Event planning companies are undergoing a change in the way they design events because of their guest’s desire to be immersed in excitement. The event trend known as “festivalization,” has taught us that festivals are redefining how event planning companies plan conferences and other types of corporate events. We suggest you pay attention and learn from this eventprof trend.
What is Festivalization?
Festivalization is a comprehensive event trend that event planning companies are implementing to fuel their audience’s desire to be plunged into a multi-day affair. The other element of festivalization is the “cross-pollination” or networking of the tech, business, and creative industries.
There are numerous events that have incorporated this trend, especially SXSW. The event started in 1987, with a contribution from the CVB to bring more guests to Austin and display its creatives and its music societies. That first year they received 150 attendees. In the 1990s, they added a collaborative tech conference and trade show and it cultivated from there. The event is now bringing in an impressive $325 million to their local economy.
As the younger generation becomes more fascinated with experiences over ownership, and they look for chances to add to their Instagram posts, it would be wise for event planning companies to approach ways to satisfy these rising desires.
The Best Approach to Festivalizing An Event
Tossing in some entertainment or other modern offerings isn’t the way to embrace this trend effectively. To do so would lack genuineness and could end up costing a lot of money and little ROI. The last thing you want to do is generate a detachment between the brand and the event mission.
Event planning companies who want to festivalize their event must design it with purpose, placing people first. This encompasses a science-based analysis of the target audience. Event planning companies will be better off conducting an inclusive and detailed design process with a skillful team that can help in leading the event design in an intentional form that is aimed at the people, mission, and goals. The idea is to choose the best elements to include as a result of a wide-ranging and thorough design study.
Understanding the 5 Essentials for Successfully Implementing Festivalization
Festivalization is not a solution for every luster lacking event, nor is it a step that every event should embrace arbitrarily. For event planning companies considering the jump into a hybridization of their events, there are a few things to consider:
- The contributions must be fixated on the target market for the event. Festivalization is not a one-size-fits-all type of trend. To effectively execute this concept, event planning companies should undergo a thoughtful, cautious design process following an evaluation of the audience and its desires.
- Festivalization may entail working outside of your typical planning comfortability because you’re adding a completely different module to the event. Planning a large music affair is unlike a product launch. While the spectators may be equally interested in both ideas, before attempting to execute them, it’s important to understand the necessities required of each and how they will tie in together to meet the event goals.
- Don’t be persuaded by cool; choose something of substance for the audience which flows and fortifies the event purpose and vision.
- Understand the stress it puts on hotels, handling numerous venues and stages, organizing transport, security, etc. When the event turn into a major draw, and attendance gets big, the city structure and transportation restrictions will become more apparent.
- Bring in the experts. Even for event planning companies who have always managed all the planning and implementation on their own, festivalization is often comprised of a team of experts. The first place to start is before execution, with design thinking and finding the resolutions that are suitable for the audience. Later, find a crew that specializes in the elements that are new to the event.
Conclusion
Festivalization will likely begin to move all event planning companies, as conventions and conferences begin to burst into the next big thing. With larger crowds placing a strain on local venues, even the smaller event planning companies will have to be aware of what event is going on around town. These big-scale events may end up blocking off or limiting opportunities for smaller affairs at certain times of the year in larger spaces or cities.
The Event Planner Expo aims to provide event planning companies with a platform that teaches event professionals how to enrich their brand. To learn more about the latest trends in event planning, be sure to contact us so we can discuss how you can participate in the 2019 show.
