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Alt rock, sustainable events, and the human experience

 



4,100 miles and 34,000 strangers

Three months ago Marco Giberti - renown event industry innovator - shared his views on fully embracing this next era of human experience and reimagining technology's role as an experience enabler.

What should or could that look like?  If live, at-event human interactions are the most valued and memorable, how can technology best support those experiences and value-drivers?

Marco's thought-provoking perspective inspired many responses, including mine.  With a teaser.  The best tech-enabled event I've experienced?  An epic, sustainable alt rock festival at a Prague abandoned air field.  I promised Marco the back story.  Here it goes.

Human + Experience

Two independent factors in designing high-value events.  The sweet spot is artfully joining them seamlessly, naturally.  Sounds easy, but I imagine many event professionals would agree with me in saying it's harder than it seems.

Customer needs, wants, motivators have changed.  The higher the investment, the higher the bar in terms of delivery.  Fundamentally, human is individual.  Sounds logical and elementary.  But in practice, is it?  Human today is more value-based than ever. To any one individual it may mean non-binary, alcohol-free, vegan, community-focused, harassment-free, accessible (language, physical space), sustainable, connective.  

Experience is where it gets tricky.  As individuals place greater importance on events that reflect their values, how does that work alongside more traditional goals and metrics?  Networking, learning, sourcing, transacting.  What we want may continue to fall neatly into those four categories.  How we want to experience them has most certainly changed.  In my opinion, that's where technology is key and Rock for People did it brilliantly.

Rock for People

A year ago today, 2/3 through my sabbatical, I traveled an hour north of Prague to the rural town of Haredoc-Králové and Park 360, fairgrounds built on an abandoned WWII air field and host of Rock for People.  This 34,000 person, alternative rock festival hosted day-trippers and multi-day campers from dozens of countries.

I bought a one-day pass for the last day of the event that included three of my favorite bands, one of which I had never seen live.  I was traveling solo, didn't speak the language, first time in the country and absolutely giddy about attending.  I was emotionally and financially invested and admittedly nervous about navigating this experience on my own.  Of all my sabbatical adventures, this was the most tenuous.

From early planning, to preparing for the festival, 12 exhilarating hours and finally rolling into my cheap hunting cabin room at 2:30 AM after the festival closed, this human had the experience of a lifetime.  

And as an events-turned-sustainability professional, I gained an entirely new perspective on what sustainable events and technology-enabled human experiences can - and should - look like.

Think bigger, 'greener' and bolder

My lessons learned fall into three key themes:  delivering on emotion, accessibility and seamlessness.  In terms of producing an exceptional event, opportunity lies in looking beyond legacy ways of working.  Think bigger in terms of human needs, interests and motivators.  Apply the most sustainable practices available, including opportunities to be a driver of social change and community impact.  Be bold in how your brand values manifest in practice.  Worry less about who you turn off and more about who's not engaged that you might turn on.

And the elephant in the room?  Yes, we can drive revenue and do this profitably.  Sponsorships, activations, pricing models, even technology enablers: when they deliver human + experience well, all can be growth drivers.

Delivering on emotion

Today's market leading events are tapping into this unapologetically.  Rock for People over-delivered on emotion.  Did I expect a fabulous show?  Yes.  Did they deliver?  Yes.  But that's what I expected.  Legacy mindset and metrics.

Consider the adjectives I've used thus far:  nervous, giddy, solo, language-challenged, foreigner.  All emotions factoring into my experience.  RfP thought bigger.  Pre-show and at-show, the infrastructure and communication were in place to keep my nerves at bay and excitement high:
  1. Language: option to designate my preferred language, after which all my comms were in English.  International guest area with multi-lingual volunteers to assist with questions and live translation
  2. Logistics:  beyond what, where and how they shared when details were coming on line.  Parking, shuttles, maps, arrival and departure procedures, cardless payment system, food and beverage menus, medical support, "safe space" policies and support.  All shared as promised, early and often
  3. Micro communities:  by language or country, artist or lifestyle interest, including ticket-holder only ride share. The organizers were the hub
  4. Buzz:  prior to ticket sales, I was in the community seeing content and connecting with people

Accessibility

This is where we have tremendous opportunity to rethink virtual and on-demand. Not everyone has the time or money to participate (this year), some need assistance to enjoy the full experience, some have the time and money for the extras.  We tend to focus on those with more resources as revenue opportunities.  What about the others?  Accessibility at RfP meant
  • Wide range of dietary preferences, including sober curious, and full menu details pre-event
  • Variety of pricing and exclusive access opportunities; frequent updates on inventory availability
  • Support for all-ability participation:  wheel chair and special physical needs areas, sign language interpreters, quiet areas, strobe light alerts 
  • Content access:  the show was in June.  Months prior, the music was flowing.  Announcing an artist?  Legacy.  Providing community members and ticket holders with exclusive artist clips and concert videos?  Bigger
  • Virtual:  one of the headline bands live-streamed a small venue pre-festival concert.  10,000 in-person participants.  250,000 paid live streamers voting real-time to determine the set list.  Sponsored. Bigger

Seamlessness

In its simplest form, this is where technology is key to the human experience.  The more invested, emotionally and financially, the less tolerant people are of technical snafus.  

There are a dozen reasons why organizers struggle to deliver a truly seamless event experience.  Ultimately, it's the organizer's choice. 

Rock for People took a fans-first approach.  I needed, and continue to use, only THREE things to enjoy and stay connected with my festival experience:  a phone, a mobile app, and an Instagram account.  Toss in a web site as a back up.  Simple, seamless, high value experience:

  • Always-on mobile app:  absolutely everything about the festival experience - tickets and inventory, artist content, logistics, community meet-up resources - flowed through the app, year-round
  • Cardless payment system:  chip bracelets were secure, eliminated currency exchange issues and the process was integrated with the ticketing system 
  • Mobile app and web site were always in synch and auto-translated based on my language preference 
  • All mobile app announcements replicated on Instagram
  • 24/7 customer support, multi-lingual 

Sustainability:  saving the best for last

I'm excited by the real progress we're seeing in sustainable event production and more broadly as sustainability solution-enablers in the sectors organizers serve.  Opportunities abound! 

I didn't expect to see a model sustainable event at an abandoned air field (shout out to the community for an embodied carbon win!).  It was a fantastic bonus. Every one of these tactics is achievable; many can drive revenue:
  1. Low/no swag:  let people buy merch they want.  Vendors used QR codes for special offers
  2. Reusable, refillable:  every cold beverage provider used the same reusable cups.  Rinsing stations were plentiful or you could swap out your cup for a new one
  3. Compostable service wear:  every vendor using a plate, bowl or cutlery used the same compostable model.  Composting and recycling bins were plentiful; waste was minimal
  4. Everything digital:  participants wanting a paper copy brought it with them
  5. Spotlight social and community impact partners:  fans could support Ukraine, the LGBTQ+ community, local non-profits, and a plethora of special interest groups, including donate funds directly from their chip bracelet
  6. "Safe space for all":  the policy, expectations and support mechanisms were promoted pre-show and displayed throughout the venue
  7. Green space:  Park 360 reclaimed and restored the abandoned airfield and shared the story with festival goers
  8. Ride share and mass transit:  RfP facilitated the options which increased security, fan comfort and use
  9. Local cuisine:  old hangars were transformed into regional cuisine hubs with locally-sourced food and beverages

Sustainability, technology, an unforgettable human experience.  All delivered seamlessly and one that, 12 months later, I'm still enjoying.....albeit from 4,100 miles away, back here in the US.  Until next year 😉

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