The evolution of the Chinese events market – An agency perspective

Dams, Colja M.

This article explores the specifics of the Chinese event industry and how it has evolved over the past decade. Based on the exemplary development of VOK DAMS China, it examines the particularities of the Chinese events market ten years ago compared to their importance and relevance today. Analysing and juxtaposing the past and present, the article closes with a brief outlook on the future and the trends that will shape the events industry not just in China, but all over the world.

VOKDAMS

1    Introduction

It was as early as in 2003 that the event agency VOK DAMS first started thinking seriously about expanding into China. Intense research was initiated and funded to identify the potential, the opportunities and challenges of such an endeavour. At that time, very little was known about the events market in China. Although large corporations had been expanding to China and the Chinese economy was booming, there was only a limited number of rather small-scale agencies that focused on PR and marketing activities, and also offered events.

However, with the biggest event in the world – the Olympic Games – looming on the horizon in 2008, it became obvious that China had a huge, untapped potential for events and event planning.

Since the market research funded by VOK DAMS also stressed China’s potential – it estimated that the Chinese events market grew by 41 per cent in 2003 – VOK DAMS aimed to find out how best to open an office in Beijing. After having originally started out with a joint venture partner, it soon became obvious that it would be quicker to establish a self-contained marketing company that would be more successful and much more flexible. However, VOK DAMS was adamant that local expertise and know-how had to be substantially integrated into the office to ensure the agency’s continued success. We believed that a solution of merely “implanting” a German or European team into the Chinese market would be doomed to failure. Hence this was the start of the (simple but efficient) recipe for the successful story of VOK DAMS in China: combining a high standard of quality with local know-how; combining international expertise with local creativity.

This was particularly the case because we had identified large German corporations with branches in China as our main target group for the Chinese market. The idea was that German companies with experience in operating successfully with VOK DAMS in various locations in Germany and Europe would view VOK DAMS as a familiar partner in China. However, it was also clear that these corporations would have to be given the same high standard of quality to which they had become accustomed in other markets. We knew that we would only achieve this if we focused on, integrated and embraced Chinese know-how and expertise, merging it with the industry standards and principles that had evolved in Western markets over the past two decades.

It may sound simple, but this approach in which “the best of both worlds” was exploited was the foundation of our success. The tenth anniversary of our office opening in Beijing and the fifth anniversary of our Shanghai office, both of which we celebrate in 2014, are the best proof of the success of this strategy.

It goes without saying that the decision to open a branch in China was also prompted by our clients – primarily our automobile clients – who were increasingly asking us to help them establish, design and implement events in China. The automotive industry, which soon discovered China as an important market, was experiencing growing competition. Volkswagen in particular felt that, what had once almost been a monopoly position in China’s automotive market, was increasingly being threatened by competitors. Let us recall: Volkswagen had a head start in China, where it established connections as early as in 1978 and had enjoyed a leading position for more than 25 years.

The automotive industry had long embraced events and live marketing measures as essential features for brand communication and for retaining existing customers and gaining new ones. It would almost be fair to say that the growth and expansion of the automotive industry, and competition within it, directly influenced the growth and expansion of the Chinese events industry (and, of course, competition within it). Even now, many of our clients are from the automotive industry, which can be viewed as a ‘pace-maker’ for events and live marketing. However, two additional decisive factors were instrumental in professionalising and expanding the Chinese events industry: the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The former in particular played a highly influential role for events and the development of the events industry in China. Successful cooperation between Chinese artists – such as internationally acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou as General Director, choreographer Zhang Jigang and composer Qigang Cheng – and creative and production experts from the American branding agency Jack Morton Worldwide is a perfect example of the huge potential, the appeal and success of events hosted in China. This was even more the case because they were created following the perfect merger of “the best of both (or rather: several) worlds”.

In contrast to some agencies, which merely flew in teams to help support events surrounding the Olympic Games and opened “event camps” to be left and evacuated, or resumed and re-assembled depending on market demand, VOK DAMS had always been adamant about the necessity to establish fixed teams and offices if it was to succeed in China. We had a nucleus of experts, a well-developed supplier network and a wide range of freelance experts who could be hired, depending on the expertise required. In addition, we could always rely on a large body of steady, established colleagues, some of whom had been with us from the very start. They “grew up” with us, and now embody this mixture of local know-how and expertise paired with international quality standards and proficiency.

