Few things have been as dramatically affected by the pandemic as the world of events. Before COVID-19, few talked about crowd-density standards, airflow rates, Zoom fatigue, or vaccine passports. Worldwide, shows such as Mobile World Congress Barcelona and South by Southwest (SXSW) were canceled, while the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and Expo 2020 persisted, though with substantial shifts in format and schedules, respectively. Those were just the immediate effects. But what about the long term? To answer this, EXHIBITOR reached out to experience designer and business futurist Jaci Badzin to talk about the forces shaping –and even redefining – events.

EXHIBITOR Magazine: The elephant in the event room today is still COVID-19 and its variants. From canceled events and cleaning protocols to social distancing and Zoom conferences, the pandemic re-shaped our concept of face-to-face gatherings. Is COVID still the main force influencing future events?
Jaci Badzin: Humans naturally possess a strong instinct to gather. And this instinct has increased ten-fold over the past two years because we've been denied the opportunity to do so. Yes, COVID will still have some impact, but it will not be the main force influencing events.

Protocols that have been adopted during the past year will become part of event strategies that will continue for many years to come and will decrease the impact COVID has on the events industry. Factors like ROI and community building (in the corporate spheres) will be the major factors dictating if and when people gather in-person or virtually. One strong reason to go virtual is that ROI is much easier to track and measure in such experiences, whether or not COVID is a factor. You can track who came, how long they participated, and who became a customer from that experience or a different funnel. Depending on local regulations, such as the number of people allowed at an event, we will feel the subtle influence of COVID as part of the story and online events will continue to be prevalent, but we will continue to see a steady increase in live, in-person gatherings.

Still, COVID has shifted the future of events and, more broadly, gatherings in general. This major shift has already happened within the demand for tech advancements in the space and beyond. Now we are seeing the growth of the industry reflecting that demand. While I am intrigued by some of the technologies that were introduced at the International Consumer Electronics Show in 2021 and 2022, such as the smart masks and other tech that detect viruses, it's the increased reliance on everyday tech which peaked during the pandemic that will have the most impact on influencing events. Things like advanced Wi-Fi and the development of the 6G network will be critical as people will rely on technology both in-person and online. As hybrid experiences and metaverse integration become more prevalent, companies are already starting to make this shift. Now we are awaiting the tech to support it.

EM: As touted as virtual events were as a panacea to the pandemic, the result was often like the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2021, which saw most exhibitors relying on clickable PDFs and bland videos of talking-head CEOs. Then there was the 2021 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and International Builders Show, which collapsed under the weight of technical difficulties. Is it your sense that companies and event organizers have adjusted for these snafus?
JB: The year 2021 was the Wild West era for the events industry. The shifts from late 2020 to 2023 will be equivalent to an entire decade of transformation. In 2021, the infrastructure for large-scale virtual events was not in place, and virtual-event platforms were popping up everywhere – most of which were poorly designed and rushed to production. Event organizers were forced to adapt and utilize band-aid solutions to try to implement this shift. Rather than questioning the ability of event organizers to adjust for snafus, I ask where will money and tech resources be invested to fix the infrastructure problems and provide viable, robust solutions?

EM: What will be the most important elements for successful virtual/hybrid events? Interactivity? Ease of access for attendees? The quality of streaming audio and video? Or something different?
JB: This requires a multipronged solution. There needs to be investment in both the quality of streaming platforms plus better creative solutions to encourage engagement and maximize return on attention (ROA). One cannot exist without the other for a well-rounded virtual experience.

Ease of access to virtual events is incredibly important. Directions for logging in and signing on to virtual events should be clear and integrated into the calendar invites. Using existing technology that people are familiar with is preferable to yet another online hosting tool if it requires a big learning curve. That being said, there are many tools being developed within virtual platforms that offer attendees a chance to connect quicker and with ease. One such example is the breakout features that can be utilized by a click of a button. This gives event producers and experiential marketers the chance to design a new experience within an experience. One trade show that I know of refocused on the "service" aspect of their work, becoming matchmakers between retailers and fashion designers by arranging and streamlining appointments. This increased engagement and helped keep the conference organizers vital to their industry at a time when people couldn't gather in person.

EM: Certain aspects of face-to-face events are hard to imitate virtually, such as gift bags, networking, socializing, and simply the physical touch of a hug or handshake. When it comes to the future of virtual and hybrid events, are there any technologies or strategies that are better at replicating the in-person experience?
JB: Virtual breakout spaces have maximized the ability to create connections and facilitate roundtable conversations with the click of a button. Event producers have the ability to offer flexibility of one or multiple breakout sessions with quick transitions and ease, saving both time and money while allowing for guests to interact, engage in multiple conversations, and maximize the virtual experience.

One of my favorite online community-building activities is what I like to call the virtual Jeffersonian-style dinner. Traditionally, this is a private meal for a small group, modeled after those Thomas Jefferson hosted when he was president: eight to 14 guests, with the goal of connecting with a topic and each other. This format can be easily implemented after a virtual panel discussion. Each well-curated room is led by a host who knows the participants and can facilitate introductions and ask thoughtful questions, giving participants a chance to shine. This type of roundtable maximizes conversations and increases community engagement.

