The future of Event technology

« The Future of Event technology” by Murray Newlands, INC Magazine?

 Technological advances are affecting all sectors, but more particularly the event industry. This trend is impacting all stages of event creation, that’s why we observe recently a boom of tech events all around the world. It’s a big challenge for organizers who must constantly adapt to these evolutions and both a real opportunity to facilitate organization, communication and create a real experience for consumers. How event’s organizers take advantages of this and gain in efficiency by integrate these new tools for event marketing, management and administration? The evolution of these technologies positively impact through different elements and considerably change the experience of event for organizers and participants.

Concerning the organization, one of the first and more important element is the big data, it serves considerably in different fields of the event. To design ideas specially to focus on trends, campaigns that influence the most by using google analytics for example. It also helps location, to guide the participants in big events and to be able to follow them. Acquiring data provides also a better understanding of consumer’s needs and permit to offer more customized event, for example with Double Dutch a platform allow to analyze data in real time to know what participants are more interested in during an event. Evolution in digital technology also change the vision and complexity of the organization, sensor integration and wearable technology permit now to integrate cashless payment, registration, connection to social media in one unique bracelet.

 For the marketing and the planning, social media are a key actor for event, to promote an event and gain in visibility by sharing content with hashtags or attractive contest but also to follow up the event and take advantage of a post event communication on social media. To live a real experience, technologies play an important role. First to improve the engagement of participants, they permit to interact with attendees, give them the possibility to be active and take part in the event. They can use different platform to exchange with organizers and other participants, before, during and after the event. It helps to link all actors of the event, Speecheo and Evolero are some examples of existing tools. Other technologies such as virtual reality, robots or 3D printing create amazing experiences for participants. Virtual Reality permit to test product by living experience, to participate to an event without being present. Robots allow to interact directly with the technology, they are used as booth attendant, for entrainment or mobile telepresence for people that can’t be there. 3D printing is more use for decor and entertainment to create a specific atmosphere. All these technologies help organizers to create experience value for customers.

Amélie Roux, Eloise Camélio