Agency advice
Key ways to translate event success abroad
LAURA CHALCRAFT, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR & SUSTAINABILITY LEAD AT INTERNATIONAL EVENT AGENCY SLEDGE, OFFERS SOME STRATEGIC TIPS FOR ENTERING A NEW MARKET
Left: Laura Chalcraft commerce is expected to reach $ 125bn by 2027, which shows the immense potential here, too.
Play on the PR Wow factor moments give an event virality, and see it generate that highly sought after media buzz. It’ s also where creative, out of the box thinking is a must.
There are countless options here, such as transforming guests into content creators, by inviting them to capture and share what they’ re seeing at your event and weaving it into the brand’ s real-time launch strategy – an especially powerful one from an authenticity perspective.
Venue elements can take an event from good, to great, too, whether it’ s hosting it in a yet to be launched space, the city’ s hottest spot, or a location that is unique in itself.
Or, maybe it’ s the talent, the wider guests in the room. It could be a personalisation factor, or an interactive experience that links back to what you’ re launching.
L aunching a brand, product,
service, or event series in another country or region requires a whole other level of planning, as there are multiple considerations at play. The stakes are also higher – first impressions count, and so you’ ve only got one chance to launch with impact, or risk being remembered in a way that doesn’ t reflect who you are or what you’ re about.
A particular event format – such as an immersive, large-scale experience – might have worked well in the Asia-Pacific region, where we know sophisticated tech reigns supreme, however this doesn’ t necessarily mean it will resonate in another where attendees may prefer more intimate, or VIP-style events, for example.
It makes research a must. Take the time to understand the local market by not only delving into a report here or there, but connecting with your trusted network on the ground, getting physically immersed in the culture, and conducting your own primary research.
Evolve to ensure local relevance Analyse your findings and then act on them. Key brand messages don’ t always translate in the right ways, and they might need evolving so local audiences can clearly understand.
Strategise how these messages will be delivered too, by featuring a mix of local and international talent, and re-working the contents of presentations. Weaving in references to popular traditions, practices, celebrities and trends can also carry a lot of weight when it comes to winning these new audiences over.
Analytics and market research company Cube Asia has said social
Make mementos meaningful Keeping the brand, product, service, or event series front of mind long after the launch is a must for continued success, and the best time to do this is before your initial event ends.
It can be something as simple as bringing the polaroid camera out to snap guests, while for a more techfocused approach, tracking attendees’ heart rates is a great way to gain an understanding of their engagement and endorphin levels. Sharing the data in a fun visual way, both physically and digitally also ticks both the memento and amplification boxes.
Events can be a powerful part of any and every launch strategy, just make sure you’ re really flexing their potential, by doing the research, thinking creatively, and considering how you can do things in ways others haven’ t yet explored. n
20 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 138