Another route is more of a choose-your-own-adventure Jeffersonian "dinner" with a selection of breakout topics for participants to choose from. This is more fluid and less curated. Each room is still hosted, but attendees can move from room to room and participate in numerous conversations. With our social-media-adapted brains, this type of choice and "bouncing" feels familiar and empowering. Most virtual event platforms, or even Zoom, allow for this at the click of a button, so it can be easily done. Typically, this type of activation is paired with a food and beverage experience but can work just as well on its own. Let's be real: Most people are eating or drinking during these events whether or not it's provided by the event host. So focus your time on creating engaging questions and prepping the breakout room hosts and let the attendee layer on their own in-real-life (IRL) experience.

EM: When it comes to events, companies tend to follow whatever seems hot or innovative at the moment. For example, at the SXSW 2022 in March, Paramount+ promoted its "Halo" TV series with 400 drones that formed into characters from the show and even a scannable QR code. Or take the traveling Van Gogh Exhibit: The Immersive Experience with its visual displays that swallow up participants. Are they influencing what companies are doing with events? Or is it something else altogether?
JB: Brands and experiential producers like myself are definitely having to think outside the box and create inspiring or immersive experiences. Back in 2005, when I was a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I authored a thesis titled "Cultural Citizenship, The Museum, and Social Space" that focused on how shifts in the art and entertainment worlds would influence how we experience culture and commerce. It has been gratifying to see how the ideas I shared then and since in events for YouTube, NikeID, and Google have become a cornerstone of what is known today as the experience economy.

The SXSW drone display by Texas-based Sky Elements LLC was a creative and playful take that elevated current drone technology for a commercial purpose, with the integration of the QR code being an interactive element. It feels important to point out that nearly a year prior at Renegade Festival (2021's unofficial Burning Man festival), the artist collective Studio Drift from Amsterdam used hundreds of drones to create multiple skyscapes inspired by iconic Burning Man art of years past as well as a flock of starlings, a giant mushroom with a DNA-type helix, and more. In fact, the flock of birds actually debuted in 2017 during Art Basel in Miami.

In my opinion, the Van Gough exhibit was a big missed opportunity. It is a commercialized attempt at capturing buzzwords like "immersive experience" to upcharge attendees on a poorly designed experience and is the reverse of an innovative experience. The exhibit lacked insight into Van Gogh's life and the meanings behind his work. Coupled with the outdated projection and audio technologies and a clear lack of attention to the attendee journey (almost the whole experience is in one room with limited visibility for some areas), this exhibit is an example of what companies shouldn't do. Unfortunately, the financial success of this traveling exhibition suggests that we will see more artists commercialized in this way.

My hope is that future exhibits improve on this concept by giving attendees a glimpse into the mind and soul of the artist while integrating top-of-the-line technology to better capture our attention. Whether it be more effective video and audio equipment, for example an added virtual-reality (VR) component that has us traveling to the artist's hometown or walking through scenes of their life, utilizing better technology can create a more individualistic experience, relevant cultural and historic context, and provide higher-quality images. Most importantly, such exhibits need to capture the essence of the work and the artist's worldview to make them more enriching as well as more memorable.

EM: We're hearing a lot about the metaverse, a 3-D, interactive universe using VR and augmented reality (AR), which seems to be the buzzword du jour. Is it indicative of the future of events? What technological or social hurdles do companies have to surmount before a concept such as this can be truly effective?
JB: The metaverse is already here. We're experiencing the beta version of it. All of these elements you listed in your question plus additional emerging tech like Web3, crypto, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and DOAs (that is, decentralized autonomous organizations) create an ecosystem that will continue to shapeshift over the next decade.

I was at the Women with Visions conference on innovation recently, and we took a look back at the emergence of Web 2.0 and social media. It was fascinating to reflect on that moment in time, especially as someone who was working at the forefront of this evolution. In the early days, we could have never known the effect the tech would have on identity and community. We're at the same point now with the metaverse. The impacts will not only affect business, but also culture, identity, and community. Learning from the Web 2.0 examples, the best thing companies can do right now is research and development: invest in an event experience that encompasses one or two of these elements to experiment and learn. From my vantage point, the fastest ways companies can capitalize on this growing field is through the use of NFTs as access to membership and events and a way to foster engagement and cultivate brand love.

EM: When it comes to the future of events, what are you the most impatient to experience?
JB: As someone who was on the vanguard of events and experiences within the Web 2.0 realm, I am most excited to see how new tech developments will impact events. Not only will we see a significant rise in experiences within the web3/MV/blockchain worlds, but also the rise of underground, speakeasy-style offline events that are truly disconnected from data and technology. Perhaps they'll be akin to the early days of rave culture when everything was word-of-mouth. Our individual and collective "technology overwhelm" is causing people to seek out and place value on events where they need to unplug, disconnect, and engage with each other in more traditional ways. As Lynn Casey, futurist and founder of ShineScout, a strategic brand consultancy for the Fortune 500, touched upon during the recent Women with Visions event, Gen Z is acutely aware of technology tracking them and their interests, so going off-grid for an experience feels very fresh and cool. For Millennials, Gen X, and beyond, these events feel relaxing and necessary, harkening back to their youth and helping to down-regulate their nervous systems. It's these tensions between the virtual and IRL experiences that will make the work of event producers and experience designers truly exciting and give us room to create and to play. E