Jamie McEwen, Technical Director
These days, Event and Technology go hand-in-hand.
Not too long ago, when staging an event, a marketing team (for example) had to simply setup a venue, hire a caterer and audio visual technicians, and invite entertainers or speakers to make ‘inspirational’ presentations.
Today, if your event’s not creating a buzz, then you’re probably not evolving. Apart from the glitz and glam, everything nowadays is hi-tech; and yes, this is actually a good thing. Technology has transformed the event industry landscape and it’s one of the best things that ever happened!
Over the last five years, we’ve seen major changes in how people from the events industry handle events. Gone are the days of brochures, heavy projectors, DIY props and huge equipment. The digital world – the internet, and other technological developments – are taking over.
The people working behind this ever-growing industry adapted to the changes quite easily. Back then, the demand for superior event production was high. So the producers trained to deliver superiority. Hi-tech has made hi-end production much easier, which benefits both customers and providers.
Social media is another factor that’s brought about change. Moving away from traditional marketing, professionals are now keen to target audiences using social media. As the platform provides demographic information, it’s easy to target relevant audiences. The audience, too, has higher expectations when it comes to an event, anticipating more interest and engagement.
Looking back, there was no such thing as ’event technology‘. Now, with technology in widespread use, the term is actually one of the most used by people working in the field of events. When pitching for an event, for example, clients are keen to hear what the supplier offers in terms of their event technology.
It’s definitely safe to say that these technological advancements are beneficial to the events industry. They help deliver enhanced experience and set the tone and mood for event attendees. As the technology continues to advance, it will no doubt change the way we communicate too. So it’s important to embrace the changes and make them work for the benefit of your event-related business.
Change is constant and change is good in almost all industries. We must just learn to embrace it.
