The start of fall usually signals an influx of event invites, with key moments happening across arts & culture, fashion, and more – plus holiday, of course. This puts the onus on marcomms pros to develop the events strategies that to only stand out in a saturated space, but help move the needle for your brand or cause. We heard from experts Tania Cavallo (The Lifestyle Co. by TLC), Jed Weinstein (Rise & Set) and Jack Bedwani (New Moon) about navigating events through the last months of the year, plus best practices you can employ for the future.

The takeaways:

• 2022 was a best-ever year for many, but this year’s been different. Brands are taking fewer risks and are after a clearer set of KPIs; more results-oriented and less about making a big splash
• Many brands have shifted from large events to intimate, hyper-bespoke experiences that make an impact and focus on the people in the room (versus inviting tons of people/influencers to extend the reach outside of those four walls)
• Emerging brands are focused on trying to acquire new customers, so reaching the consumer in person and being able to experience the product and educate them on it is key
• There’s been a shift from editors and influencers in the front-row to cater to the high net worth individuals spending and engaging with brands
• Family-oriented activations are smart for bringing executives, high net worth individuals and the like to your event since their time is limited and spending time with family/kids is a priority
• On DEI:
  • Emerging brands are more attuned to their target demo (including the causes they support), and they can incorporate specific efforts into campaigns quickly
  • Heritage brands are making larger pledges, but it may not be as ingrained in their ethos as a more emerging brand
  • Remind brands they have a platform and that they can amplify underrepresented voices
  • Millennials and Gen Z will be 75 percent of luxury spending by 2026. This group believes that brands are rep of them, so they want to see brands walk the walk
• In super saturated calendar moments, act as the best partner as possible to brands and be honest if it’s not the best fit
  • i.e. if the $250/500k budget isn’t going to cut through the clutter at events like F1 (like the AMEX x Carbone activation), NYFW, etc.
  • For smaller brands just entering the market, even if they pool all their resources, they may not be able to compete at Art Basel. See where your key audiences are and do something more nimble in your key markets – take that insight and apply to larger strategy for next year 
• Strategic partnerships are an integral part of events: helps with PR visibility, boosting your narrative, acquiring new customers / reaching a new demo. Leverage your partner’s insights and reach
• On RFPs: Ask key questions from the get-go – what does the pitch process look like? How many agencies are you considering? Is there a clear project outline and budget already in place (helps determine if this is just a safari for ideas)
  • You always meet people twice in life – you never know how one pitch could lead to something down the line (ie. someone leaves a brand and reaches out from their new post because they liked your pitch at their prior role)
  • RFPs and pitches offer you an opportunity to learn about a client and you can come to a competitor later because you have already researched their competitor
  • Why the deck and the people both matter:
    • The ultimate decision maker is not always in the room for the pitch, so your deck needs to be strong enough to speak for itself
    • What’s unsaid is that you’re being tested on whether the client can see themselves working with you/your team
• Pro tips:
  • Don’t downplay your own achievements. Know your worth and don’t sell yourself short
  • Have your business idea well thought out before you start moving. Know your end goal
  • If you have a great user experience and guest journey in the process, but something goes wrong on the day, you can be forgiven. Even if the event is a huge success, if the process was stressful or uncomfortable, clients won’t come back