Recent Posts

Feb 16, 2018 by Lillian Taylor
  It’s no secret that video gaming is wildly popular in the United States. In fact, two-thirds of American households regularly play video games, according to a recent study by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). Perhaps even more interestingly, gamers age 18 or older represent 72 percent of the video game-playing population, and the average gamer is 35 years old. But how does that carry over to the events industry? Well, for those of us who strive to engage audiences ...  

Feb 09, 2018 by SmartSource
The general theme for consumer technologies most likely to cross over into the event industry is flexibility.  The ability to adapt quickly to a changing environment is at the core of successful event planning. This year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2018), we saw new technologies applied to old event technologies to make them more dynamic and responsive, raising the bar for what event attendees will expect in the near future.   Artificial Intelligence (AI) Two leaders in ...  

Feb 08, 2018 by Lillian Taylor
From the largest events to the most scaled down, attendee engagement continues to reign supreme as we begin the New Year. While conferences and conventions will always be centered on keynote speakers and face-to-face interaction, technology is an ever-growing source of empowerment for taking engagement to a whole new level. Today’s megacorps are using state-of-the-art technology to create futuristic experiences that often seem like something out of a science fiction movie. For instance, aug...  

Feb 08, 2018 by Lillian Taylor
When you envision a successful event, you might imagine an audience captivated by brilliant speakers touting the benefits of your cutting-edge product line, supported by bold presentations delivered via the latest technology in a setting that’s been carefully curated to inspire guests and make them feel like they’re a part of something special. Such an event is certainly possible, but not without a decent budget and several months of exhaustive planning by a team of highly experienced profe...  

Feb 01, 2018 by DeDe Mulligan
  With 2017 in the books, it seems only appropriate to look back in time to see which technologies had the greatest impact on meetings and trade shows. Although some of the tools listed below are not new, they did and will continue to make a difference in the event industry in the coming year. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane.   2017 Technology that Made the Cut Whether it was Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) or Mixed Reality (MR), this technology r...  

Jan 16, 2018 by Michelle Bruno
In a short period, artificial-intelligence (AI) technologies have begun reinforcing and turbocharging the capabilities of existing event-industry software. And in at least one case, they provide the foundation for an entirely new solution. But rather than being quickly relegated to the “formerly next big thing” graveyard, AI has significant staying power. Intelligent solutions are beginning to emerge. Artificial intelligence is a collection of technologies that can speed up and improve...  

Dec 14, 2017 by Michelle Bruno
Many exhibition organizers still thrive on selling traditional sponsorships like banners and brownie breaks. But event technology sponsorships are helping them expand the inventory of sponsorship offerings and meet sponsor objectives more effectively. Technology sponsorships fall into three categories: New technologies. Think about a product placement or banner advertisement inside a virtual reality environment. Attendees naturally gravitate to what’s new. Sponsors benefit from the expos...  

Dec 06, 2017 by Michelle Bruno
The lounge—a place to sit, relax, and maybe even do some low-key networking—is a staple at most trade shows and conferences. But as new ways to enhance the attendee experience and express the sponsor’s brand emerge, lounges are becoming more than an out-of-the-way oasis from the chaos of the meeting. They’re becoming a destination. As with any room or area design, the first step is always determining the purpose of the lounge. For example, if the main reason to put a lounge on the tra...  

Dec 06, 2017 by SmartSource
Event Trends:    Yes! Flowers are Affordable Again Flowers can bring warmth and visual appeal to even the dullest event space through color and texture.   Combined with lighting and sound, flowers can help evoke nostalgia or influence mood. This is especially true during the holiday season, when the scents of winter can be assembled into stunning seasonal bouquets. But floral arrangements and centerpieces have been low on the priority list for most meeting planners because of cost. It’s...  

Dec 06, 2017 by SmartSource
You’re almost there. The venue is booked, the menu is set, the invites have gone out. Now all that is left to do is wait for the big night, right? Wrong! Here are three tips to make sure your bases are covered and to help give your party the modern elements every event needs to be successful. Tip #1 – An Open Bar is Not Entertainment Have you thought about entertainment? I don’t mean the DJ or open bar. I mean the toasts, the accolades, and the boss taking center stage and speaking w...