2014 Event Trends | @jessicalarotta

Before you start planning your upcoming 2014 events lets discuss some predictions of this years hottest trends and hottest fads.

2014 Trends

Radiant Orchid

Radiant Orchid was named by Pantone as 2014’s color of the year and I couldn’t agree more! This color has a beautiful erray of tones that can be used to design your space. Everything from decor items, desserts and lets not forget flowers! Get creative and make sure to mix it up with other radiant colors and use it in moderation.

Technology | Live Twitter Feeds

Technology moves fast and so should we. As brands and planners are starting to get on board with integrating technology into their events, there is still a lack of live twitter feeds at events. Live Twitter feeds is the best way brands can get more bang for their buck by using their guests as social media influencers. Live tweeting allows brands to have a more viral reach and all it takes is a #hashtag. It’s a simple addition that can be communicated to your guests via the invite, signage and mentioned at the event.

Experiential Activities at Events

While more guests are easily distracted these days with their smart phone’s by checking their text, twitter feed or what celebrity did what on Instagram. Adding in experiential activities at your events will keep your guests distraction free and engaging with your brand. Depending on what your event is or who you are targeting you can have guest interaction as easy as creating a DIY food station. The experiential ideas are endless, make sure to keep your brand and target audience in mind when concepting your next event. Brands/companies spend lots of marketing dollars into events lets make sure that these guests are leaving with an amazing guest experience.

Social Responsibility at Events

As the event world is ever so changing with such focus on keeping up with trends and technology. Keeping up with social responsibility and being socially conscious should be on brands/companies and planners checklist. Social responsibility can be easily added to events with the smallest gesture: instead of a having your guests give you a gift have them make a donation to your favorite charity. Or after your event instead of throwing out the flowers that were used for your centerpieces donate them back to a local hospital, hospice or retirement home.

2014 Fads

Photo Booths

As much as I am an advocate of photo booths at events they have caught like wild fire and no one can see past the trees into the horizon. They are everywhere and at every event, I would like to see companies get more creative and add in different activities to keep guests engaged. Or if we must have a photo booth at an event lets start looking at photo booth companies who have social media integration for instant sharing.

From Seated Dinners to Cocktail Parties

Lots of guests are getting bored with the sit down dinner experience they want to be more social and mobile. An easy way to do this is to skip the seated dinner and go in for the cocktail party style. This will keep your guests mingling and reaching a wider audience.

Small Bites

Have you ever left work starving to go attend an event and all they have is small bites and then you leave the event still starving? I’m sure you answered yes to that question. Guests are coming hungrier and are leaving angrier, lets fuse that gap by sprucing up our food budget for heartier and larger appetizers.

Liz King Caruso

Liz King Caruso is an Event Strategist, Consultant and Speaker. As CEO of Liz King Events and techsytalk, she has helped countless thought leaders grow their audience and sell their products through in-person, virtual & hybrid events. Liz is a big-picture person – passionate about tying events into an overall sales and marketing strategy and being efficient at every point of the process. Technology is her niche and she’s obsessed with helping organizations of every size leverage technology to produce more engaging and seamless event experiences. In addition to her client work, Liz connects & educates her industry colleagues through platforms she has built – techsytalk GLOBAL, the techsytalk community & IGNITE Consulting program. Liz has been featured as Eventex’s 50 Most Innovative Virtual Meeting Planners, Successful Meetings list of 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry, Top 5 Women in Event Tech, amongst other awards.