Have you ever reflected on the nature of recalled moments? How do you remember activities and events? Let’s say, you’re a GoT fan (and we know you are!). Think about what conditions make you usually recollect different episodes. We bet that this happens each time someone says “Jon Snow” or “winter is coming.” When people attend an event, their minds generate mental shortcuts that help them recall those experiences in future. Event branding is the unique dressing that defines an event and makes it memorable for attendees.
What is event branding and event brand management?
Event branding is the collection of elements that make up the image of the event. For event planners, branding is like a unique face. The more recognizable it is, the more people will pay attention to it.
Event branding has a formula, which covers all aspects of event management. The process of adding branding to the stages of event organization from pre-planning to post-activities can be defined as event brand management.
Why does event brand management matter?
Imagine that you enter the event venue and look around. What do you see? Do the surroundings tell you who the organizer of the event is? Who are the sponsors? What is the message of the event? If the answer is yes, you’ll probably have great topics for discussion with your friends in the bar afterward. If not…well, there’s a chance you won’t recollect the event a week afterward.
The event management branding is the aspect of event organization that makes people attend again and again. The biggest advantage of using a killer brand is that it provides a relatively cost-effective solution for turning an event into a “must attend.” Indeed, a nicely constructed logo that resonates with the decorations can draw crowds without draining your budget.
The goals and tasks of event brand management
To develop a smart event branding strategy, you need to set the key goals. Check out this list of the essential event brand management objectives:
- Increase awareness. Event branding gives you the space for an effective introduction of event organizers, sponsors, and keynote speakers. In fact, there are many events, the key goal of which is representing a company, a product launch, or a person. Increasing awareness through memorable decorations, branded giveaways, and a logo that reminds people of your goals is definitely worth your while.
- Drive sales. To capitalize on sales, event branding can act as the brand ambassador for the organizing company. You can encourage people to test the quality of the client’s product or services at events. By making them branded, you inform the audience about the company and therefore attract new clients.
- Build engagement. With creative event branding, you don’t simply build great brand affinity, but also keep people engaged. From costumes to treats, making your branding fun is what makes it unforgettable! Invite a secret guest, offer treats that look too gorgeous to be eaten, or surprise the audience with a branded contest. It’s up to you to choose.
What does event brand management include?
Let’s have a look at some necessary aspects of event brand management:
- Event website. Branding doesn’t start at the venue. You have to think about a well-aligned image of your event in the initial stages of preparation. Communicate the brand through effective unity of logo, theme, colors, and fonts on the event website. This will make the first introduction of the event to the potential attendees. And as we all know, the first impression is crucial.
- Event app. 40% of event planners use event apps to elevate attendance experiences. Through the integration of the brand with an event app, you remind people of who you’re and what goals you set.
- Onsite event design. The image that people see around them at the event venue has to talk to them in the voice of the brand. Think of the types of company you represent on at the event. This will give you the clue to whether you should go smart and neat as Apple, or embrace a scenery-centric approach like Airbnb.
- Booths. Even if you have only one booth under your control, you have to make it represent the brand as perfectly as possible. Digital signage, branded laptops, and logo construction can help you build awareness. Lastly, don’t forget about giveaways. If people take your brand home, you won’t be forgotten.
- Social walls. Leverage social walls to represent opinions about the brand. You can use first-hand reviews and testimonials of clients to feature interaction with your brand or products that stand behind it.
- Banners. Old-school banners will never let you down. Choose strategic positions for placing your branded banners at the venue and use them to promote the event. However, pay attention to sustainability concerns. The event industry is going green, which is why using plastic for event promotion might hurt the feelings of your attendees. Go for recycable materials instead!
- Swag. Spreading the power of your brand to households is one of the most reliable strategies for building awareness. Make sure your brand is the star of the giveaway package, and you get the chance to turn attendees into buyers!
Tips for event brand management
Every brand event manager knows that building brand recognition isn’t about adding a tagline or a logo to the banner. It’s about the creation of a unique dressing for the event. To help you keep all the key processes under control, we’ve collected some working tips below:
- Automate. Use reliable event management platforms to handle event website branding, set up registration, and manage onsite activities. This will help you align the functional processes with branding.
- Have a plan for an onsite design. Create a draft of your event venue layouts, and decide how you can incorporate branding elements smartly. Discuss the final plan with the client and get going!
- Leverage technology. Technology can tell attendees much more about your brand than a plain paper banner. Leverage social walls and event apps to establish a strong communication strategy with your event visitors.
- Reward smartly. People need engagement. Use onsite contests and award campaigns to keep your audience tuned, and reward the winners with the branded giveaways. Clobber two birds with one stone!
A successful event branding strategy can help you magnify your revenue and awareness. Leverage automated solutions to automate your best efforts. Get started with Gevme.
