Futurist Predicts Eight Meetings Trends
by Dawn M. Barclay |
Several current trends will soon be evidenced in savvy planners’ programs, according to Andre Shahrdar, an event marketing and experiential event professional from Barkley Kalpak Associates who addressed the audience at the Best Events Expo, held in late March in New York City.
Among the trends Shahrdar said he believes will influence meetings are the move towards each person having a voice which is connected or seeking connection. This voice is democratized (everyone is entitled to a say) but exclusivity is key.
The focus is increasingly on the individual (a market of one) and events will be specific and exclusive to address this, he predicted. Additionally, he said, the advent of the virtual meeting is upon us. He noted that the convergence of social networking and video has become a more dynamic way to communicate and predicted that there will be more Webcasting from small devices like smart phones and the anchor will be a live event with video immediately posted.
Here are eight ways Shahrdar predicted these trends will impact future meetings.
1. Meetings will leave the ballroom as attendees seek more individual experiences. Look for meetings in smaller, lounge-type settings and more outdoor events.
2. Expect to see more action on private social networks as opposed to more generic networks like Facebook.
3. You’ll see more “bespoke” functions: smaller, intimate-style meetings with exclusivity, where planners will craft something unique and relevant to the individual.
4. The “Un-conference” is upon us, where you might serve yourself, cook your own food, design your own event, all assisted by interactions via private, social networks. Planners will give up some control and events will feel like experiencing a blog — constantly changing and adapting.
5. Corporate videos will start to look more like “cool” You-Tube spots, incorporating three-dimensional holographic images, while remaining rich in content.
6. There will be a rise in smart phone mobile applications dealing specifically with the meetings industry.
7. In terms of business videos, huge productions will be out, and you will see more videos that can be repurposed.
8. Event cuisine will be more veggie-focused, local and sustainable. You’ll also see more individualized touches, like craft beer. There will be more audience interaction, as attendees help design the menus and cook the food.
Shahrdar was quick to distinguish trends, movements of longer duration that converge over multiple disciplines and cannot be defined by just one product, from fads, short-term events that disappear as quickly as they appear. He said that to anticipate a trend, you have to observe the worlds of fashion, architecture, technology, business and pop culture and understand there might be a lag of two years or so before a trend takes hold.
