Ever wondered about the evolution of event planning?

It has definitely come a long way since the days of print advertising and fax machines. What once consisted of reorganizing a space and offering catering has now turned into a full-blown industry filled with different departments, required skillsets and procedures. In fact, the event planning industry continues to evolve yearly thanks to the emergence of new and innovative ideas, strategies and technologies! That means we always need to keep up and expand our knowledge in this field! And let me tell you, things have changed a lot since I first wrote my thesis detailing the adaptation of the event industry to the luxury fashion world as digital communication expands!

Live events are an essential marketing strategy allowing brands and consumers to connect in a welcoming, lively way. In fact, the event planning business has been around for centuries! After all, this is how we regroup individuals and connect communities. Did you know that the first ever known event planner was Cleopatra? She hosted elaborate, lavish meetings in pursuit of potential lovers! The Romans were also known for playing a major part in the event and advertising business! 

Now let's fast-forward thousands of years…to the invention of the internet in the 1990s. With websites, emails and eventually social media, not only would the way in which we plan our events evolve, but we can now reach a much larger target audience much faster and our options for the types of events we want to create are limitless! As technology progresses, so does the manner in which people plan, promote and host their events.

The arrival of computers and smartphones made planning and communication entirely possible on a digital platform. With the rise and expansion of social media, we can connect with people around the globe with the touch of a button! And with social media comes the advent of digital marketing. This has proven highly useful for the event planning industry. Back then you’d have to go around posting flyers on telephone posts to advertise your event! Today, all you need (or almost) is the touch of a button!

Since audiences have become less passive they won’t tolerate just sitting through a long PowerPoint presentation anymore. Nowadays, people need more stimulation. They expect to be drawn in and be able to interact with brands, organizations and other participants. There is a large focus on the experience offered during an event. Not only do people still want face-to-face interactions but there is an increasing appetite for real and memorable experiences! This draws a consumer to look into the brand or organization hosting the event. Let’s face it, if you had fun at an event, even if you didn’t know much about the brand beforehand, you’ll be tempted to look into it after a memorable experience!

With all of this being said and the rapid evolution that we have experienced and it makes you wonder where our industry will be 50 years from now.