Industry News
Curated headlines from the trade show and exhibition industry's top publications, associations, and expert blogs. Stay current with exhibitor announcements, show openings, industry trends, and market news from across the events world. Whether you follow technology, healthcare, food, or manufacturing events, our news feed surfaces the stories that matter to trade show professionals, exhibitors, and event marketers.
Key Takeaways From the mdg Event Industry Trend Report
What does strong event performance look like in 2026? According to the just-released MDG Event Industry Trend Report, Why Events Must Prove Their Value in 2026 and Beyond, “Events are no longer judged by scale, but by value.” The post Key Takeaways From the mdg Event Industry Trend Report appeared…
Expert Insights on How to Fortify Your Event Performance Recap
Storytelling is an important part of every successful event. But the post-event story you tell your executives is just as critical. The post Expert Insights on How to Fortify Your Event Performance Recap appeared first on Event Marketer.
Five Ways to Elevate the Way You Measure Engagement at Your Events
Research shows that on-site engagement is the second most important metric being tracked and measured among both b-to-b and b-to-c event marketers. The post Five Ways to Elevate the Way You Measure Engagement at Your Events appeared first on Event Marketer.
Dream Team Tips: Designing Trackable Pipeline, Avoiding ‘Broad-stroke’ Strategies
Every event marketer knows the feeling: You’ve built an exceptional experience, the energy was undeniable, but then comes the question, “But what did we get for it?” For b-to-b event leaders this year, that question no longer leads to an event after the event—because they’ve already engineered the…
Eight Ways to Make Your Events More Immersive—and Memorable
It may seem counterintuitive that the very technology we use to make our lives easier is the same technology driving people to buy cassettes, Walkmans and first-generation iPods. But here we are, pining for the 90s and all the clunky little devices that came with it. As marketers know, it’s a clear…
EMS 2026: Seven Takeaways for Trade Show Exhibitors and Their Partners
The 24th Experiential Marketing Summit brought more than 1,000 brand marketers and event industry professionals to the MGM Grand Las Vegas, May 18-20, for three days of inspiration, deep dives, and play under the theme “Human Connection in the Digital Age Starts Here.” From fast-paced creative…
Guest Column: You’ve Been Told ‘This is Just How it is.’ It Doesn’t Have to Be.
You’ve been in that meeting. You raise a concern about material handling rates that have climbed for the third year in a row. You ask why electrical outlet costs just jumped nearly 20% with no explanation. You point out that the exhibitor manual doesn’t define what “special handling” actually…
The Brief: Lemonade Spas and Malibu in Manhattan
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover lemonade spas, the Dunkin' Barbie DreamHouse and Knicks in five, baby! The post The Brief: Lemonade Spas and Malibu in Manhattan appeared first on Event Marketer.
Experiential Marketing Trend of the Week: ASMR Activations
Whether emotional, physical, or a combination of the two, event marketers are in the business of making people feel. So it was only a matter of time before the industry transformed ASMR from a YouTube phenomenon into a real-life engagement tactic. And as consumers increasingly seek more visceral…
Cannes Lions 2026 Preview: Salons, Submarines, Supper Clubs and More
Cannes Lions 2026 will descend on the Palais des Festivals this month, drawing brand marketers, agency leaders and experience architects from across the globe. Amid the recognition hardware being doled out and cmo-level content, we’re keeping track of how the experiential offerings are evolving…
Complex Messaging, Outstanding Designs: Our Top 10 Exhibits at ASCO 2026
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2026 Annual Meeting brought together more than 40,000 professionals at McCormick Place in Chicago May 29 through June 2 to explore the latest advances in cancer research, clinical practice, and innovation. Exhibiting at a medical congress comes with…
Watch: Justin Tabas of Bosch in The Studio at EMS 2026
Welcome to Studio Sessions, interviews filmed in the field with the minds behind the moments. In this episode, Justin Tabas, senior experiential marketing manager at Bosch, sits down with Event Marketer’s Rachel Boucher at the 2026 Experiential Marketing Summit to talk building careers in events.…
How Square Leveled Up the Fun at the 2026 National Restaurant Association Show
You hear it all the time: “Trade shows are no fun.” Square disagreed. For the 2026 National Restaurant Association Show, which took place May 16-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago, the brand activated the “Surprise and Delight” sponsorship during the busiest moments just before the doors opened with…
Field Report: How Brands Built Connection at Licensing Expo 2026, Starting with the Badge
Just as the Experiential Marketing Summit was bringing inspiration to brand marketers, across the Las Vegas Strip, brands were finding new avenues for fandom at Licensing Expo, which was taking place May 19-21 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The 2026 edition brought together about 12,500…
Photo Tour: A ‘Manifesting Marilyn’ Exhibition at Genesis House Reframes Monroe as a Visionary
On what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, Genesis on June 1 transformed its brand home in Manhattan into an exhibition that pays tribute to the pop culture icon, and draws parallels between her story of reinvention and the brand’s own evolution. And EM was on the scene to get the…
The Brief: Clay Bars and Biscuit Blasters
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover Clay Bars, pop-up pawn shops and Biscuit Blasters. The post The Brief: Clay Bars and Biscuit Blasters appeared first on Event Marketer.
Experiential Marketing Trend of the Week: Rolling Stunts
Wrapped vehicles and tricked-out rides are guaranteed to turn heads, but a larger-than-life mobile installation can generate social content, earn press coverage and spark “did you see that?” conversations that keep a brand top of mind. Whether they’re wheeling into neighborhoods, city centers,…
Audible Story House: Storytelling and Community-Building at a ‘Bookless Bookstore’
The Audible Story House marked a new chapter in audio storytelling through a bold concept: a “bookless bookstore.” From May 1-29 in New York, consumers could visit the first-ever IRL space dedicated to the craft, where every use-case for enjoying an audiobook had its own dedicated room, and “Story…
Five Reasons Nostalgia is Trending in Experiential
Today’s fast-paced, digital-centered world bombards consumers with messages at every turn, an overwhelming array that makes in-person, experiential marketing that much more valuable. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that some of the most impactful experiential marketing pushes back on progress,…
The Brief: Kibble Art and Glass Hotboxes
This week’s hot takes on hot topics in experiential marketing cover kibble art, “Into Eternia” and glass hotboxes. The post The Brief: Kibble Art and Glass Hotboxes appeared first on Event Marketer.