The Event Innovation Forum—New York is less than a month away, and more speakers have been announced. In addition to super fans, holographic projections, and the changing role of celebrities, the conference will tackle several other topics, including how fund-raisers can capture a digital audience, the limitations of event design, and why understanding Amazon's retail strategy can help boost attendance.
Curated by BizBash and the Event Leadership Institute for event and meeting professionals, the Event Innovation Forum—New York is part of the BizBash IdeaFest New York, which will be held October 30 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. More details about the sessions are below; attendees can register for the forum here.
Fund-Raising in the Digital Age
Michael Trainer, U.S. country director, Global Poverty Project; executive producer and creative director, Global Citizen Festival
With the advent of social media, apps, and other technology, planners now have more tools to engage their audience and—importantly for nonprofit organizers—raise funds and awareness. As U.S. country director of the Global Poverty Project, Michael Trainer was one of the masterminds behind the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park that asked festivalgoers to earn points via a mobile and Web-based platform. The 2012 event secured more than $1.3 billion in pledged donations, while also spreading its message of social action through social media. Trainer will discuss how the idea for the festival came about and the lessons he and the team learned, as well as how other fund-raising organizations can innovate by taking advantage of new technology.
Drawing the Line: Pushing Event Design to Its Limits
Bryan Rafanelli, president and C.E.O., Rafanelli Events
Beauty and practicality are no longer mutually exclusive in event design. In this session, Bryan Rafanelli will share case studies where event design was pushed to the limit and instances where design had to be rethought to not overshadow the event goal. From a recent private event held on a barge in the middle of the Boston Harbor to private dinners, Rafanelli will talk about working with clients to help understand where design brings value—and where it’s simply unnecessary.
What Event Professionals Can Learn From Amazon
Tamara Mendelsohn, vice president of marketing, Eventbrite
Leading online retailer Amazon is known for its “larger game plan” and strategic vision that has helped it become a multibillion-dollar company. In this session, Tamara Mendelsohn will share how event marketers should think about the event registration experience like the online retailer, because driving registrations and ticket sales is as much a science as it is an art. Mendelsohn will share tips on how top companies like Amazon grow their sales and how these strategies can be used to boost attendance at your next event.
