Agency view
Sledge Paris
Aruba Atmosphere , London
The US ’ s unionised approach Over 16 million US workers were represented by a union in 2022 , and the event industry is very much union-led there .
This makes event professionals one of the biggest budget contributors , as their wages – which can be double of those in the UK – roles , responsibilities , and hours are all heavily regulated .
The role of a floor manager , for example , is considered to be very different to that of a stage manager , and the former isn ’ t permitted to go anywhere near the stage . The lead crew member will announce when it ’ s time to break for lunch , and as soon as contracted hours have been completed for the day , their rates increase .
While this level of employee protection is important , in many ways , it means event budget increases are unavoidable .
Seasonality in mainland Europe Europe has been known to shut down throughout August as many head offline for the month .
At the same time , uncertainties around budgets means many of us have been working to shorter lead times and less defined timelines in the UK . Locking a site visit in or contacting a supplier on the ground in Europe was a no-go , though , which meant we were on the back foot heading into September .
Some Europeans would argue that being all offline at the same time means you can switch off properly , ready to return revitalised in September .
Delivering despite budgetary changes A positive that I ’ ve witnessed emerge from the rising cost of living is that clients ’ cautiousness is prompting them to think more strategically than ever before .
In my experience , clients throughout the globe are aiming to reduce their event budgets by 20 %, and many now have smaller teams to deliver , so they ’ re reassessing the way they do things .
This presents an opportunity for us event professionals to come onboard earlier on in the piece , provide insight that clients didn ’ t know they needed , and act as their true strategic partner from start to finish .
By helping them understand what their audiences seek in experiences today , and providing alternative creative concepts and overarching solutions that are in line with their budgets , we have the ability to strengthen relationships , and ensure they continue to achieve their goals , even these during challenging and uncertain times . n
ISSUE 127 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 19