Blogs
Jul 15, 2021
Big changes have happened to the event planning community in a world shaped by COVID. Event planners have worked hard to transition the attendees of their on-premises events into the virtual space. Even with COVID winding toward an end, more organizations than ever before have moved to virtual event planning for their conferences, meetings and sales events.
Meeting planners have adjusted to this new normal for the most part, but many are still worried about making certain their virtual event goes off without a glitch. This blog will share our top seven tips to help guide your event planning… more
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Jul 13, 2021
In the physical trade show world, exhibitors get to move in early, the big ones even earlier. The booth space is a home away from home, with care put into how tchotchkes are displayed and cases of water hauled in to keep the staffers hydrated.
Exhibitors need time to move into their virtual booth space, too. Too many times we’ve heard about exhibitors scrambling to get passwords sorted, videos uploaded and staff trained on how attendees at virtual events will be able to interact with them. Turns out, exhibitor training and time to get settled are some of the major pain points expressed in a… more
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Jul 08, 2021
One of my few joys of lockdown began when my state allowed limited re-opening of our local health club, and with it, the pool where I can swim laps in the morning. I had not been a regular visitor to the lap pool back in the “before times,” but I knew that the virus couldn’t thrive in chlorinated water, so it seemed safe to return.
There were a number of changes to my routine visit. I now scheduled my swim times in advance, and upon arrival, I had to hold my forehead in front of a digital thermometer, and then scan my membership key tag to record my visit. I have gone through this process… more
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Jul 06, 2021
The new season of “The Food that Built America” is a fantastic show – there’s drama, conflict, emotion and lots of fascinating stories about the brands we see almost every day. It’s both inspiring and entertaining. And there are some mind-blowing lessons on business strategy, too – real stuff you can use right now.
We just finished the episode on the “cola wars.” We all know the story of the “Pepsi Challenge,” where Pepsi sent people into shopping malls and street corners, asking people if they could tell which cup had Pepsi and which had Coca-Cola by taste alone.
At the time, Pepsi had… more
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Jul 01, 2021
Branding doesn’t just happen. It’s like every other business asset you’ve created. It takes time, effort and thoughtful action. Branding gives you and your employees a guidebook of how you want customers, clients, stakeholders and the general public to see and experience your business. And like any good guidebook, it is something that is carefully researched, planned and discussed. When you allocate the time and resources to engage in meaningful branding, you create a vision of how you want the world to see what you have to offer!
If your business has been slow to embrace branding or if you… more
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Jun 29, 2021
Universities and colleges have played a unique role throughout the pandemic. Many have acted as a voice of authority and trust, conducting world-leading research, analyzing findings, tracking the outbreak across the globe, and sharing this information with us across our news networks.
At the same time, these institutions recognized that the lives of their students were changing in rapid and tremendous ways, and simultaneously transitioned to virtual classes both quickly and seamlessly.
How, then, have their event programs been faring amid all of this? From donor and alumni networking… more
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Jun 24, 2021
Nobody can predict the future, but I keep getting asked what the world of events is going to look like after COVID. After speaking with hundreds of individuals responsible for booking, planning and coordinating company events, here are the common themes I hear people reflect on. These insights come from doing hundreds of events during the pandemic and speaking to leaders in human resources, client engagement teams and event planners about how they are planning on returning to a world where we can do business in person once again.
The new normal doesn’t mean we won’t have in-person events,… more
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Jun 22, 2021
Exhibitors in a broad Ascend Media study shared some major pain points, recently published on LinkedIn. The feedback is worth digging into, and worth digging into EARLY in experience design, not late. It’s worth elevating these ideas to a strategic planning level and finding solutions for the stakeholders that financially support your events.
We are addressing the Top 10 Concerns in a series of posts that outline solutions for supporting exhibitors in a virtual environment. We’ve distilled the Top 10 pain points into four big ideas to present solutions.
The Four Big Ideas for Exhibitor… more
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Jun 17, 2021
One interesting characteristic of virtual and hybrid events is that virtual (or digital) attendees can significantly outnumber those on-site. For example, February’s MWC Shanghai registered 25,000 attendees on-site and close to 125,000 virtually.
At large hybrid events, meetings and networking are key objectives for attendees whose business depends on making critical business relationships and decisions. Whether they’re participating in-person or remotely, attendees want to see the latest technologies and products and learn how they can apply them in their businesses.
Similarly, exhibitors… more
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Jun 15, 2021
The vaccine is here, and we are close to moving past this pandemic nightmare. It’s clear that in-person events are on the horizon, and event planners, like myself, are looking forward to hosting them again. However, whether or not attendees are ready to attend again is another question.
In a recent survey conducted by Event Farm, we asked event professionals, “What is your primary concern when planning in-person events amid the COVID-19 pandemic?” 76% of respondents cited attendee safety as a concern. Let that sink in for a minute: Attendee safety.
Being in the events industry for more… more
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Partner Voices
Here at Mandalay Bay, venues are inviting and innovative. As one of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has recently undergone an exciting upgrade. This renowned venue now offers everything your business needs, with a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, as well as an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're searching for a venue that is both inviting and innovative, Mandalay Bay is the place to be.
Mandalay Bay is committed to investing in a new wave of enhancements, not only in the convention space but also throughout the entire resort. With new restaurant openings and remodels, spectacular entertainment, and updated rooms, Mandalay Bay promises to deliver new and exciting experiences to its guests until 2024.
To create a truly effective conference venue, Mandalay Bay has carefully considered what businesses require. The right technology, capacity, and inspiration are essential to take ideas to the next level. The refreshed Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been designed with your business in mind. Every room is equipped with newly-upgraded technology, enhancing our ability to support bandwidth demand and overall data capabilities. Additionally, the addition of 10 new digital walls provides bigger and more dynamic ways to display customized content messages.
Mandalay Bay offers world-class conference space and service. The venue options range from ballrooms to ample pre-function spaces, catering to teams of any size while accommodating multiple large groups simultaneously. Our certified planners work collaboratively with you to understand your specific event requirements, anticipating your business needs and offering the best-fit solutions.
In addition to providing exceptional conference facilities, Mandalay Bay is also dedicated to sustainability. We strive to give our guests an unforgettable experience while minimizing our impact on the environment. As part of our sustainable energy efforts, you'll find refillable water stations throughout the property, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles and reducing unnecessary plastic usage.
Mandalay Bay is proud to offer an upgraded and enhanced experience for businesses seeking a venue that combines innovation, convenience, and sustainability. Whether you're hosting a conference, meeting, or other business event, Mandalay Bay's refreshed convention space, world-class service, and commitment to sustainability make it the ideal choice. Come and discover the new wave of experiences awaiting you at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. Wherever your organization is going, getting there starts with being here.