Most conferences, exhibitions and even award ceremonies have adopted the same format and style for decades, and it’s time for some much-needed innovation.
Just because an event is b2b it doesn’t mean that it needs to be boring. Too often businesses think that because everyone is wearing a lanyard the event needs to be 'corporate'.
At the end of the day, everyone is a consumer regardless of their job title. What is engaging for a festival goer is also engaging for a conference delegate. Yet engagement levels and attention spans are far shorter in the business events space.
Why? Because so many businesses refuse to use the same engagement techniques when the attendees are professionals.
And so, for those that are looking to make a difference or who are brave enough to break the mould, inspiration can’t be found in the same space. When you’re a trailblazer you can’t look to your peers for ideas. Instead, inspiration should be sort from outside the business events industry.
Weddings, high-street activations and concerts are all on the periphery of corporate events - often using the same venues but in more creative ways. But one space that has successfully evolved way beyond its centuries of tradition is theatre.
Since the Greeks in their amphitheatres the artform has constantly tried to innovate and play with how to engage diverse audiences using performers on stage. Nowadays theatre is multifaceted. From immersive experiences in which the audience becomes part of the narrative, to one-man plays in which an individual tells a story with very little budget.
The common thread is that (when done right) audiences are captivated for hours, yet conference delegates can often be found snoozing just 20 minutes into a plenary session.
And yes, while movie adaptations will create stage shows with large production budgets - bringing in the latest technology, big-named actors and impressive set designs, there are still lessons that can be learnt from these shows that don’t require large budgets.
Even simple things like changing the backdrop between scenes - an age-old tradition in theatre that often doesn’t go beyond a slide show transition in the corporate world. Then you have blackouts and silence which can create a dramatic impact in theatre, and would be no additional cost on AV in a conference.
Immersive theatre uses the entire venue to tell a story, yet business events often limit everything to a stage. Immersive theatre also usually creates a dress code for everyone to participate in, yet uncomfortable shoes and formal attire is still to go-to for many corporations.
We at Black Book are passionate about innovation and creating engaging experiences. We seek inspiration from all directions but recognise that every client, event and delegate is unique and so we know that the management of any experience needs to be bespoke.
Sometimes exploring something different can just require a few small changes - like a more unique choice of venue - but could make a dramatic difference to your event.
Get in touch if you’d like to find out more.