MPI
In an age of algorithms live events stay human
MPI CORRESPONDENT PAUL COOK DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN-CENTRIC MEETING AND EVENT DESIGN
S ince the pandemic,
George P. Johnson has seen face-to-face events roar back to life with a vengeance and CEO Chris Meyer, says:“ In a world swamped with artificial everything, authentic, live experiences are the ultimate brand asset and competitive advantage.”
Dena Lowery, president of Opus Agency, agrees with this sentiment:“ Events are the antidote. Face-to-face interaction is where brands prove they’ re real, where people form identities and find their communities and where dopamine comes from real connection, not endless scrolling.”
What’ s interesting is how the abundance of AI is affecting live events. Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI, concurs:“ Curiously, as this tech has become more prevalent, it intersects with face-to-face meetings in a very unique way that bolsters the importance of convening in person.”
Meeting in person has definitely accelerated and, according to Meyer, an experiential renaissance has unfolded in the last few years, with brands like Mastercard shifting 70 % of their budget from traditional channels into experiential.
It’ s clear there is all to play for, and that means more responsibility and skill is required from meeting professionals than ever before.
Amanda Armstrong, CMP, CED, SVP of industry relations for global event production company Encore, reinforces this view:“ Attendees expect more from their in-person event experiences. There needs to be a wow factor to drive in-person attendance. Personalisation
has moved beyond dietary needs and toward event content based on things like career interests, tenure and past event participation, and even seeing
Top left: Amanda Armstrong
Bottom left: Chris Meyer their names displayed on a digital screen upon arrival.”
Lowery believes that,“ In a world saturated with AI-generated content, attendees need to see things live, try for themselves, hear directly from experts. Our clients are designing keynotes as live stories, building hands-on labs where people can test products, and hosting roundtable conversations that put decision-makers in the same room. These aren’ t just engagement tactics. They’ re proof of authenticity.”
Changes to the way live events are delivered needs continuous evaluation so as not to lose their impact and importance. Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group notes:“ Great moments of connection happen both by accident and design; the event planner has a strategic role to play in engineering powerful moments, spaces and places that can lead to belonging, inclusion, recognition and, let’ s be honest, joy!” Bauer adds:“ Those of us in leadership positions need to change our thinking,”
One example of the need for change was highlighted by a recent Freeman study,‘ Unpacking XLNC: How to Architect Serendipity and Connect People in Meaningful Ways,’ which reported that nearly one-third of younger professionals believe current networking formats detract from the value of the experience or increase anxiety,
“ Nearly half of Freeman’ s respondents said they want curated recommendations of who to meet. This underscores the need for intentional, human-centred design throughout the event planning process, be it at a large trade show like ours or smaller, more intimate events,” the study claimed.
There is always something new for meeting planners to layer into their planning. And this is not likely to stop.
The challenge now is to use the tech, design and psychology tools at our disposal to create events that continue to raise the stakes of live events and exceed the expectations of participants. n
ISSUE 141 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 25