From our experience of planning, organising and managing corporate parties and corporate events, we know just how much companies invest financially. It’s essential to demonstrate value for money at all levels – from the venue hire to the entertainment and catering, everything has to contribute to the overall guest experience and have a positive impact. At MGN events we are continually pushing the bounds of what can be achieved in order to create the most fantastic experiences possible for our corporate event and party clients. It means we’re always on the lookout for new and innovative ideas, so here’s a sneak peak of what we think will be big in 2018.
A change of event venue
Expectation starts with the choice of venue. There’s nothing wrong with a conference room in a hotel but it doesn’t sound terribly inspiring, does it? There are, of course, some amazing venues to be found, but we firmly believe that there’s a bit of a shake-up on the horizon. Disruptive brands are making their mark everywhere – Airbnb and Uber are prime examples – and disruption is likely to creep into the events industry in the form of unusual and non-traditional venues. We know that things are happening so it’s only a matter of time.
All about the brand
Okay, it’s nothing new but providing a memorable experience is key and providing more bang for the client’s buck essential. It’s not just about planning a good party, it’s about working with a company’s brand, reflecting it accurately within the theming and design of the event, and making sure that guests receive the corporate message as well as having a good time.
Incorporating technology to create Immersive Events
Technology never stands still and there are so many ways in which it can be incorporated into a corporate party. The trend is towards providing an immersive event experience and technology really facilitates that. We’ve seen at first hand just how dynamic and interactive corporate events can become when we’ve used technology to actively engage guests – a summer party for an online travel company is just one example. Apps, virtual reality activities, gamification, RFID all have a part to play in bringing people together as well as being used to support corporate messages.
Create a sense of theatre with food
So often the success of an event is judged by the quality of food on offer, so the catering has to be spot on! The bar is set to get even higher in 2018 – a fantastic challenge that creative caterers will embrace – with food becoming more integral to the event theme. There are great opportunities to create wow factors in this respect, from specially designed cocktails in the client’s brand colours to exciting food stations that are a source of entertainment in their own right.
No more ‘death by PowerPoint’
Finally! We’re seeing a change for the better as clients realise that presentations don’t have to be overly-designed or heaving with written content. We’re moving into a less is more phase, communicate simply and directly, give messages that are easy to absorb and even easier to remember long after the party is over.
The chatbots are coming
You may have experienced them on the likes of Facebook Messenger, the technology is becoming more sophisticated it will be of real benefit to the events industry. We anticipate that chatbots will be used increasingly on event registration websites, making for a more interactive experience – the days of FAQ pages may well be numbered.
2018 goes industrial
Matthew, our Artistic Director, has an unerring sense of what the next big thing will be (FYI, he reckoned it would be flamingos in 2017 and he wasn’t wrong!). Industrial themes have been gaining ground of late, we’ve seen it in the look and feel of some of London’s most exciting venues and Matthew predicts concrete, steel, pipes and exposed structures, combined with metallic and grey colour palettes, will be trending in 2018.
Creepy crawlies will take over
Yep, Matthew again. Just watch this space, see what happens!
Underpinning everything is being strategic in the planning of any corporate event. In today’s economic climate a corporate event can rarely afford to simply be a party. Even if the business objectives aren’t immediately apparent, they will be somewhere in the background and we believe it’s our job to understand them – even help identify them if need be – and use them as the criteria for how we spend our clients’ budgets.
If you’re planning a corporate event or corporate party in 2018 and would like help to create a unique and memorable experience, talk to us – your next corporate events planner! We’ll give you as much or as little help as you need, whether you want us to supply lighting equipment or to take care of everything from finding a venue to managing the event.
