By: Hannah Hegman
Every year, we like to take some time to anticipate the direction, motivations, and needs of our events in the upcoming year. Through this reflection, we make decisions such as seeking out great new venues, educating ourselves on causes, and building relationships with new vendors that align with what our clients are seeking. In 2020, we are seeing some clear trends and themes that will elevate in 2020 and beyond.
Messaging for the Future
We all appreciate a good theme and consistent message for an event. 2020 is the platform for a pretty consistent message given the nuances of the numbers, the nod to 20/20 vision, and the start of a new decade. With these we are seeing a lot of messaging around vision, clarity, looking forward, and a fresh start. With this trend, it will be important for your event to go beyond this standard message and be creative in how you stand apart in your vision.
Plant Based Meals for Your Guests
For a few years now, we have seen a larger push for locally sourced and organic foods. This trend is only going to continue and allow small, local caters rise to the challenge of larger events and push venues to get create and build local relationships. In 2020, we will also see a swing towards more plant based options. The Impossible meat-substitute is seemingly everywhere these days and with greater accessibility will come more demand. Expect your vegetarian counts to rise in 2020 and pay a little more attention to ensuring that these dishes are every bit as amazing as the meat based meal.
Eco-Friendly from Packaging to Product
In the same vane as food sourcing, is supplies. 2020 will be the year that we push beyond just recyclable, but also compostable. With a record number or cities banning plastic bags and straws, consider how your event can also take a step to remove single use plastics. In addition the more sustainable products, we see more and more clients asking about the packaging of their products as well – suppliers will be pushed to be more sustainable and package wisely. Lastly, when considering large events that include some form of travel – up to 70% of the carbon footprint can be impacted by travel. Events will gain popularity with providing smart transportation options and taking travel into consideration when choosing their destination and flow of the event.
Streamlined Look & Feel
Staying in line with the “looking forward” messaging of 2020, the Pantone Color Institute has announced that Classic Blue will be the color of the year as it is a “color that anticipates what’s going to happen next.” We are also seeing a trend in monochromatic color schemes, paired with functional design. This minimalist style is working together quite well, allowing events to make a large impact with less by being thoughtful and creative.
Venues Where Business Meets Leisure
The location of your meeting or event has been and will always be a large deciding factor for guest attendance. On the rise continues to be “Bleisure” – which is the concept of combining business and leisure. An astounding 78% of respondents to a survey cite “destination” as a deciding factor for attending an event. Whether it’s geographically where your event is held or the amenities or potential experiences your guests have access to by attending your event – be sure to consider how your guests can accomplish both goals.
Planning for the Unexpected for Safety
In 2019, we saw new rules falling in place due to the growing need for security in our world. For example – vehicle intrusion barriers are now needed for any event happening on a city street in most cities. Make sure that you are taking event security into consideration and working with your venue to understand requirements and also a plan of action in the case of emergency. In addition to security preparation, ensure your team is ready to handle health emergencies as well. When you are at a venue, make sure you know where the AED is, emergency exits, and that you know the address and location in the building should you need to contact emergency help.
Do Good Events is excited about 2020! We are inspired by the theme of the year and this fresh start for so many organizations. There is a revitalization happening in the event industry and we are working hard to be on the leading edge of these trends and more.