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that will grant your events an edge

SHARE EVENT EXPERIENCESWITH ANYONE, ANYWHERETHROUGH MIXED REALITY

One of the downsides of live events is that people have to be thereto experience it. While this does create a unique experience forthe attendees, wouldn’t it be better if people could be attendees

no matter where they were? That’s where mixed reality comes in.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S S

SHARE EVENTEXPERIENCESWITHANYONE,ANYWHERETHROUGHMIXED REALITY

Additional realities: AR and VRMixed reality, where people where physical and digital

objects co-exist and interact in real time, is one of the

newest trends in the events industry. Through

augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), people

will be able to walk through the venues as if they were

physically there. These two technologies are going to

rapidly become mainstream in the next few years

(especially with the launch of technologies like Bridge

and Structure), making them a must have for future

events. With the cost of experience VR dropping with

the release of technologies such as Google’s Daydream

VR, it’s becoming easier for everyone to try VR. Let’s

just hope it doesn’t become like the novel, Ready Player

One.

SHARE EVENTEXPERIENCESWITHANYONE,ANYWHERETHROUGHMIXED REALITY

Live streaming via dronesLivestreaming is everywhere now (you can even do it in

4K). EventMB also had this one on their 2017 event

trends guide, for good reason, this is going to be

everywhere! For those who do not have access to VR

equipment, they can tune into live event broadcasts

courtesy of drones equipped with 4K cameras. Drone

streaming is another trend that we expect to see next

year, paired with the live broadcast features of social

media sites such as Facebook Live and Instagram Live.

This will let events achieve game-changing, full-360

degree streaming before 2017 ends. We’ll talk more

about live tech in the next section.

SHARE EVENTEXPERIENCESWITHANYONE,ANYWHERETHROUGHMIXED REALITY

Virtual meetingsVirtual meetings will allow people to attend events

remotely as if they were there in person. Right now

that is done with cameras and the same live stream

technologies avaliable today but what if the experience

could be more immersive? The same set of options

available to regular attendees will also be made

available to them, through the power of real-time

technologies such as the Microsoft Hololens.

Which begs the question: how willpeople actually interact with eachother in a virtual event? This can bedone through personalized avatarsas demonstrated this year byFacebook. Instead of tiny images andicons, you’ll be able to conveyphysical movement and even facialexpressions. We imagine it would belike those holograms in Star Wars,but even more interactive.

MAKE THE PHYSICAL FEELDIGITAL VIA ON-DEMANDSERVICES, TOUCH TECH,

AND MOREOn the flip side, technology is also making physical experiences

feel more digital. The sharing economy lets people access serviceson-demand, making them as simple as tapping on your phone.

Events now have multiple concurrent tracks that let attendees goin and out with ease, just like browsing websites. Technologybecomes part of everyday objects, making them smarter and

more interactive.@ H E L L O E N D L E S S

MAKE THEPHYSICAL FEELDIGITAL VIAON-DEMANDSERVICES,TOUCH TECH,AND MORE

On demand serviceBy tapping on-demand services like Uber and AirBnb,

event organizers can use crowd-powered services to

gain ideas, solutions and services to bolster

participation and engagement in events. Event

managers and suppliers can use on-demand services to

deliver better service at a lower cost.

MAKE THEPHYSICAL FEELDIGITAL VIAON-DEMANDSERVICES,TOUCH TECH,AND MORE

Choose your own adventureWhile big conferences already offer multiple tracks to

cater to their diverse audience, smaller events will soon

be able to do the same. In addition to participation in

different sessions, devices like NFC and RFID cards will

also give guests access to specific content. Want to

learn more about RFIDs and NFC? Check out our

episode 14 of #EventIcons where we interview Anthony

Palermo, the godfather of RFID at events.

MAKE THEPHYSICAL FEELDIGITAL VIAON-DEMANDSERVICES,TOUCH TECH,AND MORE

Touch techPhysical products are poised to make a comeback in

the 2017 event trends. Event engagement will be

enhanced by tangible items that on-site attendees can

actually touch and hold. Dubbed “touch tech”, these

items are simple but smart, like Snapchat’s Spectacles

which lets you take first-person videos through your

sunglasses instead of your phone. All we ask is that the

touch tech is better than the Touchbar on the new

Macbook Pros)

INCREASE ENGAGEMENT VIAARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

The past year has seen the rise in awareness and usage ofartificial intelligence or AI. Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana,and Amazon’s Alexa are just three of a legion of AI assistants

that people can use everyday. Needless to say, these same AI canbe tapped to provide an added boost to events when it comes to

personalization.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S

INCREASEENGAGEMENTVIA ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE

Personal conciergeAnother awesome idea we shared with EventMB’s 2017

event trends guide. We also drew inspiration from

Inbound 2016, and the launch of Hubspot’s Growthbot,

which is a chatbot designed to be your personal

marketing concierge. Artificial intelligence draws its

power from the cloud and the crowd, where it learns

by observing questions and responses of millions of

users. Not only can an AI deliver information on-

demand, it can also provide it even before you need it.

