MediaGrowth Blog

Presenting at MediaGrowth Executive Summit 2024, Endeavor Business Media President June Griffin, shared research findings and case studies related to the 45 events the company produces each year (totaling 17% of EBM’s revenue).  The following are some of the creative practices, marketing methods and revenue results she mentioned.

1. Endeavor’s post-event surveys reveal that:

• 84% of attendees say content is a key attendance driver.
• 45% plan to increase their investment in event participation.
• 60% plan to attend 1 to 3 industry-related events during the year.
• 50% of event attendees are “Next Generation Event Goers” (NGEGs) age 20 to 44 years.
• Sponsors say brand visibility is as important as lead generation at events.

1. NGEGs are looking for personalized agendas, peer connections, immersive activations, top-notch apps, unexpected ideas, and inspirational experiences during events. 
2. NGEGs expect sustainability and social responsibility.  Giveaways must be ethically sourced.
3. Every minute of 1 ½ -day hosted buyer events is planned — matchmaking at breakfast, demos and activations all day, roundtables, and activities in the evening.
4. “Bleisure” (combining business and leisure) is attractive to attendees.  This should be considered when venues and social activities are chosen.
5. Industry influencers and “celebrities” on-site create buzz and memorable experiences.
6. Case study: Listen to your audience for sponsorship ideas.

One of EBM’s events for the dental hygiene community offered a sponsorship to create a special app.  Because the community is made up of a large percentage of young females who may be hesitant to travel alone, the app allowed them to seek travel/roommates for the purpose of sharing costs and making connections with peers.

1. Create pre- and post-event extensions for industry suppliers to sponsor.
2. Endeavor has a dedicated event sales team, but media salespeople are compensated when they make referrals when media customers are interested in events.