Event Design - The Attendee (Part II)

Generations and new consumer groups

It is not new to anyone that the evolution of humanity has been marked by social, demographic, political and historical events that define entire generations. These generations are intertwined and today they coexist forming a range of tastes and ways of thinking and living. As event designers we need to learn about these generational defining characteristics and use them as our guide.

Currently we have several generations as attendees to professional events: Generation "X" born between 1965 and 1979, Millennials born between 1980 and 2000 and Generation "Z" born between 2001 and 2010.

There is a large bibliography related to the characteristics of each of these generations, so in this book we will limit ourselves to emphasize the importance of holding events that may be attractive to specific audiences and also events that are inclusive for more than one generation.

We can say that the younger a generation is, the event should be more inclusive, it should help the audience become part of it; not only by attending, but by actively participating in its development.

The congresses where people must sit for hours listening to the speakers and the trade shows where you will practically go through corridors like in a museum, are losing attractiveness in front of generations that demand inclusion, freedom of expression and prominence.

Design your event based on the characteristics of your attendee, get to know him thoroughly and consider his behaviors, desires, cover his expectations and seek the creation of new experiences where year after year the attendee finds a reflection not only of the industry or sector of the event, but also a space that reflects the feelings of that generation.

New generational groups have recently joined consumer groups that share interests and tastes; These new consumers are always on the move and are more linked to a lifestyle or "tribe" than to an age; Among them we can mention extended families, runners, same sex couples, pet lovers, foodies and healthy life consumers, all of them with unique characteristics and tastes.

Local customs and traditions

Local customs are essential in the design of an event, since it is through their deep knowledge that we can design an event that is truly compatible with the attendees; You must be aware that it is these traditions and customs that largely define the protocol that will govern the symbolic and ceremonial moments in a wedding or an inauguration in a congress or trade show.

For the inauguration of an event related to the packaging industry in the U.S., it was decided to make a tour of the corridors of the trade show with a war band, while in the Mexican version of the same trade show, the tour was performed with a mariachi band.

The success of different types of business events also depends on the country, in the United States an early breakfast for the press or for an executive meeting works very well, while in Spain the ideal is to make a cocktail in the afternoon. When putting together a presidium table we must consider the precedence that is customary in that industry or country.

Dress code

The dress code refers to the type and style of clothing in which it is considered correct to dress for an event; Although this topic is of greater weight in social events, communicating the correct dress code in a professional or corporate event is the responsibility of the organizer, it must be announced promptly on each invitation and must be included in the activities program.

The dress code should be consistent with the corporate image of the company and to a greater extent with the type of event that is taking place, there are different styles and it is important to understand that any event should be linked to the essence of the business; For example, technology companies tend to have a “natural” style that defines a less strict use of corporate suits or clothing; instead, a bank tends to have a "traditional" style.

This is how corporate events should reinforce the essence of the corporation. These styles can be transferred to the institutional or corporate image and based on it we can develop the decoration design, determine the dress code and even the menu.

To define the type of clothing you can use the following guide:

Informal: based on simplicity, naturalness, comfort.

Business attire: it is the most frequently used in events, a dark suit and tie is recommended for men and for women a cocktail dress.

Etiquette: mostly used in gala events, very formal events or if you are hosting an event, for men it is recommended to wear white tie, black tie or tuxedo, for women it is a long dress or evening dress. Beach or warm weather destinations: the ideal is to use fabrics such as linen, chambray or cotton for both men and women.

Companions Some events allow someone who is not necessarily a direct delegate to participate as guest; these guests are generally relatives or companions of our attendee; their successful participation and evaluation of the event is a determining factor in our success.

International Visitors

All countries have a strong potential for holding international events; the participation of international attendees is one of the most valuable opportunities of promotion for any country; therefore, knowing the cultural differences and cultural needs of our international visitors allows us to incorporate into the event the elements that are a sign of our interest in hosting them.

Consider and respect mealtimes, prayer time, even proxemic (accepted proximity space with our interlocutor). If we use any “icebreaker” activity between different nationalities, including a more intimate approach such as hugs, it will be well received in Latin cultures; however, if there are individuals from Asian countries within our group, this exercise will be considered inappropriate for a business topic.

When hosting events with international participants, be sure to learn a little about their culture before scheduling and designing activities and activations.

Companions

Some events allow someone who is not necessarily a direct delegate to participate as guest; these guests are generally relatives or companions of our attendee; their successful participation and evaluation of the event is a determining factor in our success.

When designing a congress or convention program, it is imperative to design a guest program considering the free time that the conference attendees will have during the different programs and ideally we should tie these times with the guest program so that both, the guest and the attendee, participate in the integration events and social activities; If we have a DMC working with us, he will provide multiple options of activities, thanks to its destination local expertise.

Martínez Juárez, José. Event Design: How to create a business plan for conventions, trade shows and corporate events (pp. 26-27). Kindle Edition.