After all, we have learned one thing: in order to succeed in China long term (not merely picking up the crumbs left over whilst others host a major, internationally-appealing event such as the Olympic Games), you have to know the country, and know it thoroughly. European concepts cannot be adopted one-to-one; they have to be adapted to fit Chinese culture, whilst adhering to international standards. Key messages and emotionalisation have to be shaped and adapted, never losing sight of the identity of the international brand. This is the greatest challenge.

Hence a strong team is required that is likewise familiar with international events (and their standards) and Chinese culture. For this reason, we invested in “developing” and attracting these types of colleagues and event experts: international specialists who feel “at home” in China and who speak Chinese, as well as Chinese experts who have spent time abroad (e. g. studying) and who are familiar with the western way of life. This team, which is simultaneously international and local in outlook, goes through all the different process steps of an event: from the event design to its implementation. Particularly when it comes to implementation, it ensures the existence of qualified event specialists who can supervise and control the quality of services offered by suppliers, making sure that the high quality expectations of our clients are met.

In this article I will give a snapshot of the Chinese events industry a decade or so ago, touching on what we identified as crucial factors for success in China in 2004, giving an impression of what the Chinese market was like when we encountered it. In the next section we will juxtapose these original success factors with how we experience target group expectations today, and examine whether or not what was crucial for success in China is still relevant today, providing a good idea of current target group expectations and requirements in China. In the last section we will provide an outlook of what we believe will be inevitable developments in the events industry in China and elsewhere in the world. The aim of the article is therefore to provide insight into the past, the present and the future of the events industry in China as we perceived it then and perceive it now, always from the perspective of an agency that was an international pioneer in China. Let us first, then, go back ten or so years, to when we first started out in China.

2    Past differences

Although we had read all of the literature and learned all there was to learn about Chinese culture, we still managed to “put our foot in it” in a number of typical, almost clichéd situations. The biggest difference – or, shall we say, the one that most contradicted our “German” way of working – was the differentially nuanced ways of saying “no”. This was sometimes so polite that we mistook it for meaning “yes”, and were surprised when things we assumed had been agreed on were not delivered or were not available in the quality we thought we had ordered them. Similarly, our Chinese counterparts were probably surprised about the length of time it took us to grasp the situation; we must have seemed rather impolite when we kept coming back again and again to ask when the work would be finished – we had obviously not taken “no” for an answer. It would be unrealistic to say that we never fell into many such cultural “traps”, despite having done our homework and read the literature, but it would be fair to say that we did so less and less. This was obviously helped by integrating several young Chinese colleagues into our teams, some of whom had lived abroad and in China, and who served as “cultural interpreters” between the two cultures.

Besides the cultural differences we experienced in our everyday work, there were several differences regarding the expectations we encountered (and continue to encounter today), which required similar tact and sensitivity. One example is that Chinese journalists who are invited to a PR event expect to be given a monetary expense allowance to pay for travel expenses incurred, whereas western journalists would view such payment as a bribe more than as an incentive.

Let us turn the clock back to 2003 and 2004, when we started out in China, to examine what was crucial for success in event management at that time. In the next section we will then examine whether these success factors continue to be relevant. In 2004, we also compiled our “eight golden rules for success in China” – of course playing with the importance of the lucky number eight. Indeed, when we started out in China, there were many differences. Clients were looking for familiar faces, which was probably one of the reasons why we made such a good head start. At that time, the main focus was on differences. In order to write this article, I referred to this whitepaper again to get (and give) an impression of what we started out with.

Ten years ago, China was thought to be very different. There were certain cultural aspects that were particularly important when planning and executing successful marketing events. For one: the importance of hierarchies. Events that “gave face” to individuals, that focused on being exclusive and formal, played a particularly important role. This hierarchy had to be an important feature in every event – making sure that VIPs were not just treated as VIPs, but also demonstratively and ostensibly so, in order to make all those present also perceive their importance. This had all kind of effects, from seating and serving arrangements to the kind of events that were focused on, such as galas and award shows.

