Amanda Armstrong, SVP communications and industry relations for Encore, discusses the superhero quiz activation at MPI’s World Education Congress (WEC) in Louisville.
Can you tell us the theme/intent of Encore’s WEC 2024 activation?
The superhero quiz in our activation was all about helping meeting professionals identify their greatest strengths and then form micro-communities around four superhero personas. The Dazzler is goal-oriented and loves options and impressive events. The Innovator is a confident leader who seeks trends and new activations. The Activator is budget-oriented, with flawless execution. The Maximizer is an efficient, thoughtful executor who always gets the job done superiorly. Whether you were a Dazzler wanting to learn from your peers or an Innovator wanting to learn more about how an Activator approaches execution under a tight budget, it was a fun way to forge new connections, learn and celebrate our differences.
How was it different from previous activations?
We have changed our approach to industry events to be more focused on our customers’ needs and preferences. From proprietary research in our Planner Pulse Survey, we’ve learned that meeting professionals prefer peer-to-peer learning and education provided by suppliers. That puts us in a unique position to build communities, support peer-to-peer learning and showcase innovative ways to connect and inspire in a traditional trade show environment—and have fun doing it!
In activations like Break Free at IMEX America in 2022 and 2023, we challenged event professionals to break free from traditional thinking and address industry challenges like planning sustainable and inclusive meetings. At WEC 2024, our activation celebrated individuality and encouraged peer connections—they connected and inspired each other in our space. It was “Super” rewarding to be a part of those interactions.
What worked? Any learnings for next time?
We heard from event professionals that the superpower quiz was pretty accurate, and they appreciated learning about their own “kryptonite.” Our commitment is to help our customers overcome their “kryptonite” by understanding their event goals, presenting solutions within their budget and delivering excellent service throughout their event journey.
As for next time, we learned our customers need more insights on measuring return on investment (ROI) or return on experience (ROE). They need to exceed internal stakeholder expectations and show the value events bring to their organization. We captured many of their ideas in our latest blog to help event professionals overcome this challenge. Check it out.
Why is it important for Encore to have an innovative and engaging activation at events like WEC?
We love to partner with MPI, as their mission is similar to ours. We believe events connect and inspire. Together we can push the envelope on experience design, community building and creating connections. It’s not only important to innovate and challenge the status quo, but also to ensure that events have a positive impact for all.
