Community Fair Coordination

When Dutch Grand Prix organizers announced in 2019 the goal of going car-free, they were ridiculed: "That's impossible!” decried critics. But they’ve made the impossible possible in Zandvoort, shifting behaviour with a bold vision, targeted investment, and effective cooperation. While an F1 race is an unlikely place for a sustainable transport revolution, the event’s 110,000 daily attendees were prohibited from arriving by car. Instead, organizers executed an integrated mobility plan; resulting in 98% of fans traveling by foot, bike or public transport. By strictly applying the STOMP principles: Stappen (Walking), Trappen (Cycling), OV (Public Transport), Mobility as a Service, and Private Cars, the comprehensive and flexible strategy could be adjusted each day in response to changing weather, demand, and other external factors. Given the coastal setting, planners were worried fans would hesitate to cycle long distances in wind and rain. But they were pleasantly surprised, and pedaling through the dunes to the 45,000 popup parking spaces has become a social and enjoyable part of the race day experience. The Dutch Grand Prix’s success is attracting attention and inspiring other big events like music festivals and sport competitions. The Paris Olympic Organizing Committee visited Zandvoort in 2023 to investigate how they could apply this aspirational model during the 2024 Games. With the target of 100% sustainable mode share within reach by next year, what began as an idealistic dream has become a concrete blueprint that can be replicated everywhere. After all, changing the world always seems impossible until you roll up your sleeves and make it happen.

Too often, events and congresses are treated as standalone activations, disconnected from the larger engagement ecosystem. But in reality, they should be an integral part of a broader, data-driven engagement strategy, seamlessly integrated into systems like Veeva Systems, Salesforce, and omnichannel CRMs. How, you may ask: • If an HCP asks a specific question during a congress panel, that data should trigger tailored content recommendations in the CRM, instead of a generic post-event email. • Ensure that digestible short-form key learnings from live sessions flow into on-demand content libraries, allowing non-attendees to engage later. • A Veeva-integrated chatbot could automatically send relevant whitepapers, webinars, or advisory board invites based on what an HCP engaged with at the event. • A Salesforce-powered HCP journey map could ensure that a congress attendee automatically receives digital touchpoints (e.g., follow-up emails, LinkedIn discussions, or small-group webinars) aligned with their specific interests. • A company using Veeva Vault CRM (or other CRMs) + Events Management + Salesforce Einstein AI (or Copilot) can dynamically adjust post-event outreach strategy based on how an HCP interacted with content at the congress. • Sprinklr + Salesforce CDP for social listening enables Digital Opinion Leaders (DOL) Activation by tracking and analyzing post-event conversations across various social and digital platforms. The key takeaway is that events and congresses should be fully integrated within the CRM, digital engagement, and omnichannel ecosystem—ensuring that every interaction contributes to a seamless, long-term engagement strategy rather than just a single event touchpoint. Check the full episode with Pierre Metrailler at Onomi / SpotMe on demand: https://lnkd.in/dwg7BYiu And if you want to learn more about our expertise at The Palindromic across "Next-Gen CX Strategy" and "Expert Engagement & HCP360 Enablement" - drop me a note at claude.w@thepalindromic.com

4 steps framework for organizing a net zero event. (Offsetting your carbon footprint should be the last one) When planning sustainable events - most companies think of offsetting first. And other 3 important steps are usually skipped. If you don't want to make the same mistake. Follow this framework: Step 1. 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 Make a conscious effort to avoid venues, transport, or other activities that create more emissions than others. Step 2. 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Focus on improving efficiency, reusing materials, and minimizing waste to lower the overall carbon footprint of the event. Step 3. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Substitute high-carbon activities with low-carbon alternatives. Consider virtual or hybrid events to reduce travel-related emissions. Step 4. 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Invest in carbon offset projects to balance out the emissions that cannot be eliminated, such as renewable energy projects or reforestation initiatives. Following these steps sequentially lowers your event's footprint to begin with. Minimizes waste and saves the natural resources along the way. And reduces offsetting cost too. So when you are organizing your next event. Focus on these biggest emission sources first. And apply the 4-step framework to each one of them. Start with 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Responsible for 45% of emissions. Use shared vehicles, public transport, or carpool. Offer virtual attendance options. Then consider the 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 Contributes to 20% of emissions. Choose venues with renewable energy. Opt for green or LEED-certified buildings. Then think about the 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 sources Makes up 15% of emissions. Source food locally. Offer plant-based options. Avoid food waste. And plan for 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 Adds 10% to the emissions. Select venues with waste management programs. Use biodegradable utensils and reusable items. And finally, 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 That contributes to 10% to the emissions. Use renewable energy sources. Schedule events during daylight hours. So by following this four-step process. And focusing on the bigger emission sources first. You can plan a more sustainable event without any external support. 🌍 And you don't have to be a sustainability pro for it! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now that I've shared the framework and steps, excuses like 'We lack the expertise' or 'It will cost more' just don’t cut it. What’s your excuse now? Comment with the lamest excuse you’ve heard for not organizing sustainable events? #SustainableEvents #NetZero #GreenMeetings