Another important issue, which we termed the “one-for-all” factor at the time, was the group-oriented culture that still permeated Chinese society in the early 2000s. Stemming from Confucianism, this submission of the individual to the group, obedience and almost self-sacrificing loyalty towards one’s family and superiors, were perceived as characteristic and major elements of Chinese culture – and also had a profound impact on successful marketing events and measures. As a Chinese manager of a large German automotive company aptly put it: “In China, the most important thing is people, not product.” More so than in Europe or the US, family members had to be taken into account when organising events. In addition, the so-called ‘Shouren’, the ‘inner circle’ was always in the foreground when it came to passing on privileges, always trying to go beyond the individual.

Ten years ago, another feature of the relatively small but emerging middle class was the importance attributed to status symbols. Certain brands were not just seen as incredibly desirable; they gave their owner an air of status, elegance and exclusivity. This was another feature that had to be considered when planning events, from offering expensive cigarettes, exclusive liquor and luxury give-aways to presenting a product in a surrounding that would highlight its appeal and turn it into a status symbol, and attempting to give it a permanent place on the hierarchy measuring rod. For a product to succeed, it was deemed important that it benefited from the phenomenon of emulation purchases. A product was to be positioned and presented such that it could be associated with the values of material success and the improvement or development of one’s position. It had to become desirable, as it clearly correlated to certain (not least economic) conditions.

This was particularly true of all things Western. When the Chinese market and society opened up to the rest of the world, Western products became highly desirable. Extensive surveys showed that Western products were associated with creativity, competence, quality and reliability. This, of course, had a direct impact on advertising and marketing, which also benefited from this nimbus. Let us not forget that, ten years ago, advertising and marketing were perceived more by Chinese people as a source of information about new products and desirable lifestyles. In fact, a survey we conducted in 2003 as part of an extensive market entrance study revealed that Western or Western-oriented advertising was usually regarded in a more positive light than domestic advertising:

“Bargain buy” is what we called another of our success factors. Indeed, it was commonplace in China to provide consumers with detailed explanations and information about a product. The product had to be tangible and comprehensible. In contrast, cold calling and promotions were doomed to failure from the outset – they were perceived to convey a feeling of urgency, haste and impersonality, which were – surprisingly – seen to deeply contradict Chinese business practice (at the time).

Prices were haggled over in protracted, detailed discussions to ensure that, ultimately, both parties would part thinking they had just made a good deal. These two elements – long negotiations and extensive information – therefore had to be taken into account and combined when transferred to the world of events and live marketing measures. Bonus and incentive schemes, promotions providing free samples for extensive testing, and special price promotions were therefore seen as promising marketing tools. Time was another important factor: Chinese consumers and dealers had to be allowed ample time to gather detailed information about a product. It was thought that sufficient contact with the product would trigger purchase decisions. For events, this meant that the need for information had to be combined with special discount promotions, the offer of customer clubs or dealer incentives which, in addition to the product, also offered unique experiences, events or offers. This was the perfect way to combine the need for information with the feeling of having got a good deal.

“Go for gold” was another of our success formulae. The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing were expected to hugely stimulate the then emerging events industry. The pervasive feeling was indeed “going for gold” – with an expected increase in live marketing measures and, particularly, a growth in consumer events. We advised our customers to get a head start so as to exploit these benefits. In fact, we prepared ourselves to enable us to provide our clients with whatever services they required surrounding the Games.

By “China blend” we meant the importance of striking a good balance between Western and Chinese elements in an event. This meant that both international and Chinese companies endeavoured to combine Western and Chinese elements in their presentation, giving themselves an identity that offered a projection surface for both cultures. This meant that certain colours and spatial structures or names had to be scrutinised with regard to potentially negative meanings. It also meant that marketing had to be adapted to the Chinese value system. At the same time, positive perceptions vis-à-vis Western products had to be clearly considered and exploited when positioning a product. West and East, Taoism and Neo-Confucianism, Western and Eastern values, tradition and the modern age had to be brought into line. In addition, both Chinese and Western elements had to be clearly identifiable by all participants, providing identification.

