What's Happening?
Fran Cortes, the event director of Mobile World Congress (MWC) and president of the Experiential judging panel for The Drum Awards Festival 2025, highlights the growing demand for personalized experiences at large-scale events. With over 100,000 attendees, MWC faces the challenge of creating tailored experiences for a diverse audience, including C-suite executives, media, enterprise buyers, and developers. Cortes emphasizes the importance of balancing scalability with intimacy and warns against using technology as mere novelty without strategic purpose. AI is being utilized to enhance personalization and streamline operations, but its application must align with long-term goals. The evolution of MWC's audience, now including industries like fintech and healthtech, underscores the need for experiences that resonate across various sectors.
Why It's Important?
The shift towards personalized experiences at events like MWC reflects broader trends in marketing and customer engagement. As industries become more interconnected, the ability to tailor experiences to diverse audiences becomes crucial. This trend impacts how businesses approach event planning, emphasizing the need for strategic use of technology to enhance attendee engagement. The focus on personalization at scale could influence other sectors, encouraging them to adopt similar strategies to meet evolving consumer expectations. Companies that successfully navigate this balance may gain a competitive edge by fostering deeper connections with their audiences.
What's Next?
As MWC continues to evolve, the integration of AI and other technologies will likely play a significant role in shaping future events. Organizers may explore new ways to enhance personalization and streamline operations, potentially setting new standards for the industry. The success of these efforts could influence other major events, prompting them to adopt similar approaches. Stakeholders, including technology providers and event planners, will need to collaborate to ensure that innovations align with strategic objectives and deliver meaningful value to attendees.
Beyond the Headlines
The emphasis on personalization and strategic technology use at MWC highlights broader ethical and cultural considerations. As events become more tailored, questions about data privacy and the ethical use of AI may arise. Organizers must navigate these challenges while ensuring that technology enhances, rather than detracts from, the attendee experience. Additionally, the integration of diverse industries at events like MWC reflects a cultural shift towards greater collaboration and cross-industry innovation.