Earlier this week, I saw something that might end one of my frustrations as an audience member watching a speaker: scribbling illegible notes while trying to capture a bad phone photo of an interesting PowerPoint slide. At Cvent Connect in San Antonio, thousands of attendees experienced a breakthrough in real-time speech transcription. As speakers talked, their words appeared instantly in the event app with virtually zero lag. When someone heard something worth remembering, they simply tapped a button—and the system captured a full minute of context around that moment. According to McNeel Keenan, Cvent's VP of Product Management, a future version of the app will capture the accompanying visual, like a PowerPoint slide, along with the text. I like this. No scribbling in the dark required. No trying to remember what my cryptic note was supposed to mean later on. Instead, one click saves a few paragraphs of what the speaker said, labeled and summarized by AI. This feature has another benefit: it reduces cognitive load. When you're simultaneously trying to listen, write, and photograph content, your brain is managing multiple competing tasks. What happens? You often miss the insights you're trying to capture. Cvent's solution eliminates this friction. Attendees can focus 100% of their cognitive capacity on listening and engaging, while AI handles the capture, summarization, and organization. From a behavioral perspective, there's something even more valuable happening: every tap creates revealed preference data. Instead of relying on sketchy post-event surveys, organizers can see exactly which moments resonated enough for people to save them. As a frequent speaker, I know when I see phones go up to capture my slides that I've hit something important to the audience. But after an hour on-stage, I can't always remember in detail which ideas sparked that response. Or, which didn't. Now, that engagement becomes quantifiable data. The friction we've accepted as "just how conferences work" isn't inevitable, it's a design problem waiting for a solution. What are your conference pain points? Can technology fix them?

Gen Alpha, Cultural Expression & a $11B+ Opportunity: A Quinceañera Reimagined As both a parent and a tech CMO, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future—consumer trends, digital behavior, cultural identity. But nothing prepared me for the insights I gained while planning my daughter’s Quinceañera. Growing up, assimilation often meant sidelining traditions like these. A Quinceañera wasn’t even a conversation. So when my daughter told me she wanted one, I felt something unexpected: not just pride, but reflection. For her, this wasn’t about tradition for tradition’s sake—it was about blending heritage with authenticity. Identity. Agency. She didn’t want to fit into a cultural mold—she wanted to remix it. Every decision was intentional—from the playlist and her dress to a ceremony that included both her abuela’s blessing and TikTok choreography. This wasn’t about “becoming a woman” in the traditional sense. It was about stepping fully into her own voice. Somewhere along the way, I became her event planner, ops lead, negotiator, and emotional support team. We built a budget, managed vendors, made trade-offs, and leveraged our network to bring her vision to life—on time and (mostly) on budget. It felt like launching a product just with more sequins. And in the process, I saw something bigger: - 26% Gen Alpha kids in the U.S. today are Hispanic; - 500,000+ Quinceañeras are celebrated each year—many rivaling weddings in scale; - The average spending on a quinceañera is around $22,000, often tapping into most of the family's savings. Gen Alpha is the most diverse, digitally native generation yet—and they’re reshaping how culture and identity influence everything from events to spending. This isn’t a niche. Gen Alpha isn’t just influencing household decisions—they’re co-authoring them. They don’t want passive representation—they expect meaningful inclusion. They’re not asking to be seen—they’re showing up on their own terms. This Quinceañera was more than a celebration—it was a front-row seat to identity in motion. And it reminded me: cultural moments aren’t just personal—they can be powerful business signals too.

