HOW TO
How to not have event déjà vu
Innovative. Never-seen-before. Unforgettable. Sound just like last year’s event? Fabulous. But here’s the truth: the same old – albeit marvellous – setup wrapped in new bunting won’t be groundbreaking this year.
And a few tweaks and a new colour palette won’t give you the razzle-dazzle, either.
Want different? Start differently.
Here’s how to give this year’s event a “new car smell”:
- Skip the spreadsheet nostalgia: Last year’s schedule may feel safe, but it’s a creativity killer. Challenge yourself (and your event team) to start from a totally clean slate – even if it’s messy at first.
- Brief for bravery: Bin vague adjectives like “wow” and “vibe”. Be specific: “We want our guests to feel like Schalk Bezuidenhout just laughed at their jokes” is infinitely more helpful than “a high-impact moment”.
- Trust the pros: You hired event experts. Let them do their thing. That means less micro-managing and more room for magic.
- Be clear on what’s sacred: If the awards ceremony or the keynote needs to stay, say so. But don’t let those pillars shackle the whole structure.
- Put the past behind you: A new colour doesn’t count as innovation, but a theme shift, a surprise element or an unexpected format does.
Just because 2024’s event was a spectacle doesn’t mean a repeat will be the same.
#CopyAndPasteEventsMustFall #BallsOfSteel
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EYES ON
Theatre is feeling the classics
Seems we’re in our revival era and not just on vinyl. Theatre on The Square has a few classics in the pipeline, like Master Harold & The Boys (June), Charlie Chaplin’s The Tramp (July), and Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter (August).
And, speaking of legends, A Doll’s House, Part 2 is running for a limited season (14 May–7 June). See it! Indeed, throwbacks are making a proper comeback.
BY THE WAY
The Swiss Army Knife of events
This month’s riddle:
They don’t keynote. They don’t cater. But they’re the reason the lost phone is found, the charger’s charged, and Phoenix got her vegan soup at the right temp.
Event concierges are the all-knowing, all-sorting, smooth-operating lifesavers who almost always deserve raises. Think personal assistant, guest-whisperer and professional un-panicker, all rolled into one sweet chilli wrap.
Luggage issue? Sorted. VIP tantrum? Diffused. Schedule in a shambles? Rearranged like a boss.
