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As we enter the final month of 2021 in less than 24 hours, we thought it timely to look ahead to 2022. Here are 5 predictions for the live event industry as we put 2021 in the rear-view and jump ahead to the year that awaits.

Hybrid Will Continue to Rule the Landscape.

Brands & agencies alike all have different levels of comfortability when it comes to in-person events. Some have fully embraced them, others are still fully remote, and then there’s the growing list of those who prefer to accommodate both remote participants and those comfortable attending in-person. The hybrid event is here to stay and we have the perfect tool for those looking for a partner in Parallel.

Keynotes Will Blur the Lines of Hybrid & Physical

The hybrid approach will be especially true for keynote presentations, or large general sessions. We think a trend that will evolve is that the keynote presenter(s) will deliver their content remotely to a live audience. This creates more opportunities to hear from speakers who don’t want to fly around the world unnecessarily, and also opens a broader pool of potential presenters for brands. With a high level of production value, the experience can be cutting edge for the audience. An excitement level of hearing from someone they otherwise wouldn’t have, paired with the chance to interact with peers can provide the perfect blend of remote & in-person for keynote addresses.

Even the Events that are Fully Live Will Have a Digital Reach.

We anticipate general sessions, breakouts, and even trade show experiences will filmed to use as secondary content for remote audiences, or post show engagement opportunities.This makes both the in-event content and the post-show production vital to successful events in 2022.

Budgets will Dedicate more Spend to Content Creation.

Building upon the last point, event owners will invest a greater portion of their budget in content creation than they ever have. How the story is told is becoming more important than simply telling the story. Brand Managers will make a return as well in 2022 working with their respective event teams to create content that follows guidelines and builds upon the storytelling narratives of the brand.

Outdoor Events Will Lead the Way.

As we still see some concerned with the ongoing remnants of the global pandemic, we expect to continue to see outdoor events dot the landscape in high volume in 2022. This will be especially true as we head into the warmer months. Outdoor LED, and outdoor experiences will dot the live event landscape in 2022.