How Do We Ensure Every Participant's Journey Starts on the Right Note? 🎶 We often focus on the main event experience, but how many of us have paused to consider the very first touchpoint - the registration process? A truly inclusive event starts the moment someone considers attending. Here are a few strategies to ensure our registration processes pave the way for comprehensive inclusivity: 1. Accessible Platforms: Ensure your registration website/platform is ADA compliant and mobile-friendly, catering to diverse digital proficiencies. 2. Diverse Imagery: Use graphics and visuals that reflect a myriad of ethnicities, abilities, genders, and ages, signaling a welcoming environment for everyone. 3. Clear Communication: Offer language options or, at the very least, ensure clarity in your information. Avoid jargon. 4. Payment Flexibility: Consider various payment methods, possible installments, or even sponsorship options for those needing financial assistance. 5. Inclusive Accommodations Check: No, not sleeping rooms, but incorporate an option where attendees can specify any special requirements or accommodations they might need, be it related to physical accessibility, dietary needs, visual, hearing, or otherwise. The way we welcome our participants sets the tone for the entire event. Let's ensure we're rolling out the red carpet for everyone, right from the start! ✨ How do you prioritize inclusivity during your event registration? Share your strategies or experiences below, and let's pave the way for even more inclusive beginnings! #FirstImpressionsMatter #InclusiveEventRegistration 🌟🤝

ART OF MANAGING MASSIVE CROWDS. Crowd control management is a complex field focused on managing large human gatherings safely and efficiently. One of the most common strategies is the use of barriers and fencing to guide crowd movement, creating controlled entry and exit points while minimizing potential bottlenecks or stampedes. The psychology of crowd behavior plays a significant role in planning. Engineers study how people tend to follow each other, move toward open spaces, and avoid obstructions, which influences the placement of paths and exits. Zoned areas or sections are designed to limit overcrowding in specific areas. This technique helps manage the density of people in different locations, such as splitting festival grounds into separate zones to prevent too many people gathering in one place. Surveillance technology, including drones and high-tech cameras, is increasingly used to monitor large crowds. This allows real-time analysis and can quickly alert authorities to emerging issues like congestion or aggressive behavior. Temporary structures like modular grandstands or elevated platforms provide organizers with flexible seating or viewing options while maintaining crowd safety and flow. Sound-based crowd control techniques, like using loudspeakers to provide clear instructions or warnings, can help prevent panic or direct people in case of emergencies. Crowd modeling and simulation software is often used to predict how people will move in different environments, allowing planners to design venues that minimize risks and improve evacuation routes. The concept of "herding" is often applied. By subtly influencing the movement of individuals, crowd managers can steer large groups toward safer areas without them realizing they are being guided. Visual signals, such as colored lights or flags, are commonly used at events to indicate designated areas or to guide crowds away from certain locations. The use of buffer zones or empty spaces between different crowd segments prevents the merging of groups, reducing pressure in critical areas. Tactile pathways or textured flooring are sometimes used to subtly guide crowds, as changes in texture can influence how people move or stand. Police and security personnel often employ non-invasive methods like horseback patrols or mounted units, which can have a calming effect on large crowds while also providing a commanding presence.

3 Things Event Planners Can Learn From Veuve Clicquot & JACQUEMUS’ Central Park When two iconic brands come together on the eve of NYFW and transform the Central Park Boathouse into Le Pique-Nique Sur L’Eau, you pay attention. Veuve Clicquot and JACQUEMUS didn’t just host a dinner, they created a floating fantasy that blurred the lines between fashion, hospitality, and performance. As an event planner, here’s what we can take away: Reimagine the Familiar Central Park is one of the most photographed places in the world Yet this activation made it feel brand new. From Clicquot-yellow canoes to a floating Carnegie Hall performance, the Boathouse became a surreal stage for storytelling. → Event Pros: Don’t overlook iconic spaces. With bold creative direction, even the most familiar venues can be transformed into something unforgettable. Let Collaboration Drive Creativity JACQUEMUS designed a sculptural champagne cooler and reimagined Veuve’s La Grande Dame bottle with heirloom-inspired linen wraps and handwritten touches. → Event Pros: When collaborators share values and aesthetics, the result is more than branded, it’s artful. Make Luxury Feel Personal Despite the star-studded guest list, the event felt intimate and poetic. The story was rooted in heritage, craftsmanship, and emotion, from the tribute to Jacquemus’ mother to the nods to Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin. → Event Pros: Luxury doesn’t have to be loud. The most memorable experiences are often the most personal. Images Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot / BFA Full story via WWD #ExperientialDesign #EventPlanner #Insights #Jacquemus #VeuveClicquot #NewYork #NYC #BrandActivations #SensoryBranding #eventprofs #LuxuryEvents

