2020 and 2021 may have proved a rocky period for the events sector in the UK and around the world, but with the subsequent lifting of restrictions on travel and attendance of events, the sector has staged a strong comeback. Indeed, even in 2021, the value of the global events industry was £800 billion. 

What is also true, however, is that the coronavirus crisis upended many people’s perceptions and feelings on what events could, and should, be. 

An obvious consequence of that has been the rise of virtual and hybrid events. The latter type of event incorporates both in-person and virtual elements to help ensure even those who are not physically present in the event venue still have a means of attending and engaging with the activities taking place there. 

The story of change brought to the events industry after COVID-19 is, however, still very much an unfolding one. In the meantime, your own organisation might be anxious to ensure it is holding suitably captivating events right now. 

So, what are some of the examples of event marketing to which your brand might give serious thought in 2023? As one of the most renowned promotional event staffing agencies here at BrandWarriors, we decided to pick out just three that may especially interest you. 

Pop-up events 

It might seem at times as if pop-up stores are merely a very ‘hip’ form of event marketing, at a time when there is plentiful available retail space in many locations, resulting from closures of big-brand high-street stores amid ongoing economic uncertainty. 

However, pop-up shops and events have more than proved their worth for many a brand that might not have otherwise had an in-person or ‘high-street’ presence at all. 

Whether your own brand’s engagement with pop-up events does or doesn’t represent a ‘toe in the water’ ahead of a possibly expanded commitment to a brick-and-mortar presence at a later time, it’s difficult to deny that the pop-up experience offers something very different to the online marketing your brand might have depended on up to this point. 

And of course, for brands that already have a network of physical stores elsewhere, a pop-up event offers the opportunity of a limited-time-only presence in a location or setting where the business might not have previously been represented. 

‘Lunch and learn’ events 

Imagine what it would be like if you had the chance to get ‘up close and personal’ straight away with a brand that you were always curious about – not just the products offered by that brand, but also the people behind the business, who make the magic possible. Well, this is what a ‘lunch and learn’ event could represent for your own brand’s target audiences. 

As the term suggests, this type of event is about inviting prospective or current clients, customers, or even investors for a lunch – and of course, once they turn up to the event, you will have them as a captive audience. 

So, your brand’s ‘lunch and learn’ event will present you with an opportunity to go big on the ‘learn’ aspect, too. That could mean holding classes, workshops, and demonstrations related to what your business does, which will also help everyone in attendance to engage with your brand and its products in a deeper and more ‘hands-on’ way. 

Awards ceremonies 

Is the notion of organising an awards ceremony perhaps a little… grand for some businesses? Naturally, you will need to consider how the idea of such an event could work for your own brand, including what your organisation offers and stands for. 

If your business’s circumstances and goals fit in well with it, though, an awards ceremony could constitute a powerful form of event marketing for your company in 2023. For one thing, this type of event could lend itself very well to online streaming and hybrid elements – because ultimately, why wouldn’t you wish to make a big fuss about your brand’s awards ceremony? 

As for the categories in which awards could be given, you might consider awards for the most loyal customers, or those who have been your customers for longest. 

You could also hand gongs to the employees of yours who have made some of the most meaningful contributions to your organisation over the past year, albeit while still making your award ceremony an outward-facing show overall, instead of a merely internal concern (it is, after all, supposed to be a marketing effort). 

Have the above ideas got your mind racing about the possibilities for engaging your target audiences in ways that they might not have expected from a promotional event just a few years ago? 

If so, now could be a great moment to reach out to our “experience makers” at one of the premier promotional event staffing agencies. Contact us via phone or email to find out more about our formidable track record in experiential event staffing, and the benefits that our expertise could have for your brand.