Brent Bushnell, self-confessed nerd and CEO of Two Bit Circus, an experiential entertainment company, is a firm believer in the power of events to foster creativity and bring people together. He explains: “Nothing beats the live experience and there’s an increasing appetite for creative events that are interactive and experiential. The key here is to involve attendees. They shouldn’t just be passive observers, but need to actively engage. Hands on projects require decision making and engage more of a person’s brain, leading to embedded learning.”
In his MPI keynote at IMEX America, currently taking place in Las Vegas, he detailed the latest approaches to creating fresh and exciting events supported by technology, innovative thinking and a dose of creativity. He explains: “Creativity – often delivered through games and entertainment – is the real sizzle of an event. It instantly blasts away the barriers and delivers a fresh perspective, leaving attendees open to new ideas.”
Alejandro Moreno from Mussica Live Productions in Mexico, explains why creativity is crucial: “I work in the entertainment sector and creativity is a powerful tool for delivering impactful and immersive live shows.”
Live entertainment acts, designed to inspire creativity and fun, were at the new Lunchtime Live Zone at the show’s Inspiration Hub. Planners could experience first-hand ways to add excitement and innovation with solutions ranging from slow motion and virtual reality photo booths, SongDivision musicians, live painting and virtual games. Many of the activities at the lively new zone transcend all countries and cultures, as they do not require translation, and are highly responsive – tailored in real time to developing content and attendee requirements. Stephanie Centrone, National Meeting Planner at EY, a hosted buyer at the show, explains: “This is one of the main reasons I’ve come to IMEX America – to discover creative new ways to engage attendees and encourage connections.”
Lunchtime Live Zone in action
Danielle Jardim from Zodiac Produtos Farmaceuticos in Brazil, a hosted buyer at the show, adds: “I work in the pharmaceutical sector, organizing meetings and incentive trips for staff around the world. Fresh ideas that foster the feel-good factor and create memorable moments are crucial to the success of my events.”
“Flash learning mobs” were one of the techniques explored at the Play Room, the creative hotbed of the show. Interactive sessions and creative corners including Enigma, an escape room, and a day dreaming wall, enabled planners to get hands on with tools, techniques and resources to develop new ideas and make meetings more interactive.