In short, ten years ago it was important to integrate both Chinese and Western elements into an event. The features of a successful event were:

The importance (and relative impenetrability) of guanxi has been written about extensively. Indeed, networks were and remain an integral component of Chinese culture. This naturally fits (and fitted) our industry perfectly. What better way is there to substantiate and fortify these stable and secure networks than to host events, especially regarding relationships to employees, dealers and journalists? Live marketing creates and intensifies relationships, which are deepened and emotionally anchored. This may also account for the huge growth of the events industry in China. This is particularly the case because companies discovered the potential of live marketing measures at an early stage, and still apply experience-oriented marketing today to strengthen and further substantiate such networks.

Whilst the entire events industry benefited from this, it was also guanxi that formed an important element of supplier relationships, acting as door openers with some clients and making the seemingly impossible become possible – literally opening doors (e. g. to event locations) which had previously been securely locked. To strengthen our agency position, we had to build on our Chinese colleagues’ existing bonds and to start establishing new ones. Admittedly, at the beginning we sometimes lost pitches due to the apparently “better” guanxi that others had with some clients. This proved to be a steep learning curve for us – further stressing that our approach to employ and combine “the best of both worlds” was working. Local know-how was indispensable to our success, as was the importance that our international staff embrace the Chinese culture and language.

What do we perceive when considering our outlook on China ten years ago? A society on the move. A small, but fervently emerging and growing middle class. A country where everything was possible. A certain “gold rush mood” amongst international companies that flocked to China and were then relieved to find familiar faces and agencies that they could collaborate with. An economy in which having a head start truly mattered. And an events industry that was only just emerging – with a view to the Olympic Games in 2008 – and hoping to benefit from its hype. Boom, hype and growth, excitement and opportunities, pristine, undiscovered locations, target groups that were grateful and excited rather than fastidious and pampered, mixed in with a touch of being “lost in translation”, a feeling that characterised a lot of the many expatriates who were required to organise their international corporations’ marketing endeavours – the perfect ingredients for successful growth. And it did indeed grow. In 2009, we opened our second Chinese office in Shanghai – to ensure we had competence available on site, and permanently so, rather than having to fly in experts from Beijing. Looking back, I am very proud of the success of our China offices – featuring substantial growth, exciting projects, substantial market expertise and – as far as our good retention rates show – good client relationships. Our growth is substantial, yet still manageable, and we have a team that has “grown up” together with VOK DAMS China. However, the Chinese events industry has also developed, namely at a remarkable pace.

3    Present similarities

When comparing notes of what was happening ten years ago to what is happening and ‘in’ nowadays, one cannot fail to be astounded at the pace of change in China. After all, it is economic development and the emergence of a strong middle class that have considerably shaped, influenced and changed the “rules of the game” in China – not only concerning the events industry.

Let us now look at what was important and vital for success then, and check whether and to what extent it is still applicable today.

Hierarchy and exclusivity are still important, albeit to a lesser extent, more or less resembling the situation in other countries. We now find that it is much more important to give everyone the feeling that they are VIPs. It is also more difficult than before to identify who tops the hierarchy. One example is the recent VIP launch of a very prestigious luxury car brand in Beijing where most of the guests were in their mid-twenties and dressed in jeans and baseball caps.

We have also witnessed a remarkable decline in the feeling of belonging to a collective, of group orientation. It is now the individual and the product that matter – and ten years of evolvement have disproven the Chinese automobile manager’s statement cited above, although, of course, direct family ties are still very important – as they are in most countries of the world. Individual communication, individual approaches and individual product features are now important, and have replaced the earlier almost self-sacrificing feeling of loyalty towards one’s superiors or the importance of passing on privileges to one’s inner circle.

A drastic change can be perceived in what we termed “cool cult” – the importance attributed to status symbols. The middle class now no longer regards certain status symbols as attributes of their success. In fact, displaying expensive items is considered rather vulgar, a “lower class excess” of proof of affluence, paired with a lack of style. Indeed, style, class and quality are now considered distinctive features to a much greater extent. Brands now have to prove themselves much more than before. They have to be stylish, classy and of a high quality; origin no longer matters.

