Mar 22, 2021
Do you have Zoom fatigue? Haute Dokimazo CEO Liz Lathan and President Nicole Osibodu are willing to bet you’ll never get tired of a virtual shark dive. In the first of four virtual events known collectively as Convo 2021, the two event virtuosos sent nearly 80 sales and marketing executives jaws to jaws with, well, Jaws, from the comforts of their own home.
While it seems like a deep-sea adventure that only the wildly creative Haute Dokimazo team could imagine, Lathan and Osibodu note that event planners have the capability to create memorable experiences — whether attendees are together in-… more
Feb 22, 2021
Perhaps a lost fact in the pandemic is that large groups are indeed gathering at one site with a common goal—the very definition of what a corporate event should be. Naturally, it would take experienced event producers to see the potential for enhancing the shared experience of getting stuck with a hypodermic needle.
“We are going in with a mindset of when they arrive, how do you ease them through it?” said Mimi Eayrs, chief operating officer of JWP, a boutique event and fundraising agency founded by Josh Wood that is in talks to energize vaccine centers across the county. “We want to make… more
Feb 10, 2021
If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then the love companies feel for their employees working remotely must be at all-time high as we approach the first Valentine’s Day of the pandemic era.
Given that the recovery isn’t going quite as fast as we would like, a little prick from Cupid’s arrow can go a long way right now. It doesn’t take much to show appreciation to staff adapting to a new reality that very likely includes kids homeschooling and Zoom burnout.
While there is certainly more than one way to show the love this year, here are a few choice ideas for V-day gifts to help sweeten… more
Feb 08, 2021
How do you guarantee a new experience for your next meeting? Book at a hotel that is not even open yet.
That’s what Sandra Geiger, a global account executive with ConferenceDirect, opted for when planning an Alabama association’s annual membership meeting.
The June 2021 event will be held at Hotel Effie in Destin, Florida. The boutique property opened its doors the first week of February.
From all accounts, the hotel appears to be the latest gem along the Emerald Coast. Geiger is certainly counting on it—as she signed the contract without setting foot on the property.
“We have never… more
Feb 03, 2021
Need proof events are learning to adapt to the new world? Black Hat Asia 2020 scored remarkable feedback from attendees at last fall’s tech/cybersecurity summit.
Held virtually for the first time in its existence, the conference scored well above the norm for 2020 virtual events. The takeaway: Virtual events can be extremely effective—if executed correctly.
Citing engaging speakers, high-end production, exclusive and relevant content, survey results found:
95% of respondents were satisfied with Black Hat Asia 2020;
Close to 90% would attend another event organized by Informa Tech
The… more
Feb 01, 2021
The coronavirus understandably caught the events industry flat-footed last spring. Who can predict a once-in-a-century disease? But nearly a year into the pandemic, there’s been time to experiment, learn, adapt and develop better strategies going into 2021.
Live events are going on, and will only pick up toward the second half of the year. That doesn’t mean COVID-19’s effects will disappear anytime soon. Almost all considerations that event planners, trade show organizers, exhibitors and attendees face are related to health and safety measures or economic challenges related to the pandemic… more
Jan 27, 2021
Trying to serve as a guiding light in a challenging period, PCMA brought together more than 3,000 attendees in an unusual experience befitting the COVID era.
Primarily a virtual event, PCMA’s Convening Leaders, held Jan. 11-15, also featured several hub cities where event professionals could enjoy an in-person experience while taking in the education.
In a remarkable moment, a short musical performance was livestreamed from Singapore—where 300 persons were in attendance—before a general session.
Halfway across the world in Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment attempted a different, but perhaps… more
Jan 26, 2021
Hewlett Packard planned to send 2,000 attendees to Nashville for an event in May. There were 270 presentations ready to go, featuring a combined 700 speakers. Rather than let a little thing like a pandemic let all that work go to waste, HP’s planners reached out eventPower, the company behind its event platform, about transforming all those sessions into a digital event.
Laurie Powell, vice president of business development of eventPower, had a simple response: “Why not?”
In the technology-dependent world of today’s trade shows, conferences and other events, vendors like eventPower must… more
Jan 21, 2021
Tracy Judge, founder and chief connector of Soundings Connect, is as poised a person as you’ll ever meet. A former corporate meeting planner at Maritz Global Events, Judge runs her own company, a network for freelance event professionals, while contributing to many industry organizations and causes. She has an uncanny ability to build relationships and rise to any challenge, and is a popular speaker for events.
So, when Judge admits that the process of putting together a presentation in a virtual studio spooked her, it is noteworthy. “I had terrible anxiety,” she said of prepping for the… more
Jan 18, 2021
Carrie Abernathy never imagined a year ago that she’d be where she is now. The corporate event planner and founder of the Association for Women in Events is back in Virginia, but 3.5 hours away from her former stopping grounds in Northern Virginia. Figuratively, she is adapting like the rest of us to a new world. Abernathy started a website, A Women with Drive, and is looking to impart the wisdom she’s gained while serving on dozens of event industry boards and advisory committees through speaking engagements and with a regular content series on our website. We talked to Abernathy about what… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
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