Last Word
Nathan Garnett
Media 10 event director
The events industry has
to be one of the most
dynamic and innovative
industries in the UK
economy, but I don’t have
to tell any of you that. If
Covid-19 has made us better
at shouting this from the
roof tops, and I think it has,
then that is a positive we can
take away from this terrible
crisis.
We have all had a little
extra time to think recently,
and I am sure I am not alone
in thinking about what we
do, how great it is, and how I
miss every part of it (except
exhibitors asking for more
drinks at the bar).
I have thought about
how we have to rebuild our
product almost from scratch
and carry out extensive
research and listen learn and
adapt.
I have thought about
how we are accustomed
to the highs and lows. The
Bio
2000-2008
Event director for The BBC
Good Food portfolio.
2008-2011
Director heading up
World's 50 Best Restaurant
Awards at William Reed
Business Media.
2011
present: Event director
at Media 10, ran Grand
Designs Live for seven
years and now currently
responsible for UK
Construction Week and
100% Optical.
more successful the event,
the higher the bar we set
ourselves. The cure for postshow
blues? Crack on with
planning the next one, and
so our continuous cycle of
creativity, improvement and
passion goes on.
We also have our fingers
in a lot of pies. We know our
sectors inside out, whether
working on a consumer event
or a trade show, and we get
under the skin of the sectors
we work in. We understand
them as best we can, and
our events are flagships for
trade and industry we serve.
They are a hive of learning
and networking. They are the
barometer of the health of an
industry, the economy, and
the nation.
As exhibitions return we
will have a vital role to play
in the recovery of every
sector of the UK economy.
We have a huge advantage
as we observe retailers open
over the next few days,
and the reopening of some
venues (places of worship for
example) will inevitably lead
to resumption of events very
soon.
Our events may look and
feel different from what we
are used to, but if we get it
right, we can improve on
what went before.
The biggest challenge in
resumption of events will
be the winning of hearts
and minds. I have been
extremely encouraged by the
support we have had from
our exhibitors, but they are
concerned our visitor base
will be nervous.
Our greatest task of all
will be in communicating
how our events are safe to
visit and vitally important
to attend. The public mood
changes fast, as perfectly
illustrated recently by a short
trip to Barnard Castle. As
we time our messaging with
pinpoint accuracy and put
safety first, I am confident
we can bring our audiences
with us.
After all, I think I speak
for all of us when I say that
technology has proven
essential and great for a quiz
- in moderation - but it is
absolutely no substitute for
face-to-face, or an exhibitor
demanding that extra drink.
“As we time our messaging with
pinpoint accuracy and put safety
first, I am confident we can bring our
audiences with us”
60 — June