University College Birmingham

Creative Media and Events

Narinder Singh
Paul Atkins

Horizon Scanning Report

Sophia Carvajal
06 November 2018.
 Introduction
This report will analyse the innovative side of events, by looking at current innovations that have
been adopted into the industry and how they have impacted it. Moreover, the theory in the report will
determine which type of innovation are they and where they are allocated in the Innovation Space
Model according to the radical or incremental axis. Finally, the second part of this report will
identify the future trends marketing, events and consumer behaviour will be from 2018 and beyond,
and what kind of innovative strategies event planners have available and the constraints they face
when innovation comes in the process of organising events.

Innovation in the Events industry

To begin with, Getz (2013) defined innovation as to renew or change to something new, it could be
an idea, a programme or an event, arising from this process. The author continues suggesting that as
much about organisational culture, leadership and planning, innovation is as about raw creativity or
design. Moreover, Quinn (2013) suggests that innovation may take the processes underpinning an
entire business of organising, sourcing, producing, marketing and delivery.
In regards to the events industry, the idea or the need of innovating becomes more present and
pressing, due to the amount of competition in the market even more when sources could get scarcer
(Quinn, 2013). Compared to other related industries, such as tourism, hospitality and sports, the
events industry has its own right and new areas of knowledge which is the demonstration of the
capacity for innovation, becoming increasingly important in order to increase the number of strategic
functions that events play, suggested Jago and Deery (2010 cited by Lockstone-Binney et al, 2013).
Also, innovation helps on focusing on continuously seeking to renew programme content and
improve organisational processes, which it can become increasingly pertinent, specially festivals and
events are in a constant innovation process. In the past decades, festivals have been seen as an
example of new services with additional value, according to Nordfors (2009 cited by Quinn, 2013).
Carlsen et al (2010 cited by Quinn, 2013) also pointed out that innovation in festivals it is not only
related to a product or service innovation, but an organisational innovation, market innovation and
festival participant innovation. Finally, it is important to highlight the rapid social and technological
change environment where innovation could be a consequence of new dynamics of consumer led
choices in the evens industry (Talwar et al 2010, cited by Lockstone-Binney et al, 2013).

Current innovation - their adaptability and impact in the Events industry

At the present day, the events industry is increasing due to a number of innovative products or
services that help event organisers create remarkable events. Some of the current innovations that
have been adopted and how these have impacted the events industry. Some of these innovations are
as follows:
Event Concepts
In the recent years, it has been noticed that craving for memorable experiences has driven the events
industry, labelled Experience Economy, by business leaders and scholars, said Holub (2015). This
means that event planners are in constant research of new ideas to impress and create powerful
experiences for the clients, called event concept. The author (ibid, 2015) specified some examples of
event concept, such as secrecy-based events, silent conferences, lunch clubbing, conferences in
transformation, unconferences, radically inclusive events, light-speed presentations, project-based
events, knowledge café and fishbowl conversation.
Technology
Technology plays a big part when it comes to the event industry. Some examples of new innovations
that have been adopted in the event industry, it could be worth mention the Drones. Drones,
according to Medium (2018), have been used in large scale events to film the attendees of the event
or provide extra security.
Artificial Intelligence has been used in the industry for a while now, however, it can be said that
there are a few unique ways to implement it during events. For example, chatbots that automate
customer service help guests to have a unique, tailored insights and answers. Artificial Intelligence
can help to personalised recommendations, by giving date by attendees to link them to the most
relevant seminars, sessions, etc, during an event, having an impact in regards to attendee
engagement, mainly boosted by personal touches (Medium, 2018).
Sawyer (2017) pointed out that event apps add tremendous value, because attendees in a large-scale
event expect to have an app to track speakers and networking opportunities this also benefits the
sponsors from the data they provide.
Facial recognition it is also a new technology trend implemented in the event sector. It helps to reach
new audiences just by tagging friends on Facebook pictures and attendees’ friends would be able to
see the official event photos using this tool (Sawyer, 2017).
Ticketing
Hendricks (2017) argued that despite the growth of the influence of marketing in events, innovation
in events has been stagnant, and the industry has only recently begun to engage with new
technologies to help meet the demand. He suggests that ticketing has been critical for event
organisers and venues, since the need of an ideal online ticketing experiences arises from a
generation of digital natives. The author pointed out that there is a limited number of options and
good quality ticketing vendors that has not made a minimal innovation in this area. An example
given was from the CEO and founder of Kyazoonga, Neetu Bhatia (ibid, 2017), which highlighted
the importance of having a higher touch point with attendees and how ticketing has increased this
issue. She kept mentioning that the deeper the engagement and the ability to deliver content offers
are based on the attendee’s interests, the quicker increases the user’s experience with one touch
point, instead of having several touch points, such as parking, drinks, food, merchandise, etc. Finally,
locations that provide these technologies, assures Hendricks (2017), are creating a net revenue
positive solution for event organisers.
O'Mahony (2017) suggested that successful innovations lead to the creation of new jobs and default,
economic growth. Events are recognised as a powerful tool, as well. The author continued adding
that events could lead to leverage positive and transformational social and economic impacts in the
venues where events are held, not only benefiting the attendees but also surrounding areas. In
addition, events and innovation can be used to develop a new USP for a place, better known as place-
making, improving a given place for people, according to De Brito & Richards (2017, cited by
O’Mahony 2017),

Types of innovation and where they belong in the Innovation Space Model
According to Bessant and Tidd (2007), suggested that in order to understand what types of
innovation are the ones that previously were mentioned, it is important to emphasise the capability of
managing innovation is a great achievement, if this capability is pointing in a suitable direction for
the organisation. Innovation has 4 P’s which is a strategic process of exploring the space, these take
place along an axis running from incremental through to radical change, the potential space within
which an organisation can operate, this is call Innovation Space Model. Innovation can take many
forms, from simple, incremental development of what is already out there, to radical development of
totally new options (ibid, 2007).
In relation to the innovations mentioned previously and the 4 P’s of Innovation, it can be said that,
first of all, Events Concepts could be classified as an incremental process innovation, even though it
is considered as new ideas or themes to make events more dynamic and interactive, here is a
variation or even a combination already existed projects and meetings structures. To continue, the
Technology side of innovation has had a massive impact in the events sector and it could be argued
that this type of innovation is radical paradigm innovation, because technology could be seen as a
fundamental change and experimental practices of a science discipline, according to Yin et al (2017).
Also, the authors said that not only in non-scientific contexts technology has been used, but in
creative sectors such as events, therefore this has had a profound change in fundamental model or
how people perceive events with high-tech services or products. Finally, Ticketing is placed as
radical process innovation, the reason is the online ticketing and mobile ticketing apps that have
been emerging in the recent years. It could be argued that this type of innovation fits in the subject of
technology, which it could, however, the idea of buying a ticket for an event online has radically
changed the process of booking adding the fact of obtaining services or products prior the event
making it easier for the consumer.
Having said that, these three types of innovation have been allocated in the Innovation Space Model,
according to their features and levels of innovation as appears in Figure 1. Events Concepts are
found in the Process direction more towards incremental, while ticketing is found at the other
extreme of process, focusing on innovation as well as technology coming from the paradigm axis.
 Future events, marketing and consumer trends
Future Marketing trends
Hall (2018) stipulated that for 2019 onwards, there will be 5 different marketing trends to consider.
Firstly, he mentioned that people are no longer trusting in ads as it was used to, but more on other
people they know and reputable content. Even though ads might be at the end of the list, marketers
started to invest more on content marketing, influencer marketing, referral partnerships and other
methods that can add value to audience. In the second place, creativity will set successful marketers
apart suggesting that businesses should consider integrated campaigns and creative distribution
tactics to engage audience members. Moreover, the author continued said that those companies that
put up barriers between departments would fail in the long run, because those leading companies are
built on departments that work together, he finished adding ‘great content can fuel other parts of the
company, resulting in better talent, lower costs and improved relationships with investors’ (ibid,
2018). Fourthly, understanding the way customers communicate is vital, due to high expectations
from companies will communicate with them in the ways they like, this is the reason why marketers
pay close attention to customers’ communication preferences. Finally, the advances on marketing
automation and technology will help marketers to make better decisions and save money.
Future Events trends
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the event industry is likely to grow 44% by 2020,
which is significant in an economy that is becoming more digital and, consequently, more virtual,
according to Hendricks (2017). He continued adding that part of this reason is that Millennials on the
whole look for authenticity in the brands they select, and events are a great way to create authentic
experiences with a brand.
Booker (2017), observed that for 2018 and beyond, the events industry will have at least 22 trends
including food and drink, technology, venues, networking and more. To name a few of these coming
trends are: increase in team development events, increasing a better security awareness in events,
facial recognition technology for check-ins, attendee feedback and improved on-site security, unique
catering options with new technology, plastic disposables will disappear and livestreaming will have
a major impact on events industry, facing the battle of audience attention.
Future Consumer Trends
Considering that UK is departing from the European Union, this action will bring a direct impact in
the country’s economy, however, consumers’ attitudes, behaviours and values will continue to be
affected by everything around them from key consumer trends that brands and companies need to
address in the next year and onwards (Crosbie, 2017). Some of these trends are being released from
stress, it has been noticed that there are 14 items that cause British stress, reported a 90% of the
sample (Crosbie, 2017), people are finding the right mechanisms to cope with issue. Also, going
greener is another consumer behaviour taking place in society, considering what people actually need
to buy and not feeling guilty of not doing something environmentally friendly.

Innovation strategies for events

Oates (2017) refers to innovation strategy in the events industry from the rise of event technology
and the emerge of the Millennial generation. The element of technology is the inherent of the
meeting experience events.
 Conclusion
It is noticeable that the events industry has been growing in the last decades, due to innovation. This
strategic tool to keep up the industry has had a massive impact, from technological, consumer
behaviour, online bookings and more features attendees consider when going to an event. Not only
innovation affects positively the external side of events, but internal too when it comes to make the
right strategies during planning an event and how event manager face many constraints during this
process as well.
Reference List
 Bessant, J. and Tidd, J. (2007). Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 1st ed. Chichester: John
Wiley & Sons Ltd, pp.23-28.

 Booker, B. (2017). 22 Event Trends for 2018 - Eventbrite UK Blog. [online] Eventbrite UK
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 Yin, E., Ansari, S. and Akhtar, N. (2017). Radical Innovation, Paradigm Shift and
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Appendix List
Figure 1
 Carvajal, S., (2018). ‘Horizon Scanning Report’ Creative Media and Events. 1468: Creative
Media and Events. University College Birmingham. Unpublished report.