Event Branding: 5 Ways To Stay Fresh And Relevant

Event Branding: 5 Ways To Stay Fresh And Relevant

Years ago, event branding generally mirrored that of the hosting organisation. Event ‘branding’ was simply the use of stylistic elements – fonts and colours, a logo. Now, event branding has evolved; it’s more about messaging, sentiment, and a carefully crafted persona that is a key component of the event experience.
Your event branding is now a promise to the audience that speaks to the objective of your event, what it means to be someone who attends it, and what attendees can expect when they get there.

Think about the following pointers and consider them for your future events:

1. Giving Your Event its Own Brand
   Photo Source: Innovation Visual

Allow the event its own independent brand identity to increase the audience engagement. Many events are transcending their organizer’s group to achieve a more holistic and inclusive feel.

INBOUND by HubSpot and SalesForce’s DreamForce are some examples. These events started as user conferences and have evolved into preeminent marketing and sales conferences that attract attendees who don’t all necessarily even use the software. The learning and networking have outpaced the parent brand and given these events their own stellar reputations.

A professional event company in Singapore can help your organisation analyse past behavioral data and research your demographic. Watch the body language of guests. Understand what attracts them to your event and what you could do more of to get them to take notice. This all feeds into the brand promise.

2. Make Sure You Nail the Basics
   Photo Source: 360i

The core of any brand should be consistent quality. Look at ways to smooth out processes and reduce waiting time. Ask these small but important questions: Where is there room for improvement? Do attendees congregate in a small space, and can you usher them into somewhere more comfortable?

The attendee experience is the most fundamental thing to look after when maintaining a good brand, and a poor experience will negatively impact it.

Only once you’ve attended to the basics can you start focusing on creating a shared culture. Think about the commonalities of your organisation and what is important to your audience. How can you align your brand to become the answer to what they’re seeking?

Your event brand is expected to define and distinguish your event. It speaks to who you are as an event-goer, your interests, and what values you espouse.

You can consult a  branding agency in Singapore to help you uncover these little nuances that’ll make all the difference in the world to the success of the event.

3. Value-Orient Your Brand Identity
   Photo Source: Hubspot

Align your brand with the aspects, causes, and preferences that are important to your attendees. Provide a place where attendees feel among a group that shares their values. Through shared values, your event becomes something they must attend.
Event branding should be consistent across all your communications. Nothing undermines a value-based position quite like inconsistency.
The appointed event company in Singapore should meticulously check that all the branding guidelines were met. Now that your brand is more a persona than a set of defined styles, your event identity should be echoed in every piece of the event, including sessions, venues, websites, content, and all communications.

4. Create Your Own Event Niche
   Photo Source: Eventbrite
   

Some event organisers in Singapore are separating their event from others in the same market by creating a niche that no other event serves. It may be that your event model is tried and true and that the value it offers is easily reproducible. There isn’t anything necessarily wrong with that, but if you find that you’re constantly competing with similar events for market attention, think about giving your event a twist or carving out a niche that you can reinforce in your messaging.
In finding a niche, explore the industry you serve. What’s changing? How are people relating to your industry, products, or services differently? What are they doing in their lives that could impact your offerings? What needs could you help meet? What are they missing? Addressing these interests first can be a marked differentiator for your event.

5. Let Your Event Audience Be a Part of Your Event Brand

   Photo Source: Shutterstock

Understand the brand is no longer just about you. Audiences, through reviews and word of mouth, shape the brand as much as the marketing team does. Successful events are tied to purpose and shared values. Incorporate that into the re-branding.

Listen to what is being said about your event. Review survey results, listen on social media, look at shares on your event app (if applicable), and ask pointed feedback.
Successful brands will embrace this and look for ways to create mutually-beneficial events through amplifying the shared values that exist between them and their audience. They will create a larger community of more loyal fans.

Brands are not just fonts and colours. Recognize the value of an impactful message, and carry that message through all parts of the event. Consider re-conceiving the event to create a unique experience that attracts a larger audience.

If you think it’s time for a brand refresh, don’t simply choose a new look. Recognise it as an opportunity to bring your event into alignment with what your attendees want. Contact Twist Media team today to begin your journey to better brand activation in Singapore.