American Express Global Business Travel Meetings & Events has brought together a team and resources focused on creative, impactful live events under a new brand name: The Experience Studio.
For product launches, sales kickoffs, or other meetings where branding and business objectives are top priorities, The Experience Studio aims to deliver the kinds of services that can ultimately improve attendee engagement, such as strategy sessions, event technologies, on-site production, and sustainability planning.
Coinciding with the introduction of Experience Studio, Amex GBT M&E surveyed more than 300 marketing and communications executives about their plans and priorities. Here are three of the trends that emerged from that research.
Content delivery is a top priority. Marketers were asked “If overall meetings budgets increased by 10 percent in 2024, where would you most prefer to spend it?” and the top answer was “improve content delivery.” With all the digital content coming at attendees, marketers are looking for help to create more personal and memorable content.
Technology is a must. The second most common answer around allocating a budget bump was “increased use of technology.” Here’s how the marketers surveyed expect to use technology for their 2024 meetings and events:
• Mobile apps: 59 percent
• QR codes: 47 percent
• On-site check-in tools: 35 percent
• Artificial intelligence: 34 percent
• Virtual reality: 30 percent
• Digital photo booths: 28 percent
• Wearable technology: 22 percent
• Holograms: 9 percent
Sustainability has a foothold. Eco-friendly and inclusive practices can spark a connection with attendees, according to the report, making it a win for the brand and the planet. Marketers were asked if their organizations had set a net-zero sustainability goal, including the aim of reducing emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030. Many see that goal on the near horizon:
• Yes, we have a net-zero sustainability goal: 27 percent
• No, but we’re planning to in the next 12 months: 51 percent
• No. We have no implementation plans: 17 percent
