Blogs
Sep 29, 2022
As consumers are venturing out to peruse goods and services in person again, many exhibiting companies are wondering about the future of trade shows. For roughly two years, trade shows could only occur virtually or were canceled completely, but as COVID-19 precautions have become more effective and widespread, it’s fair to wonder if trade shows will make a solid comeback.
According to Bloomberg, 2021 trade show attendance topped out at 11.5 million compared to the 35.3 million reported in 2019. As consumers have felt safer leaving their homes, we believe that 2022 attendance numbers will be… more
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Sep 21, 2022
It’s hard to know what to feel when you hear “rebrand” during a company meeting. As marketers, we may feel excited about the opportunity to make changes to reach new audiences, explore new and interesting design concepts and develop a lasting communication system. In any rebrand, there are challenges to maintaining the essential parts of your company and not to stray from who you are. How much do you draw from history? Will your rebrand alienate your current client base? What happens to your internal shared identity?
It is more essential than ever for a brand to remain flexible to reach… more
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Sep 14, 2022
This year, marketers continue to find themselves in a tough spot as COVID-19 and other viruses such as monkeypox impact the event industry. Cancel an in-person event? Postpone it? Move it to a virtual platform? Even with limited viable options, major events scrambled and struggled to change course in an efficient and gratifying manner. In the same vein as the initial COVID outbreak in 2020, experiential marketers, brand managers, digital marketers and every practitioner in between found themselves in another round of unexpected adversity. Today, COVID is still a consideration, as attendees… more
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Sep 07, 2022
Through two years of the pandemic, when virtual events were the norm, decision makers and sponsors started receiving more metrics going through attendee participation. Now, with in-person events returning, buyers are expecting more and more data and metrics to help better calculate in-person ROI. I believe if you are not adding more ways to provide ROI, you are going to be left out of the in-person events equation in 2023 and beyond.
Whether or not you already have an app and registration solution, you may want to look at adding attendee tracking using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon… more
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Sep 02, 2022
Our 9-year-old just started her 4th grade year, and in the welcome folder from her teacher there were a few sheets of paper that encouraged parents to help their children develop a ‘Growth Mindset’ verus a ‘Fixed Mindset’.
I know these terms have been around for a while, but reading through everything again, it struck me that the two mindsets are exactly what we should be considering when leading teams in the events industry.
We all know the past few years have been beyond challenging. We didn’t even know for a while if we would have a business to come back to with events completely shut… more
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Aug 31, 2022
Believe it or not, a successful event organizer recently said to me, “Now that face-to-face events are back, I can forget about event tech.” He had been in the business a while, but this comment made me realize that he is probably a dinosaur living on a different planet. Or not? This organizer is my friend, and we had a fascinating debate on this subject. He said that my reaction was a bit extremist.
Sound extremist? Let me elaborate on why I don't think so. I started my events career almost 30 years ago during my Apple days. Back then, way before virtual events and event tech, I realized… more
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Aug 23, 2022
An Amazon Web Services Interview to Help Associations and Nonprofits Maximize the Power of the Cloud
The geek in me absolutely loves cloud services. I find the capabilities offered by cloud providers to almost be one of the wonders of our world today. So, I’m very fortunate that one of the things I get to do is help organizations move infrastructure or compute to the cloud. It’s because of this experience, as well as my interest, that I realize “the cloud” is a vast universe of services and can truly be quite overwhelming to many associations and nonprofit organizations that may lack the IT team skills and knowledge to lead the way.
I get it! It’s not like Amazon Web Services (AWS) alone… more
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Aug 17, 2022
The meeting and events industry has seen a boom in requests to create memorable moments to celebrate being together again. As in-person events come back in a major way, we’ve found there are groups that have been saving up and now have large budgets to spend on over-the-top celebrations, and there are still many that have conservative budgets. Yet, they all have the same goal: to create something that is unique and feels luxurious. How do you do that? Focus on the power of all five senses.
Tapping into the senses means going beyond thinking about the food and beverage choices you offer.… more
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Aug 09, 2022
In July, UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, released the latest edition of its flagship Global Exhibition Barometer research, which takes the pulse of the industry. The results highlight the quickening pace of the industry’s recovery in 2022, after the continuing impact of COVID-19 throughout 2021. The sector is bouncing back quickly, and revenues for H1 2023 are expected to reach 87% of comparable 2019 levels (noting that 2019 has been the industry’s record year to date).
What does the data mean, and how should exhibition organizers and companies use the research?
“It… more
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Aug 03, 2022
In the past two years, there’s been a significant shift in the way consumers approach life. They’re more invested in physical and mental health, more focused on the planet’s future and more aware of how they manage their time due to working from home, among other things. As a result, consumers are reprioritizing what they buy, where they go and what they do.
This reprioritization has affected how consumers view brands. Why? At the core of it all is community. Enforced separation and digital isolation made people realize how important it is to stay connected to each other and their… more
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Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact