During a crisis, events are among the first to be canceled or curtailed. When economic growth begins, the events market is also at the forefront of recovery. Over several crises since the 90s, this dependence has become well known in professional circles.
What happened to the market during this crisis is a new type. Image crisis.
The events' image has deteriorated sharply. Events in the minds of a wide range of people began to be associated with “corporate parties” and “drunken parties”, with something indecent, threatening almost the future of the country. A case in point is Aeroflot’s tender for an event with a budget of 64 million people in Gostiny Dvor. It was canceled after the media wrote.
That is, if they don’t find out, you can do it, but if you find out, you have to cancel. Activities can be done, but secretly. Without advertising. It's a crisis, it's not the right time. This is reminiscent of the situation of saving in a company: if they start saving, they will certainly start printing on sheets on both sides or not printing at all. Although it is obvious that this line in the company’s expenses is at the end of the list.
How to deal with this?
Firstly, this is a good opportunity for professional associations to express themselves. This is their job, and not the work of individual specialists, who in any case will inevitably be promoting themselves, not the industry.
Secondly, a change in perspective on the industry. Using a well-known advertising example, start selling not drills, but holes in walls, results for people and business, not processes.
The arguments “no one has done this before” or “WOW events” are surprisingly attractive and quite useless from a business point of view. The argument “you need to use this format because” or “you need to do an event because” is closer to the point.
The environment has changed again. Changing or proudly carrying your relic crest further is everyone’s choice.
Especially for Event Forum
