More than a decade after the launch of the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC), now the Events Industry Council Sustainability Initiative, we’re still trying to make our events more environmentally friendly. One area where it’s easy to make a difference is food waste, or the reduction thereof.

“It’s really just having a plan going in about what waste you’re going to generate and trying to minimize that as much as possible,” said sustainable event consultant Julia Spangler.

Less than a month after Vancouver became the first city in the world to adopt a comprehensive zero waste strategic plan and the first city in Canada to ban plastic straws and polystyrene containers, the city played host to Sustainable Brands, the annual global flagship conference of one of the leading corporate sustainability communities of brand innovators and sustainability professionals working to shape the future of commerce worldwide.

The United Nations defines sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. But there has been some murkiness as to what exactly that means with regard to meetings, and what the definition of sustainability is for the events world.

Have you ever photographed your food? Since Instagram, the phenomenon of documenting and sharing what we’re eating has exploded. While presentation has always been important — we eat with our eyes first — people now choose restaurants specifically for their “Instagrammability.”

In an Instagram world, restaurant chefs aren’t the only ones adapting their menus to maximize visual appeal — corporate event planners are also getting in on the action. One of the biggest trends in event food and beverage right now is visual impact.

We all want to have experiences that we feel are worthy of sharing with others and that we look back on with positive feelings. While a good place to get business done, the standard model of trade show (which also applies to any conference with a sizeable exhibit hall) – aisles of pipe and drape and dozens of lecture rooms – is not as strong when it comes to creating a lasting impression. Today, however, the model is changing at events of all sizes and types.

Last October, I wrote about Haute Dokimazo, the unconference for event marketing industry professionals.  Since writing about the Haute Dokimazo events, I’ve wanted to experience one for myself. I got my chance at the ILEA Live conference in Aug. 2018, with a “Haute Dokimazo Solutions Marketplace” workshop.

Let’s face it. We’re all busy and perhaps no more time-strapped than in December, holiday party season.

Whether planning an employee party or a client event, corporate event planners are tasked with creating holiday events that draw people in during this busy time and show the company’s appreciation.

Kristina Valente, head of events and sponsorships at BNY Mellon Wealth Management points out that not only is everyone pressed for time around the holidays, but their attention spans are getting shorter.

Exhibiting internationally is a big opportunity for many marketers looking for global awareness. But for even the most experienced trade show managers, exhibiting in another country can bring unexpected challenges.  

Exhibitors can’t simply replicate what they’ve done in the United States.  It’s important to understand the differences in meeting experiences in different countries and know the best strategies and tools to use to address these nuances. 

Creating experiences that appeal to multicultural audiences and meeting the logistical challenges of planning in a foreign country are becoming more routine than ever for corporate meeting planners. In recent years, corporations are investing more in events of all sizes in locations around the globe.

MCI has added the Middle East-based ONE Communications and Marketing Group (ONE CMG) to its portfolio of brands.

ONE CMG is formed of industry leading agencies across advertising and brand communications, digital marketing, content marketing and video production, public relations, events and publishing. The acquisition brings Turret Media, Saluki Media, tmh, ONE PR and ONE Digital under the MCI umbrella.

Ajay Bhojwani, managing director of MCI Middle East, believes that the collaboration with ONE CMG will further strengthen MCI’s presence within the region.