This is directly connected to the loss of nimbus experienced by Western products. Simply being Western is no longer a mark of distinction, and will not suffice to make a cool brand. Instead, as Chinese brands and products are becoming increasingly better, so is their perceived image. ‘Made in China’ is no longer a mark of “cheapness”, but is increasingly becoming a trademark for quality, gaining in the “coolness factor” with incredible speed. Let us take the example of China’s favourite, indispensable ‘toy’ – the mobile phone. In this industry, Chinese brands are not just catching up, but overtaking Western ones due to an increase in quality and quality awareness. A similar increase in quality and raised quality awareness are also visible when it comes to events.

The hype surrounding the Olympic Games and the Expo in Shanghai influenced this – especially regarding the quality of suppliers and event personnel and the perception and understanding of event standards. Yet it is fair to say that, interestingly enough, most events surrounding the Olympics, for example, were organised for companies that were not (and are still not) based in China. For established event agencies, therefore, these two major events proved to be more of an impetus for increased quality in terms of suppliers and personnel – a more differentiated understanding of quality, even – albeit to a lesser extent for prolonged business relationships with clients on the ground.

When we started out in Beijing, bargain buys and haggling were distinctive features and important elements to be taken into account when planning marketing measures. This is now well and truly a thing of the past. In fact, China is now the biggest market for online purchases, where no haggling is involved or possible. Of course the Chinese still like to strike a bargain and buy reduced items, but this is the case across the globe. Nowadays, however, haggling in shopping malls is taboo, seen as vulgar or lacking class by many Chinese people. Regarding the importance of receiving sufficient information about a product, this may still be the case, as long as the information is presented in an entertaining way, involving the user. Protracted sales speeches, however, are ‘out’. The more the product information involves online and virtual elements, the better and more effective it will be. The Chinese are “married” to their smartphones, even more so than in European countries. They tend to look up information on the web, scan through it and then make up their mind about a product or brand. Social media and online communication have replaced the protracted, detailed haggling and purchasing process, accelerating it considerably.

Let us look at what we called the “China blend”, by which we meant the importance of combining Chinese with Western elements. When we started out, this was often key to the success of our events. Now, however, it is no longer a matter of ensuring that sufficient, blatantly obvious Chinese elements, such as a kung fu performance, and Western elements are integrated. If at all, is it about striking the right balance. However, we generally find that this need to integrate both worlds is in decline. Clients pick and choose whatever suits their objective. It is much more about having an overall, holistic understanding of the respective target group’s lifestyle and overall brand positioning – as is the case in Europe and the US. International marketing concepts beat traditional values. The coherence of a brand is what makes it successful. We only need think of the coherently branded experiences found all over the world upon entering an Apple Store, a Starbucks or a Nike Store.

The last item on our list was the overwhelming importance of guanxi. This seemed to be the key factor of economic success in China. Without it, you were doomed to failure. With it, everything was possible. While I would not go so far as to say that guanxi has been abolished altogether, it has lost a lot of its business-relevant halo. Networks and networking are certainly important, as in any other country in this world. Likewise, having good networks can smoothen, accelerate or ease business endeavours substantially. Yet guanxi alone will not get business done or sell an event concept. A great concept will most likely benefit from having good client and supplier relationships; a mediocre concept will not be bought simply on the basis of guanxi. Ultimately, it all comes down to quality, creativity and know-how, not good connections.

If we look at ourselves now and ten years ago, when we were international pioneers in a largely unknown Chinese market, it is apparent that we have grown and matured with the market. One aspect is particularly striking – the features we identified as crucial for marketing success were very much the features of society undergoing change, with an evolving (but relatively small) middle class. It was a society that was increasingly coming into contact with products and brands that were previously inaccessible to them, a society that was also coming to terms with aligning its culture with influences from all over the world and, most of all, a society that witnessed tremendous economic growth. Ten years ago, China was considerably less exposed to the West than it is now. And all things Western had a certain charismatic appeal, simply because they came from the West. This has changed considerably. It is now a matter of quality, style and brands – and not origin.

The pace at which this change occurred was incredible. It almost feels as though the standards, rules and norms that took 30 to 40 years to develop in Western countries – the changes we have witnessed in attitudes, behaviour, expectations and communication – changed society in China’s main cities in a matter of ten years. The pace was truly remarkable.