On top of that, artificial intelligence can act as a

personal concierge since it can process voice

commands and even reply just like a human does.

Expect a sassy remark or two in your future AI

interactions.

INCREASEENGAGEMENTVIA ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE

Virtual event assistantsEvent managers can use an AI as a digital event

assistant that can help with anything from registration

to budgeting. This helps event professionals build lean

teams that can focus on improving attendee experience

instead of drudging through backroom operations.

INCREASEENGAGEMENTVIA ARTIFICIALINTELLIGENCE

AI as brandingSiri, Cortana, and Alexa have all become household

names because of their distinct personalities. An AI can

also lends its personality to your event, much like a

brand ambassador.

But unlike your regular humanspokesperson, this one can interactwith hundreds of people at the sametime without limits. The AI can thenbe a more powerful branding tool,allowing people to interact with the“event” itself. The AI can also standat the helm of a viral marketingcampaign. And to top it off, youdon’t have to deal with a huge ego.

DELIVER EXEMPLARY EVENTEXPERIENCES

The top currency of today’s world is not the US dollar nor is itBitcoin. It’s engagement. This holds true for the events industryas well. Keeping the audience engaged in the event not only adds

to the bottom line, it also makes participation in the event afulfilling activity for everyone involved, from the organizer to

the attendee.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S

DELIVEREXEMPLARYEVENTEXPERIENCES

Emotionally intelligent eventsEmotional intelligence will play a key role, allowing

event organizers to cater to the emotional and

psychological needs of each attendee. Sensory lounges,

recreational rooms, experience areas, and the like can

keep participants immersed and holistically satisfied.

Different demographics will have different needs, and

the organizer will have to create different strategies to

keep each engaged. The one-size-fits-all approach is

scheduled to die out.

Soft skills will also be useful in the creation of more

efficient programs that take into account the needs and

expectations of the participant, not just those of the

organizer. It’s no longer about exchanging contact

details, and more on exchanging meaningful

experiences.

DELIVEREXEMPLARYEVENTEXPERIENCES

Connect emotionally with localflavorAnother way to heighten the attendee’s experience is

the use of local aspects such as culture, locations and

even cuisines, to evoke an emotional connection to the

event. By creating an authentic and memorable

experience, products and brands will find a home in

people’s consciousness. A good example of this is

AirBnb Experiences where people can take part in

unique activities instead of just buying travel lodging.

MAKE BETTER DECISIONSTHROUGH REAL-TIME DATA

One of good side effect of using event technology is that it makesdecision making easier. This is because you can gather enormousamounts of data, sometimes even in real time, and distill it downinto actionable insights, all without lifting a finger. This makes

event planners even more nimble, able to choose the moreeffective course of action through data-driven decisions.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S

MAKE BETTERDECISIONSTHROUGHREAL-TIMEDATA

Measure ROI betterBy default, you can already collect data from your event

from a variety of means: cameras, sensors, apps, and

more. By measuring this data, marketers and events

managers can better measure the expected ROI of each

event activity.

This also means that you can segment your crowd

better and explore promising niche audiences.

Generalized events are fast disappearing, and the trend

towards niche conventions is gaining ground.

MAKE BETTERDECISIONSTHROUGHREAL-TIMEDATA

Better logistics and managementReal time data gathering will also play a role in logistics

and event management. Demand for anything can be

measured on the spot, whether it be ticket sales,

session attendance, or crowd density. You can then

respond by creating real time content on-site in

response. For suppliers, physical stocks can also be

replenished depending on the consumption, which can

now be measured in real-time. This allows a new level

of flexibility when it comes to delivering good, creating

activities, and broadcasting content. One of our favorite

tools to collect real-time data is Loopd which allows

you see where your attendees are in real-time.

LET PARTICIPANTS RUN THESHOW

A mainstay of internet culture is the online community, wheremembers of self-organized groups create content together and

moderate their own actions. Because of this, people areclamoring for events where they have a say in its activities. It

might be scary to hand over the reins to your attendees but you’llfind that it might be worth your while doing so.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S

LETPARTICIPANTSRUN THESHOW

Speakers and participants learnfrom each otherNext year will see the gradual decline in the keynote

speaker-dominated events structure. Instead of having

just one keynote speaker dictating the tempo, future

events will focus on the creation of “learning sessions”

where both speaker and audience can share the

limelight. Existing examples of these involve the AMA’s

or Ask Me Anything threads that proliferate online,

where there is a direct interaction between speaker

and audience.