Can technology stop the next crowd disaster before it starts? Recent tragedies at large events have made one thing clear: crowd safety must evolve. As we step into 2025, technology is offering powerful solutions that can help prevent crises before they unfold. Incidents like Astroworld 2021 and Itaewon 2022 are painful reminders of how quickly mismanaged crowds can lead to tragedy. These events have sparked a renewed focus on proactive crowd management strategies. While risks can’t be eliminated entirely, cutting edge technologies now provide a level of anticipation and control that was previously unimaginable. Imagine testing your entire event layout before a single attendee arrives. Digital twins make this possible by creating a virtual replica of the venue, allowing planners to identify bottlenecks, stress test crowd flow, and optimise layouts for safety and efficiency. By simulating real world scenarios, event organisers can anticipate pressure points and fine tune operational plans before the doors even open. This kind of pre-event modelling is becoming an essential tool for reducing risk and improving crowd safety. Looking ahead, integrating real time crowd behaviour analytics into digital twins will become common place. This will allow organisers to monitor crowd dynamics as an event unfolds, providing deeper insights into density, movement, and potential congestion points. With this data, event staff will have the ability to make informed, proactive decisions to keep attendees safe. While real time analytics are still evolving, smart sensors and AI driven simulations are already transforming how events are planned and managed. Sensors can track foot traffic patterns, environmental conditions, and unexpected surges, providing insights that inform better decision making. AI can analyse historical and live data to predict where congestion might occur, helping event staff proactively manage flow and reduce crowding risks. In high traffic areas, this can mean adjusting layouts, opening additional exits, or deploying staff where they’re needed most. While technology provides powerful tools, human expertise remains crucial. The most effective crowd management strategies combine advanced tech with experienced professionals who can interpret data and make informed decisions in real time. Collaboration across industries, governments, tech providers, security experts, and event organisers is key to developing standardised safety protocols that make the most of these innovations. In 2025, crowd safety is no longer just about reacting to problems, it’s about anticipating and preventing them. By embracing digital twins, AI-powered simulations, and smart sensor technology, the events industry can create safer, more seamless experiences for everyone. Technology may not eliminate risk entirely, but it is giving us better tools to stay one step ahead. And that’s a step worth taking.

If you want your event to get the most buzz and attendance - follow this one simple concept. Refuse to feel traditional. Organizations are reimaging how they produce events - and I'm about to tell you how to apply these ideas to your own event. 🔹 Immersive Brand Activations Spotify and LinkedIn took to Cannes Lions and transformed spaces into branded lounges that doubled as networking hubs. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Versus a Step-And-Repeat wall, create a space where guests get to interact with your story. Think: Hands-on demo Branded lounge with entertainment A Themed environment 🔹 Reinvented Corporate Conferences Shopify gave attendees hidden speakeasies, garage style brainstorming rooms, and teaming building via hackathon labs. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Get out of that ballroom beloved. BizBash reported on FX celebrated their season premier at a laundry mat. Unexpected venues will forever surprise attendees and spark interest. 🔹 Fan & Sponsor Engagement Wins During the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) All-Star Weekend, Nike and American Express built fan zones that converted foot traffic into measurable leads because they were interactive. 👉🏾 Your Turn: If you have sponsors, design experiences where guests are actively engaging with them and not walking past yet another logo. 🔹 Purpose-Driven and Sustainable Events Meaningful is the new Must Have. This goes beyond dietary restrictions and plant based food. 👉🏾 Your Turn: Add on elements that shows your value: sourcing local vendors including minority owned, reducing waste, and tying a cause to your event. My key takeaway: Your attendees don't just want to show up. They want a new lived experience, discover something new and have a story worth telling. The question you should always ask during the event planning phase is what story will attendees leave telling. P.S. Did you find this helpful?