It goes without saying that most of the features mentioned here are predominately features of China’s urban middle class, and a lot of what we witnessed as change may be rather different in rural China. And yet the urban middle and upper classes are the core target groups for marketing events, which may explain why we have focused on the changes we perceived in behavioural patterns here. Generally, however, I would leave it to anthropologists or sociologists to establish the extent to which we are all turning into “citizens of the world” and being homogenised regarding attitudes to brands and products, the expectations fostered and the changes we have witnessed – and the extent to which shopping areas are gradually coming to resemble one another throughout the world.

This development is visible in the photos taken at the 2014 Auto China Beijing, where our team at VOK DAMS China supported Volkswagen in designing, staging and implementing their trade show booth.

If asked where these photos were taken, it would be difficult to pinpoint the location. This is, indeed, the main development – brands are cohesively staged around the world, and cultural differences and specifications no longer matter. They need to be taken into account regarding dietary requirements, religious rules and possibly a superstition of certain numbers, but these are features of events all over the world, because target groups have also become culturally mixed. Since the number four is considered unlucky in China, it is rarely found in Chinese buildings, but neither is the 13th floor – indeed, we find that both Chinese and Western habits are taken into account and merged. Target groups are increasingly becoming “citizens of the world” with individual and specific preferences and animosities. Knowing these and catering for them individually is what matters most – and thus events have to be individually geared towards target groups, offering the most individual service whilst preserving and transferring the holistic brand experience, the nucleus of which is identical across the globe.

Nevertheless, for us as live marketing specialists it is vital to explore the characteristics and features of a society, examining its psychology and culture, its desires, attitudes and values. In Germany, we often apply so-called Sinus Milieus to target groups, where people are grouped according to their views of life and lifestyles. After all, knowledge of our target groups is the key to our success. In our business, you need to know how people tick in order to emotionalise, motivate and inspire them. This must never be perceived as being artificial or false, but must be as authentic as possible, involving the target group and turning them into protagonists rather than mere passive onlookers, bystanders or guests.

In the events industry more so than in others, it is crucial for success to remain ahead of the game, to find out what is happening all over the world, the latest trends and developments, and how they can be utilised best to enthuse, fascinate, motivate and have a lasting effect on event target groups. One of our main tasks is therefore to look at and examine trends and shape certain developments. In the last section I will now outline what we believe will shape the events industry all over the world – in Beijing and Shanghai as much as in Berlin, London, Paris, New York or Prague.

4    Future outlook

When looking at current trends in events, a lot has obviously changed in the past few years – not just in China but all over the world. New formats are ever more in demand since the internet has changed attitudes, expectations and the live experience of events, which are increasingly being complimented and interlinked with so-called MoSoLo (mobile applications, social media and location-based services) elements. We call such events “hybrid events”.

Every marketing professional knows that attention is the currency of the 21st century. Although basic communication processes are unaltered – a sender still wants to embed a message as deeply as possible within a recipient – communication channels have fundamentally changed. In times of the mobile internet, there is an abundance of information at one’s disposal at all times. More importantly, anyone can simultaneously join in this communication as a dialogue partner.

What does this mean for traditional brand communication?

One needs to be heard, and the respective message needs to appeal to the recipient, offering added value. This, in turn, requires a mind shift in communication. Consumers no longer want one-way communication; they seek dialogue. Recommendations from peer group are what trigger people’s purchase decisions.

Which communication tool offers the best opportunity for engaging in dialogue?

The answer is obvious: live encounters and the internet: live marketing measures represent an enormous depth of contact; the internet stands for a very large number of real-time contacts.

The most obvious solution would therefore be to sensibly combine the two. This is what “hybrid events” are all about. It is striking to note that China is definitely leading the way here: in our European events, 74 per cent of all client requests for bids and briefings in events contain hybrid elements; in China, this figure is closer to 100 per cent. Indeed, in all events in China we have to address and integrate social media elements to ensure that we truly unleash the event’s full success potential.

I find it particularly striking that “hybrid events” are a good example of where China is well ahead of Western events. Whilst Western marketing executives are increasingly grasping the potential of integrating social media and mobile applications, these elements have become an integral part in almost all events in China. This is a good example of how China has changed from a trend follower to a trend setter.