PS: We do this on a small scale every week with the

#EventIcons show where we let the audience as the

questions, not the hosts.

LETPARTICIPANTSRUN THESHOW

Hear attendee chatterOne of the sidelights of many events are the talks

among attendees, often held in between booths and

activities. The next year will see this being absorbed

directly into the framework of events. Imagine creating

an impact in an event even when you’re just chatting in

the corridors.

LETPARTICIPANTSRUN THESHOW

Create events togetherEvents can also be more engaging to people if they have

a say in how it is made. Organizers and the audience

can get together to plan the content and activities. Of

course, if people are engaged, they can also become the

most viral form of advertising. By tapping into services

that allow live social media broadcasts, you can get

people to share not only the event’s proceedings but

what they think about it as well.

HOLD EVENTS IN NON-TRADITIONAL LOCATIONS

The use of dedicated meeting places will take a hit, as organizersbecome more unconventional in their use of space. Informality isfast becoming the new norm, and this spills over into the use of

more casual locations. This includes places like rehearsal studios,lofts, and more.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S

HOLD EVENTSIN NON-TRADITIONALLOCATIONS

Surprising “pop up” eventsAside from using new venues, organizers are also

getting into the “pop-up” event bandwagon. This is the

use of an unlikely place that has been remodeled to fit

the brand or event’s message. These events are usually

announced shortly before they begin, tapping into the

surprise factor. The old, familiar, unsuspecting place is

then found to have been transformed into an

experiential location, to the delight of the audience.

HOLD EVENTSIN NON-TRADITIONALLOCATIONS

Exploring new event groundsAs well, event organizers are moving away from the

usual upscale venues and into the more unknown

locations. It is not uncommon for events to be held far

from central districts, in an effort to avoid the

convoluted traffic, bustle, and other conditions of

mainstream, high-demand locations. Second and

third-tier locations are expected to make even more

appearances this 2017.

LEAVE A POSITIVE MESSAGEMaking a social impact is also an important item making anappearance in events this 2017. Leaving a positive message isalways a welcome thing. However, these changes ought to start

within the event itself.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S

LEAVE APOSITIVEMESSAGE

DiversityThe white-man-in-a-suit figure as the top gun in an

event is fading out fast. Increased technology and social

awareness has decreased the barriers to entry,

allowing more and more people to participate as

authority figures. Organizers can induce diversity in

the event by encouraging audience participation. Social

media walls, for example, can help nudge people into

sharing in the discussion.

LEAVE APOSITIVEMESSAGE

SafetyOf course, being participant-centric and leaving a

positive mark also means showing the audience that

you care for them. Crisis management preparations are

bubbling up as a trend, ensuring that the audience is

cared for in any eventuality.

CREATE PERSONALIZEDEXPERIENCES

Everyone wants to feel special. It might be something as simple asseeing your name (spelled correctly, of course), in your coffee

cup. Or it might be a grand experience celebrating yourachievements. Big or small, technology has made it easier for

event planners to personalize their events, from emails toactivities and even to giveaways.

@ H E L L O E N D L E S S S

CREATEPERSONALIZEDEXPERIENCES

Personalized offersGoogle is a prime example of how your current

interaction helps it make predictive assumptions on

your future activity. This helps make things easier for

participants by giving them what they want, when they

want it.

Aside from smarter, activity-based emails and timed

prompts, these personalizations will provide better

value to customers by throwing in promotions

specifically tailored to the peoples’ preferences. This is

like the product suggestions in retailer websites, only

at a much larger scale and much more tailored to what

you want.

CREATEPERSONALIZEDEXPERIENCES

Personalized solutionsPersonalization also helps make happy campers out of

irate customers and attendees. Different people with

different concerns call for different strategies. While

the shotgun approach prominent in today’s industry

can be effective, it can be much more efficient for event

planners to provide laser-focused solutions based on

the individual’s profile.

Click here to read the full blog post

D O N ' T M I S S O U T O N T H EN E X T B I G T R E N D

READ THEFULL GUIDE

WANT TOLEARN MOREABOUTTRENDSAFFECTINGTHEINDUSTRY?

We highly recommend you check outthe following resources:

EventMB’s guide to 2017 Event Trends

Corbin Ball’s 7 meeting tech to watch in 2017

EventBrite’s curration of over 50 event industry experts on 2017 trends

2017 AmEx Global Meetings and Events Forecast

EVENT TRENDS2 0 1 7

that will grant your events an edge