At this point in the pandemic, we know the drill with IRL events. The general consensus is that planners and guests alike love in-person gatherings, we hate to see the cancellations roll in when Covid cases rise, but we know in-person will prevail again. We asked event experts for their insights on what’s to come this year, from the return of IRL happenings to the plan Bs and strategies in place that ensure brands and organizations can still (safely) engage with eager audiences.
First things first: will IRL prevail in 2022? “From BMF’s point of view, we see live events making a major comeback in 2022, but they will be reimagined in new, socially safe ways,” says Brian Feit, Founding Partner at BMF. “People want to get back to IRL experiences and we think this challenge of adapting to what we’re calling the “new, new normal” will create incredibly exciting and dynamic events in the year ahead. These events might not look or feel like pre-pandemic events, but we think they will be equally exciting and innovative. Brands and marketers will also continue to find creative ways to demonstrate the health and safety of the guest were central considerations in the event’s planning and execution.”
We’re already seeing cases go down and conversations around planning events come back up, just in time for spring. The team at The Gathery is optimistic that things should be smoothed out by the end of Q1, with “lots of OOH experiences and digital hybrid events being planned for March.” In the meantime, the team is capitalizing on a fall back plan of “experience delivered,” sending boxes to people’s homes like they did in the early days of the pandemic.
Good Kind Pure NYC event, Dera Lee Productions
Spring means warmer weather, so we’re bound to see a repeat of last year’s push for live events outside. Dera Lee, founder of Dera Lee Productions, is counting on that. “We expect that outdoor events, limiting attendance and providing PPE are definitely going to remain popular in 2022 as well as timed entries allowing for more personalized guest experiences,” she says. “For example, in 2021 we created COVID-safe outdoor experiences for the launch of new clean beauty collection, Rose Inc, in NYC, Miami and LA as well as for Coty’s newest fragrance, Good Kind Pure, in NYC.”
As this shift back to in-person happens, Erica Taylor Haskins, Partner & Chief Growth Officer of Tinsel, things will look different beyond just heightened safety measures. “As we continue to come back to live events and experiences, we're finding that clients are really hungry for innovation. We're at an inflection point where there is a desire for normalcy (‘I just want someone to offer me still or sparkling water again!’) but also a need to shake the table (‘What elements will make this launch dinner feel more impressive and important than pre-pandemic launch dinners?’).
We may be nearing the light at the end of this particular tunnel, but as we’ve learned over the past two years, things can change fast. Any good experiential agency or event planner has a plan B, but the most innovative ones are thinking outside the box. “I think we’re seeing a continued double-down on digital marketing and social media/influencer marketing, especially as platforms like TikTok are growing their audience exponentially,” says David Manning, EVP and CMO of A-list Communications. “Our digital team at Coffee Labs has realized a doubling of business as their digital savvy capabilities have proved an effective marketing channel for brands pushing from live to digital, or who can create a broader and uninterrupted reach with digital activations tied to a recurring event/sports sponsorship, like at the NCAA March Madness tournaments.”
In that vein, having backup plans in place doesn’t have to mean completely pivoting away from the original idea or strategy. Kamil Tyebally, founder and CCO of Early Spring, notes, “I think it’s less about having a plan B and more of having an eye towards hybridity. If it comes down to it and we can’t execute this in person the way we would want to, do we have a plan not to change the event so much, but can it be adapted to a more digital approach?”
HBO Max hosted the ‘Gossip Girl’ season finale party at 74Wythe
Chloe Labiner, VP of event sales at 74Wythe, shares the venue-side perspective of today’s event climate. “Most brands remain hesitant to commit to events too far in the future. At the same time, we're essentially encountering bidding wars between companies for dates during the Upfronts & NewFronts this May,” she shares. “It's worth noting that companies may need to have a responsive and flexible strategy just as weddings and social event clients are now open to Fridays, Sundays and even weekdays given the record-breaking demand. While the Fashion Week landscape started to evolve well before COVID, I'm hopeful that brands will consider postponing/rescheduling instead of cancelling altogether, and follow suit with Thom Browne, who announced he will sit out NYFW and instead show his AW 2022 collection in late April. The topic during contract negotiations has shifted away from cancellation policies and more often toward rescheduling – everyone in the industry is willing to kick some cans down the road and work together in overtime to see these events through.”
In an ever-changing industry, 3CS founder and CEO Chelsea Wilson assures us there will be some constants moving forward. “The experiential industry is always evolving and changing, and one change we’re seeing – that’s becoming the norm – is the extra layer of health and safety protocols for all IRL events,” she says. “The experiential industry is definitely seeing some flow-on effects from COVID – heightened healthy and safety protocols have become the new norm, a COVID Compliance Officer is a must-have on site, and there’s always a COVID protocol in our decks and a COVID Safety line item in our budgets.”
It’s clear that experiential pros and event producers are hard at work planning for safe gatherings in the future, and interesting digital experiences in the meantime. So, what will keep the virtual realm interesting until we can gather in person again? New Moon CEO and founder Jack Bedwani points out, “what is most exciting is how the Metaverse will begin to influence and improve virtual experiences. This is going to happen quickly and we fully expect it to be a turning point for our industry.”
Alexa in a Pear Tree, New Moon
He continues, “we’re also excited about experiences in which brands and celebrities show up in unexpected cultural contexts and create something fresh. Artists like Marshmemllo performing in Fortnite, Jennifer Lopez creating an 8-bit video game, or an Alexa-powered voice-activated holiday window. These are all examples of brands and talent creating new and exciting experiences for their fans to engage with. We see this as the future of marketing.”
We’ll be seeing each other through screens for now, but are optimistic that we’ll be clinking glasses again soon.