Whilst “hybrid events” are increasingly becoming a standard feature, in our industry it is vital to keep looking beyond what is happening and to analyse what will happen next. Let us now take this further and look beyond the current trends in events. If we examine the developments that shape our era, we find that a new (and inevitable) development is taking place in events. A number of important socio-cultural trends that will have an inevitable impact on designing successful events in future are given below.

No. 1: Egolution

“Me, myself I” – self-realisation will become increasingly important.

No. 2: From society to ‘weciety’

The impact of peer groups will continue to grow, and people will increasingly define themselves via their peer groups. This is directly linked to the first trend about self-realisation: one may belong to several peer groups, but it is within these groups that people aim to find self-fulfilment, as joint experiences with others becomes a means of self-realisation.

No. 3: Word of mouth 2000

This is the most effective marketing tool. Recommendations by peers (see No. 2) will become the most important guide in an increasingly confusing world with ever more choices and options.

No. 4: Co-creation

People come together to create something big, to brain-storm and find solutions together. Why? Simply because it is possible nowadays, and because they want to achieve something. Makerspaces, hackerthons and co-working places are all examples of this. The focus is always on the search for a pragmatic solution to a problem.

No. 5: Appetite for stories

People have always loved a good story – this is not a trend; but content marketing is. However, it can only succeed if the content is relevant and offers the target group added value. The more “beautifully wrapped” a story is, the more it becomes a story to retell and share with one’s peers. Hence if you want to market content effectively, all you need to do is turn it into a good story and (let others) spread the word!

What do these interlinking trends have in common? What do they signify for effective event marketing? It is actually rather simple (but difficult to achieve): communication has to be authentic, emotional, relevant and offer added value.

What does this mean for events? Other media channels, such as TV, print or PR, are increasingly being integrated into events. In turn, the event becomes the epicentre of the overall marketing campaign – it becomes a live campaign. What makes a live campaign different is that the event is not just a “one-off” occasion, but generates content, which in turn can be communicated over a long period of time.

A live campaign is also a platform for joint, interactive working and thinking – which can be started (virtually or in person) before and/or continued after the event. Live campaigns can therefore first emerge in the virtual world and then develop into an event at a later stage.

Hybrid event elements are what drive the live campaign – it is communication before and after it, joint collaboration and content-generating and sharing between participants and beyond (PR, media) that make a live campaign, ensuring cohesive, permanent and most effective communication.

Live campaigns are therefore not just a trend, but an inevitable development. They are here to stay, not just in China or Europe, but all over the world. And not just regarding the events industry, but also communication and marketing in general. When I look at the speed at which China’s society has not only caught up with, but in some ways even assumed trendsetting qualities in events, I believe that we will witness a lot of live campaigns in and coming from China.

When I wrote this article, I found myself musing about how we started out in China, in the days when we were pioneers in a market that was only just starting to evolve. This has changed substantially. Nowadays, almost all major events and branding agencies have at least one subsidiary in China, and Chinese agencies have grown and become big players in the market. We also find all kinds of agency designs, from small agencies to big players, from international agencies that fly in experts from abroad to those that prefer to work only with employees on the ground, from mixed teams of Chinese and Western employees to all-Chinese teams. Everything is possible; and everyone seems to have found and shaped a (suitably large) niche to suit them, depending on their customer expectations and demands.

It goes without saying that competition has also grown, as have the standards and expectations of clients and event guests alike. Again, although the development was expected (and it was this anticipation that induced us to get a head start back in 2003), the pace at which it occurred still astounds me. However, it is a very healthy development, as the criteria for what makes a good event and an effective event concept have also developed. It is quality in implementation that matters most, paired with an event concept that combines creativity, authenticity and emotions to leave a truly lasting impression. Ultimately, it does not matter where you are based, but these criteria will continue to matter in the future – in China as much as elsewhere in the world.

5    Literature

Dams, Colja M. (2004), Das Phänomen China – Lösungen für Live-Marketing (Research Report on Live-Marketing in China), Wuppertal: VOK DAM: ILM Institut für Live-Marketing GmbH