustainability into account when planning meetings and events. Of this, 76% have implemented a sustainable meeting programme strategy.
But while a priority, sustainability remains a key challenge. The 2022 ICE benchmarking report found that 59% of event planners see sustainability as a challenge for their businesses.
To tackle this, event organisers will be looking to focus on measuring and reporting on the impact of their sustainability efforts. This will include setting measurable goals and tracking their events’ carbon footprint through factors like catering, energy consumption and the distance travelled by delegates.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
We’ve seen an increased effort to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives within the event industry and this will continue to be a priority in 2023.
Championing diversity and inclusion will also mean a joint effort to host events that are more inclusive and accessible to all. This is multi-faceted and comes in many forms.
For example, it could include selecting venues that are 100% accessible or gathering relevant information, such as accessibility requirements, from attendees during the registration process, so you can accommodate these during the event planning.
It could also mean ensuring speakers are selected from a wide range of diverse backgrounds, offering attendees the ability to attend an event virtually or ensuring that inclusive language is used throughout all event communications.
More Focus On Health and Wellness:
It’s undeniable that the stress of the last few years has led to many event organisers feeling overwhelmed and overworked. And like many others, the event industry also experienced the ‘Great Resignation’.
To try and support this, there has been a shift to focus on the health and well-being of employees within the industry. In 2023, organisations will need to demonstrate their commitment to building a healthy company culture. With employees demanding more from employers, businesses will also need to prioritise key benefits such as flexible working, offer better compensation packages and deliver opportunities for career progression.
The other side of the coin is an emerging focus on the well-being of delegates at events. For example, there is greater recognition of the need to provide downtime for delegates during busy events – the introduction of quiet rooms or ‘wellness hubs’, is just one example… This is something we are extremely keen to develop here at Melt Productions, so watch this space!
Looking Ahead…
2023 looks set to be a promising year for our fantastic industry. The solid return of in-person events, combined with opportunities to acquire data and digitisation to improve efficiency, means event organisers are better equipped to deliver engaging events that are profitable and of course, a great success.
To discuss your next event in more detail, you can get in touch with us via the ‘Contact‘ page on our website.